How much does a Class 1 (C+E) licence cost?
The full cost of a Class 1 lorry licence, straight from a car licence or as an upgrade from Class 2: training, DVSA fees and the medical, with every published Kent price compared like for like.
Short answer
Going straight from a car licence to Class 1 costs £2,273 to £3,992 all in from Kent providers, with a middle of £2,944, for 24 to 35 hours in the cab. If you already hold Class 2, the upgrade costs a middle of £1,891 all in, because you only take the two practical tests again.
DVSA's fees for the direct route are £270 on a weekday, the same with every provider. The rest is training, so compare the cost per hour of driving.
The fixed costs
| Cost | Car to Class 1 | Class 2 to Class 1 |
|---|---|---|
| D4 medical (Kent) | £45–£66 | Not needed |
| Theory tests (multiple choice and hazard perception) | £37 | Not needed |
| Driver CPC Module 2 (case studies) | £23 | Not needed |
| Off-road test (Module 3a) | £40 | £40 |
| On-road test (Module 3b), weekday | £115 | £115 |
| Driver CPC Module 4 | £55 | Not needed |
| DVSA fees | £270 | £155 |
Car to Class 1: every Kent price
Cheapest all-in first.
| Provider | Advertised | All in | Cab hours | Per cab hour | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start 2 Drive HGVCar Straight to Artic HGV Class 1 | £2,100 | £2,273 | 24 | £95 | 4.5/10 |
| Hartlip HGVClass 1 (Category C + E) – Combi Course – Car to Class 1 (24 hours) | £2,593 | £2,711 | 24 | £113 | 3/10 |
| A-Class Driving SchoolCategory C + E - Class 1 (page does not say upgrade or car-to-Class-1) | £2,593 | £2,711 | Not stated | – | – |
| Mainstream TrainingFast track Car to C+E | £2,585 | £2,758 | 27 | £102 | 5.5/10 |
| Wallace School of TransportCar/Van to LGV CE - DrawBar Basic | £2,695 | £2,868 | 24 | £120 | 3/10 |
| Hartlip HGVClass 1 (Category C + E) – Combi Course – Car to Class 1 (26 hours) | £2,792 | £2,910 | 26 | £112 | 3.5/10 |
| HGV Training HubCar to Class 1 - Training Only | £2,826 | £2,944 | 32 | £92 | 7/10 |
| Learn2Pass HGVCar to Class 1 (C+E) | £2,826 | £2,944 | 28 | £105 | 5/10 |
| TrainDriveCar to Class 1 | £2,700 | £3,028 | 35 | £87 | 5.5/10 |
| Hartlip HGVClass 1 (Category C + E) – Combi Course – Car to Class 1 (28 hours) | £2,990 | £3,108 | 28 | £111 | 3.5/10 |
| HGV Training HubCar to Class 1 - Full Package | £3,290 | £3,290 | 32 | £103 | 8.5/10 |
| Hartlip HGVClass 1 (Category C + E) – Combi Course – Car to Class 1 (32 hours) | £3,388 | £3,506 | 32 | £110 | 4/10 |
| Wallace School of TransportLGV CE Draw-Bar Recommended, For Car/Van Drivers: 9 days / 36 hours (course only, excl. medical/theory) | £3,415 | £3,588 | 32 | £112 | 4/10 |
| Wallace School of TransportPurple Package LGV CE / HGV 1 Drawbar | £3,992 | £3,992 | 32 | £125 | 6/10 |
Class 2 to Class 1 upgrade: every Kent price
Cheapest all-in first.
| Provider | Advertised | All in | Cab hours | Per cab hour | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstream TrainingCAT C to C+E | £1,505 | £1,505 | 15 | £100 | 4/10 |
| Start 2 Drive HGVHGV Class 1 (C+E) for Cat C holders | £1,500 | £1,655 | 16 | £103 | 3.5/10 |
| HGV Training HubClass 1 upgrade, from Class 2 - Training Only | £1,829 | £1,829 | 20 | £91 | 7/10 |
| TrainDriveClass 1 upgrade from Class 2 | £1,674 | £1,829 | 21 | £87 | 5.5/10 |
| Learn2Pass HGVClass 1 upgrade (C to C+E) | £1,829 | £1,829 | 18 | £102 | 5/10 |
| Hartlip HGVClass 1 (Category C + E) – 16 Hours – For Class 2 Holders | £1,799 | £1,954 | 16 | £122 | 2/10 |
| Wallace School of TransportLGV C to LGV CE - DrawBar Basic | £1,975 | £1,975 | 16 | £123 | 2.5/10 |
| HGV Training HubClass 1 upgrade, from Class 2 - Full Package | £2,090 | £2,090 | 20 | £105 | 7.5/10 |
| Hartlip HGVClass 1 (Category C + E) – 20 Hours – For Class 2 Holders | £2,196 | £2,196 | 20 | £110 | 3.5/10 |
| Wallace School of TransportLGV C to LGV CE - DrawBar Recommended | £2,335 | £2,335 | 20 | £117 | 3.5/10 |
Published prices outside Kent
For comparison. Most national companies and brokers don't publish prices.
| Provider | Course | All in | Cab hours | Per cab hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Baker Driver TrainingWigan, Chorley, Bedworth and Sheffield | Class 1 upgrade (C+E) | £1,600 | 16 | £100 |
| Craig Baker Driver TrainingWigan, Chorley, Bedworth and Sheffield | Class 1 upgrade (C+E) | £1,850 | 20 | £93 |
| National Driving CentreCroydon | Class 1 upgrade (C+E) | £2,430 | Not stated | – |
| Craig Baker Driver TrainingWigan, Chorley, Bedworth and Sheffield | Car to Class 1 (C+E) | £2,873 | 24 | £120 |
| Craig Baker Driver TrainingWigan, Chorley, Bedworth and Sheffield | Car to Class 1 (C+E) | £3,123 | 28 | £112 |
| Craig Baker Driver TrainingWigan, Chorley, Bedworth and Sheffield | Car to Class 1 (C+E) | £3,373 | 32 | £105 |
| National Driving CentreCroydon | Car to Class 1 (C+E) | £4,158 | Not stated | – |
Straight to Class 1, or Class 2 first?
Doing Class 2 first and upgrading later costs about £3,788 all in at Kent middle prices, against £2,944 going straight to Class 1, because you pay for two courses and two sets of practical tests. Class 2 first can still make sense if you want to start earning on rigid lorries sooner. Class 1 or Class 2: which to get.
Before you pay
- Ask for the cab hours, one-to-one, in writing. Kent car-to-Class-1 courses run from 24 to 35 hours.
- Ask whether you'll train and test on an artic or a drawbar. Both give a full C+E licence.
- Check what a retest costs: Kent schools that publish one charge £427 to £495. Retests and pass protection.
- At 29.9% APR, £3,000 over 4 years costs about £4,892. Training on finance.
Common questions
How much does a Class 1 licence cost?
From a car licence, Kent providers' prices work out at roughly £2,300 to £4,000 all in, including the medical, theory and CPC tests and £270 of DVSA fees. Check the cab hours: the cost per hour of driving is the fairest comparison.
How much is the Class 1 upgrade from Class 2?
You pay for the training plus £155 of DVSA fees for the off-road and on-road tests on a weekday. You don't need a new medical, theory test or CPC tests.
Is it cheaper to go straight to Class 1?
Usually, yes. Going straight from a car licence to Class 1 means one course and one set of practical tests, rather than paying for Class 2 and then the upgrade.