Most people pass their test, shove the photocard licence in a drawer and never look at it again. Then one day they want to hire a motorhome, tow a heavier trailer, or ride a motorbike, and suddenly all those codes on the back of the card mean something. With the DVLA’s rules sitting behind quite a few recent changes, I thought a proper, accurate breakdown was overdue. Here is every major driving licence category on a UK photocard licence, what each one permits, and where age or medical rules change things.
What the codes on your photocard licence actually mean
Your photocard has two sides. The front has your photo and personal details; the back lists entitlement codes in columns showing the category, start date, expiry, and any restriction codes. The categories are set by DVLA under legislation derived from EU directives, which the UK retained post-Brexit. You can check or share your licence details at any time through GOV.UK’s View Driving Licence service, which is worth doing before any vehicle hire or employment check.
Category B: the one almost everyone has
Category B is the standard car licence. It covers vehicles up to 3,500 kg maximum authorised mass (MAM) with no more than eight passenger seats, plus a trailer up to 750 kg. Pass your test and you get category B automatically at age 17. One thing people regularly miss: if you passed your test in an automatic, your licence carries a restriction code (code 78) limiting you to automatic transmission vehicles. You cannot legally drive a manual car until you pass a further test in one. That restriction matters more than ever now that a lot of fleet and rental cars still have manual gearboxes, and it can catch people out when they book a hire car abroad or need a van at short notice.
Category B also gives you provisional entitlement to tow a trailer between 750 kg and 3,500 kg (combined MAM not exceeding 3,500 kg), but anything heavier requires the BE category. If you passed your test before 1 January 1997, you probably already have BE and C1 on your licence as acquired rights.
Category BE: towing heavier trailers
BE covers a category B vehicle towing a trailer over 750 kg where the combined weight of vehicle and trailer exceeds 3,500 kg. You need to pass a separate towing test to get this. The practical test involves coupling and uncoupling, and an off-road reversing exercise. Anyone serious about caravanning with a heavy twin-axle or towing a car on a trailer should check whether their licence actually includes BE rather than assuming it does. If you’re researching tow cars and wondering what legal weight limits apply to you, it’s worth reading alongside a piece on the best tow cars in the UK for 2026 to understand how vehicle rating connects to your licence category.
Category B1: light quadricycles
B1 covers light quadricycles, think Renault Twizy-style vehicles with a maximum unladen mass of 400 kg (550 kg for goods vehicles) and a top speed not exceeding 45 mph. In practice, B1 is usually acquired automatically alongside a full B licence. It is occasionally relevant for people looking at micro EVs or specialised mobility vehicles, but most UK drivers will never need to think about it separately.
Category AM: mopeds and small scooters
AM covers two or three-wheeled vehicles with a maximum design speed between 25 km/h and 45 km/h, and light four-wheeled vehicles under the B1 threshold. The minimum age is 16. Anyone with a full car licence issued after 1 February 2001 gets provisional AM entitlement, but you still need to complete Compulsory Basic Training (CBT), pass theory and practical tests to get full AM. CBT alone lets you ride a moped on L-plates.
Category A: motorcycles
This is where it gets more layered. There are three routes depending on age and experience.
- A1: motorcycles up to 125 cc and 11 kW, from age 17.
- A2: motorcycles up to 35 kW with a power-to-weight ratio not exceeding 0.2 kW/kg, from age 19. You can access A2 direct, or via A1 after two years.
- A (full): unrestricted. From age 24 direct, or from age 21 after holding A2 for two years. The progressive access route at 21 is worth knowing if you’re keen to get on a litre bike sooner.
All motorcycle categories require CBT, theory, and module one and two practical tests at each stage.
Categories C, C1, CE and C1E: lorries and larger goods vehicles
C1 covers goods vehicles between 3,500 kg and 7,500 kg MAM. It’s the category you need for a larger motorhome or a big horsebox that exceeds the 3,500 kg B limit. Minimum age is 18. C covers any goods vehicle over 3,500 kg (full lorry territory), also from 18, and requires a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) for commercial use. CE and C1E add trailer entitlements to the respective categories. Drivers doing commercial goods work need periodic CPC training, currently 35 hours every five years.
