Buy category B driving licence without going for the practical test

Buy category B driving licence Category B – if you passed your test on or after 1 January 1997. You can drive vehicles up to 3,500kg MAM with up to 8 passenger seats (with a trailer up to 750kg). You can also tow heavier trailers if the total MAM of the vehicle and trailer is not more than 3,500kg.

Cars

Category B – if you passed your test before 1 January 1997

You’re usually allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg maximum authorised mass (MAM). View your driving licence information to check.

You’re also allowed to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kg MAM.

Category B – if you passed your test on or after 1 January 1997

You can drive vehicles up to 3,500kg MAM with up to 8 passenger seats (with a trailer up to 750kg).

You can also tow heavier trailers if the total MAM of the vehicle and trailer is not more than 3,500kg.

You can drive motor tricycles with a power output higher than 15kW if you are over 21 years old.

Physically disabled drivers with provisional category B entitlement will also have provisional entitlement to ride category A1 or A motor tricycles.

Non-disabled drivers can no longer ride motor tricycles with a provisional category B licence.

Category B auto

You can drive a category B vehicle – but only an automatic one.

Category BE

You can drive a vehicle with a MAM of 3,500kg with a trailer.

The size of the trailer depends on the BE ‘valid from’ date shown on your licence. If the date is:

• before 19 January 2013, you can tow any size trailer
• on or after 19 January 2013, you can tow a trailer with a MAM of up to 3,500kg

Medium-sized vehicles

Category C1

You can drive vehicles between 3,500 and 7,500kg MAM (with a trailer up to 750kg).

Category C1E

You can drive C1 category vehicles with a trailer over 750kg.

The combined MAM of both cannot exceed 12,000kg.

Large vehicles

Category C

You can drive vehicles over 3,500kg (with a trailer up to 750kg MAM).

Category CE

You can drive category C vehicles with a trailer over 750kg.

Minibuses

Category D1

You can drive vehicles with:

• no more than 16 passenger seats
• a maximum length of 8 metres
• a trailer up to 750kg

Category D1E

You can drive D1 category vehicles with a trailer over 750kg MAM.

The combined MAM of both cannot exceed 12,000kg.

Buses

Category D

You can drive any bus with more than 8 passenger seats (with a trailer up to 750kg MAM).

Category DE

You can drive D category vehicles with a trailer over 750kg.

Other categories

Category	Vehicle you can drive
f	Agricultural tractor
G	Road roller
H	Tracked vehicles
k	Mowing machine or pedestrian-controlled vehicle
l	Electrically-propelled vehicle
M	Trolley vehicles
n	Exempt from duty

You do not need a driving licence for electric bikes, mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs.