Are you ready to learn LGV driving?
Holding a licence to drive large goods vehicles (LGVs) can give you a wide range of opportunities to drive for a living, including
- delivering shop or building materials (multi-drop deliveries)
- driving box-container or curtain-sided vehicles
- driving tankers containing liquids, powders or gases
- transporting livestock
- delivering temperature-controlled goods, such as salads, flowers or frozen foods.
There’s a lot to learn about driving an LGV: are you ready for the challenge?
Getting started
Here’s a quick checklist to see if you can learn to drive an LGV.
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 LGV: see GOV.UK for information about the eyesight and medical requirements for an LGV licence
- 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 time the training takes depends on which category of licence you’re applying for, but many trainers offer intensive five-day courses for LGV licences.
Learning to be a good driver
Good driving is nott 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 for what they do while driving
- concentrates on what they’re doing
- anticipates what could happen around them
- is patient with other road users
- is confident about how to drive safely.
Next steps
Use the guide to becoming a bus or lorry driver on GOV.UK.
You’ll need to
- Apply for the correct provisional entitlements on your licence.
- Pass the theory test.
- Pass the practical test.
- Pass the initial Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) if you want to drive for a living.
- Refresh your skills throughout your driving career.
You can find out more about vocational instructors who are recognised and endorsed by DVSA by visiting: