Class 1 is the top goods vehicle entitlement in the UK. On your licence it appears as C+E. It covers articulated lorries and drawbar combinations, and it automatically includes everything a Class 2 (Category C) licence allows. If you're planning a driving career rather than a single local job, this is normally the licence to aim for.
What can you drive with a Class 1 licence?
- Articulated lorries — a tractor unit and semi-trailer, up to 44 tonnes on UK roads
- Rigid lorries pulling a drawbar trailer over 750kg
- Everything Category C covers: any rigid goods vehicle over 3,500kg
- 7.5 tonne vehicles and smaller goods vehicles
In job adverts you'll see it written as Class 1, C+E, artic driver or trunking driver. If you're still unsure how the codes map to the industry names, the licence categories page lays them all out side by side.
How to get a Class 1 licence
Since the rules changed in 2021 you can train and test directly in an articulated vehicle. You don't need to pass Category C first. The route from a full car licence looks like this:
- Pass an HGV D4 medical
- Apply to the DVLA for provisional C+E entitlement using the D2 and D4 forms
- Pass the theory tests — multiple choice, hazard perception and CPC Module 2 case studies
- Complete your practical training hours with an instructor
- Pass the DVSA off-road manoeuvres test (Module 3a) and on-road driving test (Module 3b)
- Pass Driver CPC Module 4 to get your Driver Qualification Card
Already hold Class 2? You skip most of that. The Class 2 to Class 1 upgrade is training and the two practical tests only, currently £2,880.
How much does Class 1 training cost?
Our Class 1 package price depends on how much of the process you've already done. Every price below includes the DVSA test fees, so there's nothing to pay separately on test day.
| Your situation | Package price |
|---|---|
| Car licence, nothing done yet (medical, theory and CPC 4 included) | £3,500 |
| Medical already done | £3,450 |
| Medical and theory already done | £3,370 |
| Medical, theory and CPC Module 4 all done | £3,070 |
| Upgrading from an existing Class 2 licence | £2,880 |
Prices include VAT and are correct at the time of writing. Build a quote for your exact situation to see the current figure.
For the full picture of what a licence costs whoever you train with — including DVSA fees, medical and retest costs — see how much an HGV licence costs in the UK. If paying in one go isn't realistic, our finance options and 0% in-house payment plan let you spread the cost. Finance is subject to status.
What's included in Class 1 training
- D4 medical arranged for you (on the complete package)
- D2 and D4 forms posted to your home
- Theory test bookings and a full revision kit, with theory resits included
- Practical training hours with a qualified instructor in an articulated vehicle
- DVSA off-road (3a) and on-road (3b) test fees
- Driver CPC Module 4 training and test on the relevant packages
- Optional extras: more training hours, Pass Protection retest cover and PPE
Who Class 1 training is for
You'll need a full UK car licence, to be at least 18, and to pass the D4 medical. No lorry experience is required — the vast majority of our learners have never driven anything bigger than a van. Points on your licence don't automatically stop you; see HGV licence eligibility for the detail.
Class 1 jobs and pay
Class 1 work covers trunking, container haulage, supermarket distribution, tramping and general haulage. Pay depends heavily on shift pattern, nights, weekends and overtime rather than the licence alone. Our HGV driver salary guide sets out realistic ranges, the salary calculator works out take-home pay, and you can browse live HGV driver vacancies including roles that welcome newly qualified drivers.