Is C1 really needed?

DumfriesDik

DumfriesDik

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I passed my test back in the 1980's and do not have C1 listed. However, looking at Gov.uk website I see this:

Category B - if you passed your test before 1 January 1997
You’re usually allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg maximum authorised mass (MAM). View your driving licence information to check.
You’re also allowed to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kg MAM.

Link

So I am good to go with a motorhome over 3500kg, right? And I don't need to explicitly have C1 on my licence do I? I have written to them just today to confirm.
 
Correct, MOST Motorhomes will fine on your licence, effectively your licence includes C1.

C1 was introduced to restrict drivers AFTER 1997 from driving vehicles over 3500kgs on a normal licence.

Or you do as I did and get A, CE + DE
 
Whilst I am no expert and C1 should have been included. I do believe you are only allowed to drive those vehicles specified on your license and your extract seems to confirm this “view your driving license information to check”

There are a number of reasons it may have been excluded including human error at a renewal by DVLA.
 
Without a C1 on your licence you can only drive a vehicle up to 3500kg max.
May be difficult to get it reinstated as DVLA do not appear to keep records of old licences.
Have you kept any old licences showing you entitlement? That might help to get it reinstated..
 
I think you will need to see C1 on your licence to be legal. If your license has not been renewed for a long time perhaps it has not been updated to show the current categories. Did they change the categories used when the law changed in 1997?
 
Pausim said:
I think you will need to see C1 on your licence to be legal. If your license has not been renewed for a long time perhaps it has not been updated to show the current categories. Did they change the categories used when the law changed in 1997?
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Good point if its a green paper licence probably doesn't have it.
 
Rather than writing to them it's much quicker to go on line and check!

www.gov.uk

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.gov.uk www.gov.uk

Mine just says A on my pink paper (pre 1988) licence,but the details on line include C 👍

145568D3-900D-49E8-B082-0F7ACF6BF1C9.png
 
Unless your disability stopped you getting it you should have it, I lost my sight in one eye 15 years ago, lost my hgv 1 but retained my C1, but when we moved to Spain and changed our license for Spanish I lost my C1 because in Spain you only get a BE being partially sighted, 😉 but kept my full motorcycle licence. 😁
But our last two motorhomes have been 3500kg anyway so no problem, depending on what motorhome you get you should be OK, most motorhomes in Europe are 3500kg because people need to take a test for anything heavier. 😁 Bob.
 
Don't forget that entitlement changes when you reach 70.

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I have heard a lot of people say that they lost their "grandfather" right to a C1 on their licence when they updated to a photocard licence. If it is not listed on your licence, you have no right to drive a C1 vehicle over 3500kg
 
I am pretty sure they (DVLA) will have a record of when you originally passed your test and by default you will have been allowed to have grandfather rights - over 3.5 ton so apply for new and ensure they to add your entitlement categories. When we tried renewing our licence at the Post Office which ran out 11 months or so before we were 70 the Post Office automatically assumed we were not entitled to it as the previous renewal was 10 years before(?) their mistake and they corrected it. I do not think it will be an issue.
 
TheBig1 said:
I have heard a lot of people say that they lost their "grandfather" right to a C1 on their licence when they updated to a photocard licence. If it is not listed on your licence, you have no right to drive a C1 vehicle over 3500kg
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That has recently happened to me but I understand that I may apply for CI with successful completion of neccessary medical.
 
Gerby said:
including human error at a renewal by DVLA
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You're right, I do have A - motorcycle - on my licence, never taken a bike test and having no legs, very unlikely to!!

rb62 said:
Rather than writing to them it's much quicker to go on line and check!
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I tried that, but it didn't work for me.

pandas said:
I do not think it will be an issue.
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Fingers crossed!

And thanks everyone for replying. The letter is in the post and I'll come back when I have response.

How hard is it to take a C1 test?!
 
DumfriesDik said:
:oops:
Everything to do with motorhoming costs about a grand I am finding out!
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but you may find a cheaper route as you don't need the commercial side of the C1 training. Some places advertise a weekend of training followed by the test for experienced drivers assuming there is no medical reason you can't drive a C1 van
 
DumfriesDik said:
You're right, I do have A - motorcycle - on my licence, never taken a bike test and having no legs, very unlikely to!!



I tried that, but it didn't work for me.



