How to check driving licence requirements for your vehicle

What you need to do first

Before you commit to a vehicle, you must check its Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM). If it is over 3,500kg, the driver legally needs a specific licence to drive it on public roads. The MAM (sometimes called gross vehicle weight) is the absolute maximum weight the vehicle is allowed to be, including the vehicle itself, your equipment, stock, staff, and fuel. You can find this information in the vehicle's V5C logbook or on the manufacturer's plate, usually found in a door frame or under the bonnet.

Understanding the licence categories

A standard UK car driving licence (Category B) only covers you for vehicles up to 3,500kg MAM. For many larger food trucks and vans, which can easily exceed this limit once fully fitted out, the driver must hold a Category C1 licence. A C1 licence allows you to drive vehicles with an MAM between 3,500kg and 7,500kg.

Note: If you passed your car test before 1st January 1997, you might automatically have C1 entitlement (often called 'grandfather rights'). Check the back of your photocard licence to be sure.

Your next steps

1. Confirm the MAM: Ask the seller for the vehicle's MAM or check the V5C logbook before you agree to buy.

2. Check your licence: Look at the back of your photocard driving licence to see exactly which categories you are entitled to drive.

3. Budget for training: If your dream truck is over 3,500kg and you don't have a C1 licence, you must factor the cost and time of a separate course and test into your startup budget.