Driving a van with my licence

amandstu

I just have "car" ,"tractor" and "motorbike" on my licence.

Can I still drive a van if I am accompanied by someone with a license that includes "van" in the categories.

Actually I don't know why she has that category and I don't .Maybe because she passed her test at a time when they were more generous in giving out categories?

Gregor Samsa

There's no "van" license. The B category (which shows a picture of a car) entitles you to drive a vehicle (other than motorcycles, mopeds, work vehicles or land tractors) with a Maximum Authorised Mass of less than 3,500kg that is designed to carry fewer than 8 passengers (plus the driver).

The Maximum Authorised Mass is also known as the gross vehicle weight (g.v.w.). It'll be written on a metal plate on the vehicle, or you can look it up in the vehicle specifications

Anything except the very biggest vans will have a GVW of 3,500kg or less.

If you want to drive something with a GVW greater than 3,500kg, you'll need the appropriate C category on your license, or you'll need to have a Learners Permit for the C category, plus an appropriately licensed driver accompanying you.

Details on the license codes is here:

https://www.rsa.ie/services/learner-drivers/types-of-licences

amandstu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004891#Comment_122004891

Thanks a lot!

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004904#Comment_122004904

By the way, when you say this person has a van licence, is it a B1 category on her license? The little icon looks like a van, but actually it's for tricycles, quadracycles and small cars up to 550kg in weight. Ireland doesn't issue this category (it's covered by B), but if she has a licence from another country, she may have it.

amandstu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004916#Comment_122004916

I asked her if she has her license to hand but she is not quite sure where she left it and so it might be a while before it shows up . :-)

You might be right .I doubt very much she would be comfortable driving anything larger than anything taking 8 people!

B1 category does ring a bell.

I have never driven a van myself but am glad I am allowed if necessary.

Spidermann1

Yes u can drive a short wheel Base van, covered by category B depending on amount of seats