WHAT LICENSE DO I NEED FOR LARGE COMMERCIAL VAN?

neon_glows

I am a 23 year old 2nd provisional driver. I left Ireland 16months ago to travel in OZZ but I am now returning. Before i left i drove a small van but its now sold. Since then my parents business purchased a large sized commercial van, i am unsure of the model of van but think its called a toyota master but again I am not sure. Will i be able to drive this VAN on my current 2nd provisional? Will a normal full drivers license allow me to drive it if i take my test in a car? How long is the wait for drivers license tests at home now? Anyone know what i would be looking at with a full drivers license full comprehensive out on my own insurance on the van? the van is also 2008!

scudster

As far as I know a Toyota Master is a small enough van, definately B category.If its a Renault Master then I think you should be ok on a B but just check its gvw. If you are talkin about a large van like a Mitsubishi canter or the like then you will need a C1 or C licence. To obtain a C or C1 licence you will first have to pass your B licence (car) test before you can apply for the C licence. A B licence is ok for a vehicle with a maximum gvw of up to 3,500kg. A C1 will allow you to drive a vehicle with a max. gvw of up to 7,500kg. If you are going to go for a C1 licence, my advice is forget the C1 and just go to the C licence instead which will allow you drive a rigid truck. The C test is the same as a regular car test except you have to do another theory test and learn about allowable vehicle weight per axle and all that.

Wishbone Ash

scudster wrote: »

A B licence is ok for a vehicle with a maximum gvw of up to 3,500kg. A C1 will allow you to drive a vehicle with a max. gvw of up to 7,500kg

+1


A rough rule of thumb:

If the van has green and yellow reflective stripes at the sides and red and orange reflective stripes across the rear, then a C1 category licence will be required.

RedzDrivingScho

neon_glows wrote: »

I am a 23 year old 2nd provisional driver. I left Ireland 16months ago to travel in OZZ but I am now returning. Before i left i drove a small van but its now sold. Since then my parents business purchased a large sized commercial van, i am unsure of the model of van but think its called a toyota master but again I am not sure. Will i be able to drive this VAN on my current 2nd provisional? Will a normal full drivers license allow me to drive it if i take my test in a car? How long is the wait for drivers license tests at home now? Anyone know what i would be looking at with a full drivers license full comprehensive out on my own insurance on the van? the van is also 2008!

if you've been away you need to know that second provisional Llicence holders are no longer allowed to drive unaccompanied......you will need a full licence driver with you.......

As long as the vehicle is under 3500kg gvw you can drive on a B licence

dlambirl

If the van is under 3,500kg you will be able to drive it on a B licence - and under your provisional licence but as another posted pointed out the laws regarding provisional drivers have changed since you left for Ozz and you are no longer allowed to drive unaccompanied on a provisional licence.

Wishbone Ash

dlambirl wrote: »

If the van is under 3,500kg

Just to clarify - the gross weight must be under 3,500kg, i.e. the van+load+driver etc.

An average sized Ford Transit carrying 2 X one tonne pallets would be over 3,500kgs.

Wishbone Ash

Just as an interesting sidenote, there was a bit of controversy a few years ago in the UK with the Ford Excursion.

A few people had imported them from the US but were dismayed to discover that its kerbweight was near 3,500kgs. A few passengers or a small load would bring it into the category C1 licence territory. Those who had done the test pre 1995(?) were OK as C1 was issued automatically when a B test was passed.