Are you ready to learn to drive an HGV?
There’s a lot to learn about driving a heavy goods vehicle (HGV): are you ready for the challenge?
Learning to drive HGVs checklist
To learn to drive an HGV, you must:
- be 18 years old
- hold a full car licence for Great Britain or Northern Ireland
- apply for the correct provisional entitlements on your licence
- provide a medical report showing you’re fit to drive an HGV
- make sure any vehicle you drive is roadworthy and properly taxed and insured
- display L plates on the front and rear of the vehicle where they can be clearly seen when you’re driving (L or D plates in Wales)
- be accompanied by a qualified driver who is over 21 and has held (and still holds) a full driving licence for the category of vehicle being driven for at least 3 years.
The Official DVSA Guide to Driving Goods Vehicles
Contains sections on Driver CPC and the national standard for driving lorries.
The time the training takes depends on which category of licence you’re applying for, but many trainers offer intensive five-day courses for HGV licences.
Learning to be a safe and confident HGV driver
Good driving is not just about learning the rules of the road: your skill and attitude as a driver are vital too, and you’ll keep learning and developing these over the years.
As a professional driver, you should set an example to other road users by showing the right attitude to your driving and a good knowledge of safe, modern driving techniques.
A good driver:
- is responsible
- shows excellent concentration
- anticipates what could happen
- is patient and considerate with other road users
- is confident, but not over confident
- learns from their experiences to keep improving
GOV UK top links
Next steps
Remember to become a fully qualified driver you must pass every part of the Driver CPC.