How to Get a Category C Driving Licence in Europe?

A Category C driving licence is the full truck licence in Europe, the qualification that lets you drive a heavy goods vehicle over 3,500 kg and is the heart of a professional driving career. It is the licence most haulage and logistics employers ask for, and the step that opens up well-paid work across the continent. This guide explains exactly what a Category C licence covers, how it differs from C1 and CE, who can apply, the all-important age and Code 95 rules, the medical and tests, and how Category C launches a career on the road.

EU law sets the framework, but each country decides training, fees, and the exact test format, so use this as a European overview and confirm the details where you live. Our driving licence in Europe and licence eligibility pages are good starting points.

What is a Category C driving licence?

Category C lets you drive goods vehicles with a maximum authorised mass over 3,500 kg with no upper limit, designed to carry no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver, plus a trailer up to 750 kg. These are rigid trucks, the workhorses of road transport. It is the standard heavy goods vehicle (HGV) or large goods vehicle (LGV) licence, sometimes called “Class 2”, and it sits above the medium-truck licence, Category C1.

C, C1 and CE: how the categories fit together

• C1: medium goods vehicles from 3,500 kg up to 7,500 kg, with a trailer up to 750 kg.
• C: goods vehicles over 3,500 kg with no upper weight limit, with a trailer up to 750 kg.
• CE: a Category C vehicle with a heavy trailer; the licence for articulated lorries and drawbar combinations.

You must hold Category B before taking C, and you must hold C before adding CE.

What can you drive with a Category C licence?

A Category C licence covers rigid trucks of any weight above 3,500 kg: 18-tonne and larger rigids, box trucks, tippers, refuse vehicles, tankers, fire appliances, concrete mixers and similar. It is the most common professional truck licence and the foundation for most goods-transport jobs. To pull a heavy trailer or drive an articulated lorry, you add CE on top.

Who can apply for a Category C licence?

• You must already hold a valid Category B car licence.
• The minimum age is 21 — or 18 if you hold the Code 95 professional qualification (see below).
• You must pass a medical examination to the higher standard for heavy vehicles.

The age rule and Code 95

This matters most for new drivers. The standard minimum age for Category C is 21, but you can get it at 18 if you obtain the Code 95 professional qualification (the Driver CPC) at the same time. Because almost everyone who gets a Category C licence wants to drive professionally and therefore needs Code 95 anyway — most new truck drivers take the two together and start at 18. The EU’s modernised driving licence rules reinforce this route into the profession, helping the sector attract younger drivers and tackle the driver shortage.

The medical examination

Category C requires a medical examination confirming you meet the higher physical and mental standards for driving heavy vehicles, including an eyesight test. You must pass it before training and at each renewal, and professional drivers undergo a medical check at least every five years. They assess conditions affecting vision, the heart, diabetes, or neurological health, so arrange your medical check early. Some countries also require a first-aid course.

The theory and practical tests

To gain Category C, you pass a theory test covering the knowledge specific to heavy vehicles, loading and load security, braking, drivers’ hours, vehicle safety and more and a practical driving test in a truck. The practical test assesses thorough safety checks, control and manoeuvring of a large vehicle, reversing, and driving in real traffic, and commonly lasts around 90 minutes. Approved instructors deliver training over several days, with additional practice as needed.

Do you need Code 95?

For professional driving, yes, Code 95 is essential. The Category C licence lets you drive the truck, but to drive it for hire or reward, or in connection with a business, you must also hold the Code 95 professional qualification (the Driver CPC). This requires an initial qualification, followed by 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years. The EU Driver CPC governs and regulates professional driving. The qualification is marked as code 95 on your licence or driver qualification card. Read our full guide to Code 95, and note that professional driving also brings tachograph rules. Only purely private or exempt driving is exempt from the Code 95 requirement.

CE for trailers and articulated lorries

Category C covers rigid trucks only. To pull a heavy trailer or drive an articulated lorry, you need CE, which adds a heavy trailer to your Category C entitlement and is the licence for the largest combinations on the road. CE requires holding C first and passing an additional practical test, and it is where the best-paid long-distance work tends to be.

Validity and renewal

Unlike a car licence, Category C is issued for a shorter period, commonly five years, and renewal requires another medical examination. Older drivers have shorter validity and more frequent medicals. Keep track of your expiry date and book your renewal medical in good time so your entitlement and ability to work don’t lapse.

Your route into a driving career

Category C, combined with Code 95, makes you employable as a professional truck driver right across Europe, where demand is strong, and the driver shortage means good opportunities. From Category C, you can add CE for articulated work and specialist tickets, such as ADR for dangerous goods, to further broaden your options. Explore current driver jobs and live vacancies to see what employers pay and what they’re asking for.

Tips for getting your Category C licence

• Plan Code 95 alongside your licence so you can start at 18 and work professionally from day one.
• Book your medical early, and have an optician complete the vision section if you wear glasses.
• Choose a reputable training provider and allow enough practical days for a large vehicle.
• Practise reversing and manoeuvring, where many candidates lose marks.
• If you want the best-paid work, plan to add CE after Category C.

Start your truck driving career.

A Category C licence is the gateway to professional truck driving in Europe. Add Code 9.5, and you can be paid to drive from 18; progress to C, E, and you can move into articulated and long-distance haulage. When you are ready, register in the driver section, explore vacancies, and see what employers are hiring for on FastDriver.eu.

Declaration

This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. EU law sets driving licence categories, weight limits, ages, medical standards, training requirements, and fees, but national authorities apply them, and they vary by country and change over time. Always confirm the current rules with your national licensing authority before making decisions. You can read the EU framework in the EUR-Lex summary of the EU driving licence rules, the EUR-Lex summary of the Driver CPC (Code 95) rules, and the EUR-Lex text of Directive (EU) 2025/2205. FastDriver.eu accepts no liability for actions taken based on this information.