Confusion about my driving licence and what I can drive

[70321]

Got my driving licence in 1997 (at 9...I was very advanced ) and it says I can drive B, C1, D1, BE C1E and D1E. When I look on the government website it seems to confirm that I can " drive vehicles up to 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) and up to 8 passenger seats, and a driver, with trailer up to 750kg; trailers over 750kg if combined weight of vehicle and trailer isn’t over 3,500kg and the fully-loaded trailer doesn’t weigh more than the unladen vehicle" however reading on this forum I keep hearing mention of the keeping things down to 3,500kg for some reason. Have I got this completely wrong?

 

[ambulancekidd]

Your spot on.

 

[icantremember]

If your licence does indeed show you have C1 &C1E, you are allowed to drive up to 7.5 tonnes

EDIT I think it was 1997 when the licence classes were restricted.

 

[Nasher]

You would have had to have passed your car test prior to January 1st 1997 to automatically get the C1

 

[peterc10]

Got my driving licence in 1997 (at 9...I was very advanced ) and it says I can drive B, C1, D1, BE C1E and D1E. When I look on the government website it seems to confirm that I can " drive vehicles up to 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) and up to 8 passenger seats, and a driver, with trailer up to 750kg; trailers over 750kg if combined weight of vehicle and trailer isn’t over 3,500kg and the fully-loaded trailer doesn’t weigh more than the unladen vehicle" however reading on this forum I keep hearing mention of the keeping things down to 3,500kg for some reason. Have I got this completely wrong?

To have got your C1 you must have either passed your car driving test before 1997 or you must have passed an additional test just for the C1. IF you have a C1 you are able to drive a motorhome up to a MAM of 7,500kg. If you have not got a C1 then your limit is 3,500kg.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[70321]

Thanks, 5th March 97 I can drive a bigger van than my husband na na nana na

 

[pappajohn]

Thanks, 5th March 97 I can drive a bigger van than my husband na na nana na

It appears you slipped through the net.
After 1st Jan 1997 you shouldn't have gained C1 or C1E as grandfather rights.

 

[peterc10]

Thanks, 5th March 97 I can drive a bigger van than my husband na na nana na

Are you sure you have a C1? Just because it is listed on the back of your licence does not mean you have got it, unless columns 10 and 11 are filled in with valid from and to dates. And it also has to listed at item 9 on the front of your licence as well.

If you passed your practical car test after 31 December 1996, you did not get a C1 licence. You only got a B licence. All explained here.

 

[pappajohn]

To have got your C1 you must have either passed your car driving test before 1997 or you must have passed an additional test just for the C1. IF you have a C1 you are able to drive a motorhome up to a MAM of 7,500kg. If you have not got a C1 then your limit is 3,500kg.

And a second test after the C1 to gain C1E

 

[70321]

Are you sure you have a C1? Just because it is listed on the back of your licence does not mean you have got it, unless columns 10 and 11 are filled in with valid from and to dates. And it also has to listed at item 9 on the front of your licence as well.

If you passed your practical car test after 31 December 1996, you did not get a C1 licence. You only got a B licence. All explained here.

I'm 99% sure. I have the old paper copy (yes I do!) and it has dates next to B, C1, D1, BE, C1E and D1E. Strangely the date is "from"18 05 79 "until" 01 12 27. I see my licence was issued on 05 03 1997. I see a note saying National Categories and have FJK and NP for the same dates (no idea what they are)

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Pausim]

With a strange date of 18 05 79 I think there are printing/typo errors on your license. If the C1 C1E categories are not shown on the Gov web site then I doubt very much that you are licensed for these vehicles.

 

[peterc10]

I'm 99% sure. I have the old paper copy (yes I do!) and it has dates next to B, C1, D1, BE, C1E and D1E. Strangely the date is "from"18 05 79 "until" 01 12 27. I see my licence was issued on 05 03 1997. I see a note saying National Categories and have FJK and NP for the same dates (no idea what they are)

Just because the licence was issued on 5 March 1997 that does not mean you passed your test then. That is just when that version of your licence was issued. You could have passed it earlier, and then got issued with a new licence. My licence says that it was issued in 2018 but I passed my motorbike test in 1965 and my car test in 1969!!

If your C1 runs out in 2027 that would suggest that you were born in 1957, as it runs out automatically when you turn 70. Are you sure you did not pass your car test in 1979, which is when your C1 ran from?

Either that or you have been a very lucky lady, in that the DVLA made a mistake and gave you a category you should not have had.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

A friend’s wife passed her test in March 1997 and had the same...... until she changed address and they took it off as it should not have been there In the first place and there was no entitlement. Not saying that is the case here as not enough information but that is her experience

 

[namwaldog]

Belt and braces approach would be to check the gov.uk website..

View or share your driving licence information

Find out what information DVLA holds about your driving licence or create a check code to share your driving record, for example to hire a car

www.viewdrivingrecord.service.gov.uk

Enter your driver no. from your driving licence

Your NI number

The postcode on your Driving Licence

tick the disclaimer box and 'Start'

The site will open on the 'your details' page....

Click on the 'Vehicles you can drive' tab.

This will show you the categories you are licenced to drive as per the s screenshots for my licence below..

Scroll down to the C1 and click on to the 'Show information + ' link and it will give you the weights.

Barry

 

[pappajohn]

and have FJK and NP for the same dates (no idea what they

Those are provisional entitlement for things like tracked vehicles, pedestrian controlled mowing machines and road rollers etc.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[peterc10]

Those are provisional entitlement for things like tracked vehicles, pedestrian controlled mowing machines and road rollers etc.

F is Tractor, J don't know, K is a mowing machine, N is a vehicle exempt from VED, P is a moped and should all be full. Tracked vehicle is an H and that is usually provisional, as is G which is a road roller. .

 

[Nanniemate]

Thanks, 5th March 97 I can drive a bigger van than my husband na na nana na

And you can tow