Your first HGV job with no experience: what actually works
Most adverts ask for one or two years' experience, but every driver started with none. What the "two years" rule really is, where new drivers get taken on, and how to use agency work to get a permanent job.
Short answer
The "two years' experience" requirement is usually an insurer's condition, not the law. New drivers most often start with agency shifts, local Class 2 work (deliveries, refuse, construction and builders' merchants), or firms that train or take on new drivers, then move on once they have six to twelve months behind them. Apply anyway, ask in person, and say yes to early shifts.
Why adverts ask for experience
Many fleet insurance policies set higher excesses or exclusions for drivers with less than about two years' experience in the category, or under about 25. Some adverts say so directly, for example "Must have 2 years experience, 25+ for insurance purposes". It's a policy condition, not a legal requirement. A 2026 industry report challenged insurers to publish the evidence behind the two-year rule, and noted that the regulator had done no work on access to fleet cover for newly qualified drivers.
- How many adverts welcome new drivers? A review of more than 4,600 HGV adverts on Reed and Totaljobs in April 2026 found only 10 to 15% openly welcomed newly qualified drivers, and 5 to 8% for Class 1.
- Agency insurance varies. One broker's guidance says agency cover typically expects 2 years with the licence and 180 days' driving in that class. Driver Hire publishes its insurer's conditions, which are lower: aged 21 or over, the licence held for more than a year, and more than 90 days' driving in the past 12 months. Another agency's policy covers drivers who've held their licence for as little as 6 months, at a higher excess.
- Age matters more than you'd think. In agency shift data covering 729,209 shifts, drivers under 25 with less than two years' experience had an incident rate of 0.32%, against 0.02% for over-25s with the same experience. That's why under-25s find it hardest.
Large operators that insure themselves, and firms with their own driver schemes, are often more flexible. So are smaller local firms, where you can talk to the person who decides.
Where new drivers get started
- Agencies. The most common first step. New drivers usually get the shifts others turn down at first. Some agencies want a few months' experience, and some test you on drivers' hours, tachographs and the Highway Code before taking you on.
- Class 2 local work. Multi-drop delivery, refuse collection, skips, tippers and builders' merchants take on more new Class 2 drivers than long-distance artic work does.
- 7.5 tonne work can be a stepping stone, especially at firms that also run bigger vehicles.
- Firms that are growing. Operators adding vehicles need drivers. Local hauliers' yards, distribution centres and supermarket depots are worth visiting in person with your licence and CPC card.
- Your training provider. Some providers name the employers they place drivers with, or show live roles. Ask which employers, and how many of their learners got work, before you pay. How we score job support.
Making agency work lead somewhere
- Register with several agencies, not one. Each office has different clients.
- Say yes to early shifts, even awkward ones. Reliability is what gets you more work.
- Know your drivers' hours and tachograph rules cold. A tachograph card costs £32 from DVLA, so have it ready.
- Ask the clients you're placed with about permanent roles. Many agency drivers are taken on directly.
- Keep a record of the vehicles and work you've done. It's your experience on paper.
Before you pay for training
- Decide which licence the local jobs need. Class 2 alone opens a lot of first jobs. Class 1 or Class 2?
- Treat a "guaranteed job" with suspicion. A guaranteed interview isn't a guaranteed job.
- Check what drivers earn. HGV driver pay.
Related: Kent agency pay rates and your rights · Drivers' hours rules · Driving a lorry in Kent · Is ADR worth it?
Common questions
Can I get an HGV job with no experience?
Yes, though it often takes persistence. New drivers usually start with agency shifts, local Class 2 work such as deliveries, refuse and construction, or firms with their own new-driver schemes.
Is the 2 years' experience rule for HGV drivers a law?
No. It's a condition in many fleet insurance policies. Some employers, especially large operators that insure themselves, take on newly qualified drivers.
Should a new HGV driver work for an agency?
It's the most common first step. Register with several agencies, accept early shifts and use placements to get taken on permanently.