A complete HGV licence in the UK realistically costs between £2,000 and £3,500. Around £300 of that is fixed DVSA and medical cost that everybody pays. The rest is training, and that is where prices differ between providers.
The short answer
- Class 2 (Category C): roughly £1,800 to £2,400 all-in with a typical provider
- Class 1 (Category C+E) from a car licence: roughly £2,800 to £3,500 all-in
- Class 2 to Class 1 upgrade: roughly £2,400 to £3,000
Going straight to Class 1 is usually cheaper overall than passing Class 2 first and upgrading later, because you only pay for one set of practical tests and one block of training.
DVSA fees and the medical
These are set by the DVSA and your medical provider, so they are the same wherever you train. Figures below are the standard weekday rates published on gov.uk.
| Item | Typical cost | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Theory — multiple choice | £26 | DVSA |
| Theory — hazard perception | £11 | DVSA |
| Driver CPC Module 2 (case studies) | £23 | DVSA |
| Practical Modules 3a and 3b (weekday) | £115 | DVSA |
| Driver CPC Module 4 (practical demonstration) | £55 | DVSA |
| D4 medical examination | £50 – £100 | Medical provider |
| Provisional entitlement (D2 application) | Free | DVLA |
Weekend and evening practical tests cost more. HGV Academy packages include these DVSA fees, so there is nothing to pay on test day.
More detail on the medical is on the HGV medical page, and the theory stage is broken down on the theory tests page.
What you are paying for in training
Training is the largest part of the bill because it covers an instructor's time and a lorry. A typical course includes:
- Instructor-led driving hours in a lorry of the class you are testing in
- Vehicle hire and fuel for training and for both practical tests
- Off-road manoeuvring practice on a DVSA-standard area
- Driver CPC Module 4 preparation and the vehicle for that demonstration
- Theory learning materials and mock tests
Beware of headline prices that exclude test fees, exclude the medical, or quote only a handful of driving hours. Our packages are built on 18 training hours as standard, and extra hours are priced openly in the course builder.
HGV Academy package prices
Our price depends on how much of the process you have already completed. Every figure includes VAT and DVSA test fees.
| 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 correct at the time of writing. Build a quote to confirm the current figure for your situation.
Compare what each licence gets you on the Class 1 and Class 2 pages.
Costs people forget to budget for
- Retest fees — the DVSA fee plus training and vehicle hire again. Pass Protection covers these from £29.
- Extra training hours if you need more time behind the wheel than the standard package.
- Theory learning materials — our theory kit is included in full packages and available separately.
- Kit for the job — safety boots, gloves and hi-vis for your first driving role.
- Driver CPC periodic training — 35 hours every five years once qualified. See the Driver CPC guide.
Spreading the cost
You do not have to pay in one go. There are two routes: finance through our regulated credit broker partner, which is subject to status and a credit check, or our 0% in-house payment plan — a starter payment followed by equal monthly instalments with no interest and no credit check.
Worried about your credit file? Read HGV training with bad credit.