Monday 01 June 2015
It has been brought to the Environment Department's attention that some drivers with only category B licences have been driving vehicles with a maximum authorized mass (MAM) well above that of their car licence.
A Category B MAM is 3.5 tonnes.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Unit would like to clarify that driving licence categories are primarily defined by weight - the maximum authorised mass (MAM). The MAM is the weight of the vehicle, laden with the heaviest load which it is constructed or adapted to carry.
Therefore, for example, if a vehicle is allowed to carry up to 7,500kg it would be deemed to require a category C1 to be operated regardless of being operated with less than the maximum load.
Please see the reverse of your driving licence paper counterpart for definitions (weight criteria) of licence categories.
Contact Information:
Lorraine Brouard, Senior Licensing Officer
Environment Department
Tel: 01481 243 400