Fingers crossed!

And thanks everyone for replying. The letter is in the post and I'll come back when I have response.

How hard is it to take a C1 test?!
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That's strange :unsure: good luck with the DVLA 👍
 
TheBig1 said:
I have heard a lot of people say that they lost their "grandfather" right to a C1 on their licence when they updated to a photocard licence. If it is not listed on your licence, you have no right to drive a C1 vehicle over 3500kg
Click to expand...
I updated mine about 5 or 6 years ago now, and C1 entitlement is on my new photo card licence.👍
 
When I took my test in 68 if you were over 21 you could drive any weight, sometime I think in the early 70's they changed it and unless you could prove you were driving a lorry or artic you were restricted to 7.5 tons.

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Category C1
You can drive vehicles between 3,500 and 7,500kg MAM (with a trailer up to 750kg).

Category C1E
You can drive C1 category vehicles with a trailer over 750kg.

The combined MAM of both cannot exceed 12,000kg.

Large vehicles
Category C
You can drive vehicles over 3,500kg (with a trailer up to 750kg MAM).

Category CE
You can drive category C vehicles with a trailer over 750kg.

I wonder how many with C or C1 entitlement drive a m/h with a car on an A frame or trailer?
 
TheTwoOfUs said:
Category C1
You can drive vehicles between 3,500 and 7,500kg MAM (with a trailer up to 750kg).

Category C1E
You can drive C1 category vehicles with a trailer over 750kg.

The combined MAM of both cannot exceed 12,000kg.

Large vehicles
Category C
You can drive vehicles over 3,500kg (with a trailer up to 750kg MAM).

Category CE
You can drive category C vehicles with a trailer over 750kg.

I wonder how many with C or C1 entitlement drive a m/h with a car on an A frame or trailer?
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C1E is part of the grandfather rights so should go on automatically but always best to check.
 
The reference to pre 1997 is because before that date a full licence included C1 (over 3500kg) was automatically granted.
After 1997 it was excluded and you had to take a C1 test (old HGV3)
No C1 on your licence as a full category.. ... No driving over 3500kg unless you take a C1 test.
 
Boris7 said:
Correct, MOST Motorhomes will fine on your licence, effectively your licence includes C1.

C1 was introduced to restrict drivers AFTER 1997 from driving vehicles over 3500kgs on a normal licence.

Or you do as I did and get A, CE + DE
Click to expand...
A B category licence restricts you to 3500kg with a trailer of 750kg
BE category restricts you to 3500kg with a trailer of any weight up to the vehicles train weight.
After 2013 a B category allows up to 3500kg plus a 750kg trailer....but...it allows a maximum combined weight of 4250kg
If a BE test is taken after 2013 a trailer of any weight is permitted up to the vehicles train weight
 
DumfriesDik said:
You’re usually allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg
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Usually is the defining factor.
You should be entitled to C1 automatically but its been missed off.
C1 MUST be shown on your licence to drive over 3500kg even thought you SHOULD be entitled.

In short..... No, you can't legally drive over 3500kg as C1 is not shown on your licence.

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Passed my test in 1981, and am under 70 but my licence states C1 back to my test pass day. This is on a photocard licence renewed within the last year or so.

Will be interesting when I renew next which is due 4 months before my 70th ... will they add C1 then or not?
 
Tamste said:
Passed my test in 1981, and am under 70 but my licence states C1 back to my test pass day. This is on a photocard licence renewed within the last year or so.

Will be interesting when I renew next which is due 4 months before my 70th ... will they add C1 then or not?
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They should renew as it stands, however it will still need renewing at 70 with C1 and medical etc application, - I believe, but ready to be corrected!
 
Boris7 said:
Correct, MOST Motorhomes will fine on your licence, effectively your licence includes C1.

C1 was introduced to restrict drivers AFTER 1997 from driving vehicles over 3500kgs on a normal licence.

Or you do as I did and get A, CE + DE
Click to expand...
Wrong, if its not on your licence you cant drive it, and C1 has been on licence long before 1997
 
DumfriesDik said:
I tried that, but it didn't work for me.
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Funnily enough I checked mine online this morning as licence expires tomorrow but an 11 month extension automatically added due to COVID.
Went ahead anyway and completed the renewal because it might take 11 months for me to get it back and them to sort their omissions on it!:doh:

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