HGV provisional licence: the rules for practising in a lorry
Who can supervise you, whether you can practise in a friend's or employer's lorry, motorways, trailers, insurance, and how long your provisional entitlement lasts. Plus the fact that surprises most people: lorry instructors don't have to be qualified.
Short answer
With a provisional lorry licence you can drive a lorry on the road if your supervisor is 21 or over and has held a full licence for that category for 3 years, the lorry shows L plates front and back, and the insurance covers you as a learner. You can't tow a trailer unless you hold provisional C+E. Unlike car learners, supervised lorry learners can use motorways.
The rules at a glance
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Supervisor | Sitting with you, aged 21 or over, and has held a full licence for the same category for 3 years. Alternatively, 1 year in your category plus 3 years in a related one; for example, a Class 2 learner can be supervised by someone with C+E, D or D+E. |
| C1 (7.5 tonne) learners | The supervisor needs a full C1 licence held for 3 years. People with C1 only from a pre-1997 car licence can't supervise C1 learners. |
| L plates | Clearly visible from the front and the back (L or D plates in Wales). |
| Trailers | Not allowed, unless you hold provisional C+E and are driving a C+E vehicle. |
| Motorways | Allowed for supervised Class 2 and Class 1 learners in England, Wales and Scotland. |
| Insurance | The policy must cover you driving that lorry. A learner can get an unlimited fine, a ban and up to 8 points for driving uninsured. |
| Driver CPC | Not needed for lessons towards a licence or the Driver CPC. |
Lorry instructors don't have to be qualified
Car driving instructors must be DVSA-approved. Lorry instructors don't. GOV.UK says: "You do not need to take formal training or to be registered to teach someone to drive an LGV." Anyone who has held a lorry licence for 3 years can supervise, and a school can employ them to teach.
There are three voluntary registers, which replaced DVSA's own voluntary register: the National Register of LGV Instructors, the National Vocational Driving Instructors Register and the Register of Logistics Instructors. Before you pay, ask a school: "Are your instructors on a register, and what qualifications do they hold?" How to check a training company.
Practising in a friend's or employer's lorry
Nothing in the rules limits whose lorry you practise in, as long as your supervisor qualifies, the L plates are up and the insurance covers you. Most fleet policies won't cover learners automatically, so get the insurer's agreement in writing first.
Two catches if you practise at work:
- Drivers' hours. Lorries used for driving lessons and tests are only exempt from the drivers' hours rules when they aren't carrying goods commercially. Practising on a real delivery counts as normal work. Drivers' hours rules.
- The test lorry has to meet DVSA's rules. A Class 2 test needs a lorry of at least 12 tonnes, 8 metres long, with a closed box body and a real load of 10,000kg. Most working lorries don't qualify, so you'll usually still need a school's vehicle for the test. GOV.UK, rules for test lorries.
Getting your provisional, and how long it lasts
- You apply on form D2, with a D4 medical, and you'll need a full car licence. Applying for Class 2 gives you provisional C1, C1+E, C and C+E, so you can go straight to Class 1 later without applying again. Step by step.
- DVLA says it aims to process it within 3 weeks. Medical cases take longer. How long it all takes.
- By law, lorry entitlement lasts until your 45th birthday or for 5 years, whichever is longer. DVLA doesn't publish a separate rule for provisional lorry entitlement, so check the "valid to" date for each category in column 11 on the back of your photocard.
- If you apply again for new provisional lorry entitlement, you'll need a new D4 if you haven't sent one in the last 12 months. A D4 is valid for 4 months from the date the doctor signs it.
Time limits once you start the tests
- Your theory certificate lasts 2 years from the first part you pass. Pass both practical tests within that time, or take the theory test again.
- Pass the on-road test within 6 months of the off-road test, or take the off-road test again.
- Pass CPC Module 4 within 2 years of Module 2, or take Module 2 again.
Mistakes to avoid · Automatic or manual?
Common questions
Can I drive a lorry on a provisional licence?
Yes, with a supervisor aged 21 or over who has held a full licence for that category for 3 years, L plates on the front and back, and insurance that covers you as a learner.
Can HGV learners drive on the motorway?
Yes. Supervised Class 2 and Class 1 learners can use motorways in England, Wales and Scotland. The motorway ban for provisional licence holders applies to cars and motorbikes.
Do HGV instructors need to be qualified?
No. GOV.UK says you don't need formal training or registration to teach someone to drive a lorry. There are voluntary registers, so ask a school whether its instructors are on one.
Can I practise in my employer's lorry?
The rules don't stop you, if your supervisor qualifies, L plates are fitted and the insurance covers you. If the lorry is carrying goods commercially, normal drivers' hours rules apply.
How long does an HGV provisional licence last?
By law, lorry entitlement lasts until your 45th birthday or for 5 years, whichever is longer. Check the 'valid to' date for each category on the back of your photocard.