C1 Licence Course / Package

Do you have a requirement to drive larger / heavier vehicles with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) that is greater than 3500KG / 3.5 ton, such as Horse Box vehicles, Box Vans or Ambulance Vehicles for example.

As these types of vehicles have the capacity to carry more weight (more than 3.5 ton but less than 7.5 ton) you are required to have category C1 on your driving licence which requires an additional driving test.

Prices from £550 (+VAT) which includes:

On Road Training (2 days up to the test)

Test Day

'Warm Up' lesson before test
Vehicle for use on the test

Learners should be aware there are additional costs for obtaining the provisional license category, driver medical, theory test and practical test which we can help and advise on.

Before you can begin the process of obtaining a C1 licence, you must first hold a current standard car driving licence and be over the age of 18.
If you are not getting paid to drive a C1 vehicle, or have intentions of working for the ambulance service, you do not need the Continual Professional Competence (CPC) Card (sometimes called the Driver Qualification Card (DQC)

What is a 'C1' Vehicle?

A C1 vehicle is a classification in the UK (including Northern Ireland) for a medium-sized goods vehicle (MV) that meets specific weight criteria. It allows you to drive vehicles that are bigger than a normal car but smaller than a full lorry.

A C1 vehicle is:

A rigid vehicle (truck/van)
Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) of 3,500 kg to 7,500 kg (i.e., 3.5 – 7.5 tonnes)
With no more than 8 passenger seats

You may also tow a trailer up to 750 kg with a C1 licence.

Examples of C1 Vehicles include:

Larger box vans used for commercial deliveries
Small rigid trucks used in trades or logistics
Some ambulances & specialist vehicles falling in that weight band
Vehicles too large for a standard car licence but not as large as a full HGV (Category C)

Who needs a C1 Licence

You need a C1 driving licence if you want to legally drive vehicles in that weight range on UK roads — often required for certain jobs (e.g., driving delivery trucks, support vehicles, ambulances)

CPC vs DQC

CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence)
DQC (Driver Qualification Card)

You cannot have a DQC without CPC, and you do NOT need a Driver CPC or DQC if:

The Job role is exempt from EU/UK drivers’ hours rules (Ambulance Services are)
You are driving as part of Social, Domestic or Pleasure (i.e. not getting paid)

Title vs DQC

CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) = the qualification
DQC (Driver Qualification Card) = the card issued once CPC is achieved

You cannot have a DQC without CPC, and you do NOT need a Driver CPC or DQC if:

The Job role is exempt from EU/UK drivers’ hours rules (Ambulance Services are)
You are driving as part of Social, Domestic or Pleasure (i.e. not getting paid)