New Licence - Category B1

Redhairedguy

So I got my new credit card style licence there in the middle of February.

And only now, when I'm trying to get on as a named driver on my father's work van, am I noticing a new category on the back of my licence. It's up above B and titled 'B1' with a small picture of a van.

I looked back over the application form I sent in, when I applied for my new licence, and there was no mention of B1, or any other sub-category like that.

Obviously, my licence doesn't have the B1 part checked, so I'm worried that I now won't be eligible to drive the van, which I drove constantly for the first year after I got my full licence.

Anyone else come across this, or have any thoughts or ideas?

Crasp

I've never heard of a B1 category but any category with a "1" after it is usually covered by the general category, i.e. A1 licence coveres small motorbikes, A coveres everything.. C1 covers small trucks, C covers all trucks etc etc. The A1 and C1 licences have more restrictions.


This would imply that a B1 is covered by a B.

Redhairedguy

That's a relief. I hope you're right.

Anyway, for anyone interested, this is what it looks like.

Cookie_Monster

Is that a general pic or a scan of yours? Either way why is it valid for 13 years?

CiniO

There is no such thing as category B1 in Ireland.
It's not mentioned in any "Road traffic Act" or "Road traffic regulations".

In other EU countries, B1 covers smaller vehicles f.e. quadricycles, or small cars weighting something up to 550kg (depending on country).

I have no clue why did they put B1 option on a new licences, as this category just doesn't exist here.

It has absolutely nothing to do with van's anyway.

Once you hold category B, you can drive any passenger or goods vehicle with GVW (gross vehicle weight) up to 3500kg.

Redhairedguy

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Is that a general pic or a scan of yours?

Mine.

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Either way why is it valid for 13 years?

Spooky Unquestionable Ginger Magic.

CiniO

Crasp wrote: »

I've never heard of a B1 category but any category with a "1" after it is usually covered by the general category, i.e. A1 licence coveres small motorbikes, A coveres everything.. C1 covers small trucks, C covers all trucks etc etc. The A1 and C1 licences have more restrictions.


This would imply that a B1 is covered by a B.

If B1 existed in Ireland - it indeed would be covered by B.
But it just doesn't exist.

Hitchens

Redhairedguy wrote: »

That's a relief. I hope you're right.

Anyway, for anyone interested, this is what it looks like.

is it only the two categories with the dates filled in that are covered, ie. car and tractor?

Redhairedguy

Yep. That's all I ticked when I sent the application in. I would need to do subsequent tests to get my motorcycle/truck/lorry licence.

westdub

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Is that a general pic or a scan of yours? Either way why is it valid for 13 years?

The first date is when the OPs first License was issued and the second date is when it needs to be renewed.....simples....:D

Guy:Incognito

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Either way why is it valid for 13 years?

It's not. Its valid for 10 years from when it was issued (this year) . I got my licnce in 99 and renewed in 09. My current licence has valid from aug 99 to aug 19 on it.The start date is always when you initially passed the test.


EDIt. Dammit, too slow. :-)

af_thefragile

What is an A2 licence???

Hitchens

so if there's no B1, why is it on the list? Crazy old Ireland :rolleyes:

Crasp

af_thefragile wrote: »

What is an A2 licence???

It's what you get when you pass your bike test and you're under 24 years of age. If you want to upgrade to a full A you need to do more IBT lessons when you tirn 24 (module €500 I think it's called). If you're over 24 you can get the full A off the bat if you do the test on the right bike. OTher wise you too will end up with an A2 licence (like passing the B test in an auto).

Hitchens wrote: »

so if there's no B1, why is it on the list? Crazy old Ireland :rolleyes:

Because we are in the EU now and maybe toher countries have it, so we must too. If somoeone came from another EU country with a B1 licence and wanted to exchange for an Irish one, we would have to be able to offer them one, presumably.

af_thefragile

Crasp wrote: »

It's what you get when you pass your bike test and you're under 24 years of age. If you want to upgrade to a full A you need to do more IBT lessons when you tirn 24 (module €500 I think it's called). If you're over 24 you can get the full A off the bat if you do the test on the right bike. OTher wise you too will end up with an A2 licence (like passing the B test in an auto).

Why did they have to make it so complicated? The previous system was working fine!

So now someone who's over 24yrs can potentially go out and buy a totally unrestricted Ducati superbike as their first bike?!! That makes no sense!

Crasp

af_thefragile wrote: »

Why did they have to make it so complicated? The previous system was working fine!

So now someone who's over 24yrs can potentially go out and buy a totally unrestricted Ducati superbike as their first bike?!! That makes no sense!

Ya but to be fair the Duc wouldn't get far.


The previous system was flawed. Ever notice that there are no bikers alive today who have driven a bike producing more than 35KW? They were all killed and so the EU sad no, no more bikes over 35KW.











Unless you're over 24.

CiniO

Crasp wrote: »

Because we are in the EU now and maybe toher countries have it, so we must too. If somoeone came from another EU country with a B1 licence and wanted to exchange for an Irish one, we would have to be able to offer them one, presumably.

I can't imagine how could they exchange a EU licence with B1 category, for Irish licence with B1 category, once this category simply doesn't exist in Ireland and is not covered by any law.

Crasp

CiniO wrote: »

I can't imagine how could they exchange a EU licence with B1 category, for Irish licence with B1 category, once this category simply doesn't exist in Ireland and is not covered by any law.

