Changes to HGV and bus driving licences and tests from 15 November 2021
Find out what’s changed with how driving licences work for heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and bus drivers and how driving tests are changing.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
Stay up to date
This page tells you about the changes to driving licences and tests if you want to become a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) or bus driver.
It will be updated when more details are available.
Some rules about learning to drive an HGV and bus or coach changed on 15 November 2021. The changes affect:
- what you’re allowed to learn to drive and take your driving test in
- how the driving test works
What you can learn to drive and take your driving test in
Lorries
You can now:
- learn to drive in an articulated lorry (category CE) if your provisional lorry licence was issued from 15 November 2021 (if you had a provisional licence before this date, you need to take extra steps to upgrade your provisional licence)
- take your test in a large articulated lorry without having to pass one in a large rigid lorry (category C) first
You can still learn to drive and take a driving test in a large rigid lorry (category C) if you do not want to drive anything larger.
When you pass your test in a large articulated lorry, you’re allowed to drive:
- a medium-sized lorry (C1)
- a medium-sized lorry towing a trailer (C1E)
- a large rigid lorry (C)
- a large articulated lorry (CE)
Medium-sized lorries
This change also applies to medium-sized lorries towing a trailer (category C1E).
This means you can learn to drive a medium-sized lorry towing a trailer (category C1E) and take your test in one, without having to pass a test in a medium-sized lorry (category C1) first.
When you pass your test in a medium-sized lorry towing a trailer, you’re allowed to drive:
- a medium-sized lorry (C1)
- a medium-sized lorry towing a trailer (C1E)
Buses and coaches
You can now:
- learn to drive in a bus or coach towing a trailer (category DE) if your provisional bus licence was issued from 15 November 2021 (if you had a provisional licence before this date, you need to take extra steps to upgrade your provisional licence)
- take your test in a bus or coach towing a trailer without having to pass one in just a bus or coach (category D) first
You can still learn to drive and take a driving test in a bus or coach (category D) if you do not want to tow trailers.
When you pass your test in a bus or coach towing a trailer, you’re allowed to drive:
- a minibus (D1)
- a minibus towing a trailer (D1E)
- a bus or coach (D)
- a bus or coach towing a trailer (DE)
Minibuses
This change also applies to minibuses towing a trailer (category D1E).
This means you can learn to drive a minibus towing a trailer (category D1E) and take your test in one, without having to pass a test in just a minibus (category D1) first.
When you pass your test in a minibus towing a trailer, you’re allowed to drive:
- a minibus (D1)
- a minibus towing a trailer (D1E)
How to upgrade your provisional licence
If you got your provisional lorry or bus entitlement before 15 November 2021, you may be entitled to additional provisional entitlements. You need to apply to get the additional provisional entitlements added to your licence.
If your provisional lorry or bus entitlement was issued from 15 November 2021, you’ll have the extra provisional entitlements added to your licence automatically.
Changes to the Driver CPC part 3 (driving ability) test
The Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) part 3 (driving ability) test is 1 of the 4 tests you have to pass to drive a lorry or bus for a living.
The test was split into 2 parts on 29 November 2021. You need to book and take your test in 2 parts:
If you already had a test booked from 29 November 2021 onwards
Any appointment from 29 November onwards have been changed into the new Driver CPC part 3b (on-road driving) test. Your appointment time has slightly changed because of this. You will:
- need to ask your trainer to check the new time if they booked the test for you
- get an email from DVSA with the new appointment time if you booked the test yourself
You must book and pass a Driver CPC part 3a test before you take your part 3b test.
If you cannot find a Driver CPC part 3a test before your appointment, you’ll need to move your part 3b test to a later date.
Last updated 16 November 2021 + show all updates
-
Updated the information about the changes to the Driver CPC part 3 (driving ability) test to confirm that tests taken from 29 November will be split into 2 parts. Added links to information about how the 2 parts of the test will work.
-
Updated information about adding provisional entitlements to your licence.
-
Added a link to apply to get additional provisional entitlements added to your lorry or bus licence if it was issued before 15 November 2021.
-
Updated to confirm that DVSA will continue to provide full single Driver CPC part 3 (driving ability) tests until further notice.
-
Added information about changes to the driving test booking service from 15 November 2021, and what happens if you've already booked a Driver CPC part 3 (driving ability) test. Added more information about how the Driver CPC part 3a (off-road exercises) test will work, including how long the pass certificate will be valid for and how long you had to wait before taking the test again if you fail it. Added more information about how the Drier CPC part 3b (on-road driving) test will work, including what to take to the test and the pass mark.
-
Updated to confirm that the rules will change on 15 November 2021, subject to Parliamentary approval. Added information about what you need to do about your provisional licence.
-
First published.