Getting an HGV licence at 18: the rules for drivers under 21
You can train and pass at 18, and drive lorries for a living straight away if you take the full Driver CPC. But under-21s have one rule older drivers don't: 4 penalty points and you lose your lorry licence.
Short answer
Yes, you can get a Class 1 or Class 2 licence at 18, once you hold a full car licence. To drive lorries for work at 18 to 20 you need the full Driver CPC initial qualification (all five tests), or to be on an approved 6-month training course under the NVT concession. There's no distance limit for lorries; the 31-mile limit you may have heard about is for buses.
The catch: if you're under 21 and get 4 or more penalty points, on any licence category, your lorry licence is revoked until you're at least 21.
What you can drive at 18 to 20
| Situation | Class 2 and Class 1 at 18 to 20? |
|---|---|
| Lessons and tests | Yes |
| Driving for work, with the full Driver CPC (theory, Module 2, 3a, 3b and Module 4) | Yes, anywhere |
| Driving for work on the NVT concession: on an approved course of at least 6 months, having passed the theory, 3a and 3b | Yes, for up to 12 months, then you must pass Module 2 and Module 4 |
| Driving where you don't need Driver CPC, for example non-commercial use | Yes |
| C1+E (7.5 tonne lorry and trailer) | Yes at 18, if the combination is 12 tonnes or less |
The 4-point rule
If you hold a lorry licence and you're under 21, you must have it revoked if you get more than 3 penalty points. You're then disqualified from lorries until you're 21, or longer if DVLA decides. The same rule stops under-21s with 4 or more points from getting a lorry licence in the first place. It doesn't apply to bus licences.
All your points count, wherever you got them. A single mobile phone offence (6 points) or two minor speeding offences would take you over. And if you passed your car test less than 2 years ago, 6 points also means losing your car licence under the new driver rules.
Young drivers pass more often
In 2025 to 2026, 65% of on-road lorry tests taken by people aged 20 and under were passes, the highest of any age group, against 61% overall. Pass rates by age.
The hard part: your first job
Insurance, not the law, is what holds young drivers back. Many fleet and agency policies want drivers aged 21 or 25 and over, with experience. In agency shift data covering 729,209 shifts, under-25s with less than two years' experience had an incident rate of 0.32%, against 0.02% for over-25s. Expect to look harder for a first job than an older driver would.
- Apprenticeships. The LGV driver apprenticeship trains you to Class 1 while you're paid, and from August 2026 the government pays all of it for apprentices aged 16 to 24. You need an employer to take you on. Funded routes.
- Employer trainee schemes, where you start in a van or yard role and the employer pays for the licence. Check the repayment clause.
- Class 2 local work is usually easier to get into than Class 1. Finding your first job.
Before you pay for training
- Ask the school whether the course includes Module 2 and Module 4. You need them to drive for work.
- Ask employers or agencies you'd like to work for what age they insure from, before you spend £1,373 or more.
- Keep your licence clean. One bad offence ends it until 21.
How to get an HGV licence · Kent prices
Common questions
Can you get an HGV licence at 18?
Yes. You need a full car licence first. To drive lorries for work at 18 to 20, you also need the full Driver CPC initial qualification, or to be on an approved course under the NVT concession.
Is there a distance limit for 18-year-old lorry drivers?
No. The 50km (31-mile) route limit for under-21s applies to bus drivers on regular passenger services, not to lorry drivers.
What happens if I get points on my HGV licence under 21?
If you're under 21 and have 4 or more penalty points, your lorry licence must be revoked, and you can't get it back until you're at least 21.
Can I drive Class 1 at 18?
Yes, with the full Driver CPC initial qualification, under the NVT concession, or where you don't need Driver CPC. Finding an insurer or employer to take you on is usually harder than the licence itself.