The truck driver's license
For those who want it really hard
Driving a truck entails a high level of responsibility. The driver drives a much heavier vehicle with often very valuable loads. Particularly from a professional point of view, drivers must be able to drive a truck safely anywhere, at any time of the day and in any weather.
Anyone who wants to take on this responsibility privately or professionally needs a category C driver's licence. In this article you will find information on the basic requirements and the different categories of this driver's licence category.
First things first:
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You must be in possession of a class B driver's licence.
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Classes C1, C1E, C, CE are distinguished.
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Depending on the class, the minimum age is 18 or 21 years.
The truck driver's licence categories
Light commercial vehicles:
Driver's licence category C1 covers lighter commercial vehicles with a permissible total weight of over 3,500 kg to a maximum of 7,500 kg. Category C1 also entitles the holder to drive a trailer, but only if it is not heavier than 750 kg.
If you depend on a higher weight, you cannot avoid the C1E driver's licence. On one hand, it regulates the trailer combination with a vehicle of category C1, whereby the trailer may exceed the 750 kg permitted in the C1 driver's licence and on the other hand the trailer combination with a vehicle of category B with a trailer weight over 3,500 kg. In both cases, however, the permissible total weight of the vehicle and trailer may not exceed 12,000 kg.
Heavy commercial vehicles
If you have a professional or private interest in transporting very large masses, you will need a category C driver's licence. The restriction of the commercial vehicle to a maximum of 7,500 kg, as it is regulated with the C1 driver's licence, is thereby omitted. Trailers up to 750 kg are included in this category. Logically, the category C licence entitles the holder to drive C1 vehicles at the same time.
The CE category driver's licence entitles the holder to drive an additional vehicle trailer weighing more than 750 kg. This allows licence holders to operate trailers with unlimited mass. For this you must, of course, already have a C driver's license.
For more information on requirements, training and costs, simply click on the C driver's license class that interests you!
Find your truck driving school
You're interested in getting a driver's license for trucks? In our search you can find driving schools that inform you about the different categories and make you a safe truck driver.