The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999

Competence to drive classes of vehicle: special cases E+W+S

7.—F1 (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2) A person who holds a relevant full licence authorising the driving of vehicles included in category D, other than vehicles included in sub-category D1 or D1 (not for hire or reward), may drive a passenger-carrying vehicle recovery vehicle unless by that licence he is authorised to drive only vehicles having automatic transmission, in which case he shall be deemed competent to drive only passenger-carrying vehicle recovery vehicles having automatic transmission.

(3) A person may drive an incomplete large vehicle—

(a) having a working weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes if he holds a relevant full licence authorising the driving of vehicles in sub-category C1, or

(b) having a working weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes if he holds a relevant full licence authorising the driving of vehicles in category C, other than vehicles in sub-category C1,

unless by that licence he is authorised to drive only motor vehicles having automatic transmission, in which case he shall be deemed competent to drive only incomplete large vehicles of the appropriate weight specified in paragraph (a) or (b) which have automatic transmission.

(4) A person who holds a relevant full licence authorising the driving of vehicles included in category B, other than vehicles in [F2 former sub-category B1 or sub-category] and B1 (invalid carriages), may drive—

(a) an exempted goods vehicle other than—

(i) a passenger-carrying vehicle recovery vehicle, or

(ii) a mobile project vehicle,

(b) an exempted military vehicle, and

(c) a passenger-carrying vehicle in respect of which the conditions specified in regulation 50(2) or (3) are satisfied,

unless by that licence he is authorised to drive only motor vehicles having automatic transmission, in which case he shall be deemed competent to drive only such of the vehicles mentioned in sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) as have automatic transmission.

(5) A person who—

(a) holds a relevant full licence authorising the driving of vehicles of a class included in category B, other than vehicles in [F3 former sub-category B1 or sub-category] B1 (invalid carriages),

(b) has held that licence for an aggregate period of not less than 2 years, and

(c) is aged 21 or over,

may drive a mobile project vehicle on behalf of a non-commercial body—

(i) to or from the place where the equipment it carries is to be, or has been, used, or the display or exhibition is to be, or has been, mounted, or

(ii) to or from the place where a mechanical defect in the vehicle is to be, or has been, remedied, or

(iii) in such circumstances that by virtue of paragaph 22 of Schedule 2 to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 F4 the vehicle is not chargeable with duty in respect of its use on public roads,

unless by that licence he is authorised to drive only vehicles having automatic transmission, in which case he shall be deemed competent to drive only mobile project vehicles having automatic transmission.

(6) A person who—

(a) holds a relevant full licence authorising the driving of vehicles of a class included in category B, other than vehicles in [F5 former sub-category B1 or sub-category] B1 (invalid carriages),

(b) has held that licence for an aggregate period of not less than 2 years,

(c) is aged 21 or over,

(d) if he is aged 70 or over, is not suffering from a relevant disability in respect of which the Secretary of State would be bound to refuse to grant him a Group 2 licence, and

(e) receives no consideration for so doing, other than out-of pocket expenses,

may drive, on behalf of a non-commercial body for social purposes but not for hire or reward, a vehicle of a class included in sub-category D1 which has no trailer attached and has a maximum authorised mass—

(i) not exceeding 3.5 tonnes, excluding any part of that weight which is attributable to specialised equipment intended for the carriage of disabled passengers, and

(ii) not exceeding 4.25 tonnes otherwise,

unless such a person is by that licence authorised to drive only vehicles having automatic transmission, in which case he shall be deemed competent to drive only such vehicles in sub-category D1 as conform to the above specification and have automatic transmission.

F6 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F7 (8) A person who holds a licence authorising the driving of vehicles included in category B and who has, before 1st February 2001, passed a test (or a Northern Ireland test of competence corresponding to such a test) for such a licence may drive a category P vehicle unless the test or, as the case may be, the practical test was passed on a motor vehicle which was adapted on account of a disability of the person taking the test in which case the person is authorised to drive only such category P vehicles as are so adapted.

(9) Where a person holds a full licence issued before 19th January 2013 authorising the driving of vehicles included in category A, that licence shall not in addition authorise the driving of vehicles in former sub-category B1 unless that person passed the test in respect of that licence (or a Northern Ireland test of competence corresponding to that test) before 1st February 2001.]

[F8 (10) A person who holds a relevant full licence authorising the driving of vehicles of a class included in category B, other than vehicles in former sub-category B1, sub-category B1 or sub-category B1 (invalid carriages) and is aged 21 or over may drive an A3 motor tricycle.]

[F9 (11) A person who holds a relevant full licence authorising the driving of vehicles included in category B, other than vehicles in former sub-category B1, sub-category B1 or sub-category B1 (invalid carriages), may drive—

(a) a zero-emission vehicle of a class that would be included within category B but for its maximum authorised mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes, provided that it is not a mobile project vehicle and has a maximum authorised mass—

(i) not exceeding 4.25 tonnes, excluding any part of that weight which is attributable to specialised equipment intended for the carriage of disabled passengers, and

(ii) not exceeding 5 tonnes otherwise;

(b) a zero-emission vehicle and trailer combination which has a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 7 tonnes, comprising—

(i) a zero-emission vehicle referred to in sub-paragraph (a), and

(ii) a trailer which has a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes;

(c) a zero-emission vehicle of a class included in sub-category D1 and which has a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 4.25 tonnes, excluding any part of that weight which is attributable to specialised equipment intended for the carriage of disabled passengers, and not exceeding 5 tonnes otherwise, provided—

(i) that person has held that licence for an aggregate period of not less than 2 years,

(ii) that person is aged 21 or over,

(iii) that person, if aged 70 or over, is not suffering from a relevant disability in respect of which the Secretary of State would be bound to refuse to grant them a Group 2 licence,

(iv) that person is driving the zero-emission vehicle on behalf of a non-commercial body for social purposes but not for hire or reward,

(v) that person receives no consideration for so doing, other than out-of-pocket expenses,

(vi) that the zero-emission vehicle has no trailer attached, and

(vii) if the person is by that licence authorised to drive only vehicles having automatic transmission, that person shall be deemed competent to drive only such zero-emission vehicles in sub-category D1 as conform to the above specification and have automatic transmission.

(12) For the purposes of this regulation—

(a) when a person drives a zero-emission vehicle of a kind specified in paragraph (11)(a) or (b) which is a “medium-sized goods vehicle” or “other motor vehicle” for the purposes of section 101 of the Traffic Act (disqualification of persons under age), that section has effect as if, for the ages specified in the Table in that section in respect of “medium sized goods vehicle” and “other motor vehicle”, there were substituted the age “17”, and

(b) “zero-emission vehicle” means a vehicle without an internal combustion engine, or with an internal combustion engine that has emissions of CO2 of zero grams per kilometre.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Reg. 7(1) omitted (29.12.2014) by virtue of The Road Traffic Act 1988 and Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/3190), regs. 1, 4

F2 Words in reg. 7(4) substituted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 6(a)

F3 Words in reg. 7(5)(a) substituted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 6(b)

F4 1994 c. 22.

F5 Words in reg. 7(6)(a) substituted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 6(b)

F6 Reg. 7(7) omitted (16.12.2021) by virtue of The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1450), regs. 1(2), 3

F7 Reg. 7(8)(9) inserted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 6(c)

F8 Reg. 7(10) inserted (10.4.2014) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/613), regs. 1, 3

F9 Reg. 7(11)(12) substituted (10.6.2025) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/608), regs. 1(2), 2