Guide To HGV and LGV Class 1 Training

Vehicles weighing more than 3,500 kg and towing a trailer that weighs more than 750 kg are classified as Large Goods Vehicles or LGV, and a Category C+E licence is needed to drive these trucks. The Category C+E licence was formerly called Heavy Goods Vehicles or HGV Class 1. In addition to the Category C+E licence, candidates for this licence who plan to drive for a living should also have a Driver CPC or Certificate of Professional Competence. Drivers who successfully earn their Category C+E licence and CPC may drive articulated lorries or truck and drawbar combinations.

Requirements for HGV Category C+E training:

To apply for HGV Category C+E licence, a candidate must satisfy the following conditions:

• He must already have a Category C licence.
• He must be at least 21 years of age.

In some cases, candidates may apply for the licence at the age of 17 or 18. If the candidate is serving in the armed forces, he may apply for the licence at 17 years old. A candidate can also apply for the licence at 18 years old under any of the following situations:

• He’s studying for a driving test for Category C+E or Driver CPC.
• He has already passed his driving test and Driver CPC.
• He’s studying for a national vocational training program to receive a Driver CPC qualification.

Training Course Outline and Estimated Cost:

The Category C+E process is considerably shorter than the Category C procedure since candidates have already taken their medical exam and theory tests.

Here’s what drivers need to know about the Category C+E Training process:

1. Provisional entitlement: A candidate will not need to apply for the provisional entitlement since having the Category C licence automatically qualifies him for the Category C+E provisional entitlement.
2. Practical Driving Assessment: Some training providers conduct a practical skills driving assessment to gauge how much training the candidate needs. Most candidates typically need five to seven days of training to be at the level required for passing the test.
3. Practical Training: Lessons from the training provider’s driving instructor will consist of a combination of lecture, demonstration and exercises on highway and traffic laws, safe vehicle handling and driving manoeuvres.
4. Practical Test: The practical test will be similar to the Category C driving test and will still be conducted by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency or DVLA but with some additional topics. Some training providers are also able to help candidates by booking the practical test for them. Once the candidate passes the test, the provisional entitlement on his licence is converted to a full Category C+E licence.

Training providers differ on actual training costs with the rate often based on the length of training needed. Several providers also offer packages including those that combine Category C with Category C+E training.

Here’s a look at the usual Category C+E training prices:

*A fee is also often charged by training providers for the candidate’s use of their vehicles for the practical test.