Categories D, D1, DE and D1E: passenger-carrying vehicles
D1 allows you to drive minibuses with between 9 and 16 passenger seats, for a distance not exceeding 50 km from the point of departure, without payment. This is the one that catches community minibus drivers, school run operators and sports clubs out. D is the full bus and coach category. Minimum age for both is 21, though 18 is possible in some circumstances for D. D1E and DE add trailer entitlements. Commercial drivers again need CPC.
Restriction codes: what those numbers alongside your category mean
The columns next to each category on your licence often contain numeric restriction codes. Common ones to know:
- 01: corrective lenses (you must wear glasses or contacts when driving)
- 78: automatic transmission only
- 96: towing with category B where combined weight is between 3,500 kg and 4,250 kg (a specific acquired right for some)
- 101: not for hire or reward
- 119: weight, power or speed restriction
These codes matter legally. Driving outside a restriction is the same as driving without a licence for that vehicle type, which has insurance implications too.
How medical conditions and age affect your entitlements
Standard category B licences are issued until age 70, then renewed every three years. Group 2 licences (C and D categories) require more rigorous medical standards and are renewed more frequently. Conditions including epilepsy, diabetes treated with insulin, certain heart conditions and vision problems all have specific DVLA notification requirements. Failing to notify DVLA of a relevant medical condition can invalidate your insurance and result in a fine of up to £1,000. The DVLA publishes detailed guidance on medical standards for driving, and your GP or specialist can advise whether your condition requires notification.
Age rules interact with licences in another practical way: if you’re looking at a used car purchase and comparing running costs across different vehicle types, understanding which categories your licence covers will shape what you can legally drive on day one. For context on how those running costs stack up more broadly, the breakdown on the real cost of keeping a petrol car beyond 2030 is useful reading alongside the licence picture, particularly if you’re planning ahead for a category C1 motorhome or heavier vehicle that may be affected by future emission charges.
Checking and updating your entitlements
If you think you might have acquired rights from an older licence, or you’ve done additional tests and the new category hasn’t appeared yet, check via the GOV.UK service or contact DVLA directly. Acquired rights from pre-1997 licences can include C1, D1, and others that newer drivers have to test for. It’s also worth checking your licence before any vehicle subscription, lease or hire arrangement, since many operators now do digital DVLA checks. For those weighing up whether a lease or outright purchase makes more sense for a vehicle that needs a specific category, the comparison of leasing vs buying a car in the UK in 2026 covers some of the practical considerations that overlap with licence entitlement and eligibility checks.
The codes on the back of your photocard aren’t just administrative filler. They define what you’re legally allowed to drive, under what conditions, and with what restrictions. Getting it wrong isn’t a paperwork issue, it’s an insurance and legal one. Five minutes checking your entitlements properly is time well spent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What vehicles can I drive with a standard category B UK licence?
Category B covers cars and light vans up to 3,500 kg MAM with no more than eight passenger seats, plus a trailer up to 750 kg. If you passed your test in an automatic, a code 78 restriction means you can only drive automatic vehicles unless you pass a further manual test.
Do I need a special licence to tow a caravan in the UK?
It depends on the combined weight. If your car plus the caravan exceeds 3,500 kg MAM, you need category BE on your licence, which requires a separate towing test. Drivers who passed their test before 1 January 1997 usually have BE as an acquired right already.
What is the minimum age to ride a motorbike in the UK?
You can complete CBT and ride a moped (AM category) at 16. Category A1 motorcycles up to 125 cc are available from 17. The full A category (unrestricted bikes) requires you to be at least 24, or 21 if you’ve held an A2 licence for two years.
What does restriction code 78 mean on a UK driving licence?
Code 78 means you are restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission only. It’s added to your licence if you passed your practical driving test in an automatic car. To have it removed, you must pass a further test in a manual vehicle.