A fair point.


probably covered under some EU directive though.

triple-M

af_thefragile wrote: »

Why did they have to make it so complicated? The previous system was working fine!

So now someone who's over 24yrs can potentially go out and buy a totally unrestricted Ducati superbike as their first bike?!! That makes no sense!

they can buy it but can they insure it is the real question

pa990

Hitchens wrote: »

so if there's no B1, why is it on the list? Crazy old Ireland :rolleyes:

they are using an EU standard licence format.

just in case they introduce a B1 cat in a few years, they wont have to redesign, or have to adjust the printing system.

makes sense really

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

seven_eleven

I smell a money racket incoming.

seamus

Yeah, it's an EU thing. There's an EU vehicle category for vehicles designed for carrying goods but having a GVDW under 3.5 tonnes. Basically vans, car-vans, jeeps and probably small flatbed trucks too.

Adding that category in means that they now have all of the EU categories on the list.

What they will probably do is tweak the categories later on so that B1 covers goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and C1 covers goods vehicles up to 12 tonnes.

af_thefragile

So would something like a Toyota Hilux twincab be a B1 vehicle or a B vehicle?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

CiniO

seamus wrote: »

Yeah, it's an EU thing. There's an EU vehicle category for vehicles designed for carrying goods but having a GVDW under 3.5 tonnes. Basically vans, car-vans, jeeps and probably small flatbed trucks too.

Adding that category in means that they now have all of the EU categories on the list.

What they will probably do is tweak the categories later on so that B1 covers goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and C1 covers goods vehicles up to 12 tonnes.

If you meant that B1 is an EU category (whatever you mean by EU category) and it covers small vans and jeeps up to 3.5tonnes, then it's total bullsh1t.

Silvera

Category B still applies to vehicles up to 3500kg.

Category B1 is "Motor tricycles, quadricycles and three or four wheeled vehicles with an unladen weight of NO MORE THAN 550 kg".

CiniO

Silvera wrote: »

Category B1 is "Motor tricycles, quadricycles and three or four wheeled vehicles with an unladen weight of NO MORE THAN 550 kg".

In UK - Yes.

In Ireland - No.

Cookie_Monster

CiniO wrote: »

I can't imagine how could they exchange a EU licence with B1 category, for Irish licence with B1 category, once this category simply doesn't exist in Ireland and is not covered by any law.

It's just future proofing, the category could well be introduced this year for all we know.

seamus

CiniO wrote: »

If you meant that B1 is an EU category (whatever you mean by EU category) and it covers small vans and jeeps up to 3.5tonnes, then it's total bullsh1t.

N1 is the EU category for small goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes.

Ignoring motorcycles, this is the only category of vehicle which had no equivalent on the Irish licence. B1 is probably planned as the implementation of category N1.

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/vehicles/categories_en.htm

You've got a really crap attitude, has anyone ever mentioned that to you? What's wrong with simply asking me what I meant by my post?

CiniO

seamus wrote: »

N1 is the EU category for small goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes.

Those are vehicle categories.
We are talking about driving licence categories, which do not really line with the vehicle categories.
In short - it's completely different thing.

Ignoring motorcycles, this is the only category of vehicle which had no equivalent on the Irish licence. B1 is probably planned as the implementation of category N1.

Driving licence category B allows to drive vehciles of category N1 all over Europe and probably way further.

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/vehicles/categories_en.htm

You've got a really crap attitude, has anyone ever mentioned that to you?

Yes.

What's wrong with simply asking me what I meant by my post?

I know what you meant by your post as you said it clear, and it's incorrect.
Driving licence categories generally have nothing to do with vehicle categories, even though that some of them cover the same kind of vehicles.

Driving licence category B1, even if introduced in Ireland, won't cover vehicles you mentioned. In countries in which it exists, it covers either quadricycles or small passenger vehicles (weight usually up to 550kg or something).
You post was just really misleading, the same as picture on driving licence by this category.

Del2005

af_thefragile wrote: »

So now someone who's over 24yrs can potentially go out and buy a totally unrestricted Ducati superbike as their first bike?!! That makes no sense!

And a 17 year old can go out and but a Bugatti Veyron as their first car if they wanted to!!!

Power has never been proven to be a cause of accidents, inappropriate speed has. Yet they don't restrict the speed of cars while restricting the power of bikes

D Trent

On receipt of my new plastic driving licence recently I noticed just above category B(car) there's a new category the RSA have added it is 'B1'.
Has anyone else noticed it?
I've tried RSA website and googled it but to no avail.
You cannot even book a test for this new category so what is its purpose does anybody know?
Is it yet a another EU directive we have to obey/ or might it unsurprisingly be an extra means of collecting revenue?

Sobanek

B1 in Poland lets 16 year olds drive three or four wheeled vehicles that do not weigh more than 550kgs. I'm guessing it's the same story.

biko

Merged with RHG's older thread

CiniO

Sobanek wrote: »

B1 in Poland lets 16 year olds drive three or four wheeled vehicles that do not weigh more than 550kgs. I'm guessing it's the same story.

No it isn't the same.
As said before B1 doesn't exist in Ireland.

D Trent

I imagine it was put on all licences for the future if Ireland follows suit with likes of poland and uk and introduces new test category

Kenny Logins

It's the new 'EPA-traktor' category being introduced later this year. Stumpy little tractors for 15 year old to hoon about in (at max. 30kmh..).

True story. :pac: