Provisional Entitlement for Large Vehicles

There are not many people who wish to drive a larger vehicle than a car but there are some who would like to perhaps as part of their job. For those people who wish to drive a larger vehicle but who are still at the learner driver stage there are some things you should know.

Can I Drive a Larger Vehicle with a Provisional Licence?

Yes you can drive a larger vehicle such as a minibus or lorry using your provisional licence but the licence must specify this: in other words whilst at the application stage for your provisional licence you must indicate that you wish to be eligible to learn to drive in such a vehicle.

If you fail to declare your intention to learn to drive in such a vehicle and are stopped by the police doing so you may find that your licence will be revoked and penalty points added to the next licence you apply for.

How to Apply to Drive a Larger Vehicle

When applying for your driver's licence you must - as we have already touched upon - indicate your intention to learn in a larger vehicle than normal. You must inform the DVLA (Driver and Licensing Agency) of this fact at the application stage and produce a written report from your doctor to confirm the condition of your health.

If at this stage you do not include a detailed report on the condition of your health the DVLA (Driver and Licensing Agency) can - and do - commission a report from your doctor of their own accord. If this report finds that your health is such that you should not be in charge of such a vehicle - whether supervised or not - then your declaration will be considered false and no licence will be issued.

You should be aware at this stage that if a false declaration is uncovered and a licence application refused or a licence revoked, then you may find it difficult to obtain a licence at a later date.

Applying for a provisional licence with a larger vehicle entitlement is much the same as applying for a provisional licence to drive a car but it must be made absolutely clear from the outset as to which kind of vehicle you wish to drive.

You must also be of the correct age in order to do so. For example if you wish to learn to drive a vehicle over 3500kg (which might well constitute a lorry) or a bus - this information must be given at the application stage. Failure to do so may negate your licence application and also void any insurance coverage you may have in place at the time of the application's refusal.

If you are in any doubt as to the nature of the vehicle you can drive on a provisional licence you can contact the DVLA (Driver and Licensing Agency) directly at their headquarters in Swansea or find further information at their website. The address for the DVLA's (Driver and Licensing Agency) website is: www.dvla.gov.uk.

Alternatively the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) who set and oversee the taking of all theory and practical driving tests can provide you with information and this can be found at www.dsa.gov.uk.

Again it is wise to note that driving another vehicle than that listed on your provisional driving licence without express permission from the DVLA (Driver and Licensing Agency) can constitute a criminal offence and may lead to legal proceedings being instigated and also the revocation of your licence.