How to Get a Category C1E Driving Licence in Austria?

A Category C1E driving licence (in German, Führerschein Klasse C1E) is the Austrian licence that lets you tow a heavy trailer behind a medium-sized truck. If you already hold a C1 licence for 7.5-tonne vehicles and you need to pull a substantial trailer — a plant trailer, a large horsebox, a vehicle transporter or a recovery combination — C1E is the entitlement you need. This guide explains what C1E covers in Austria, the trailer-weight rule, who can apply, the training and practical exam, the important under-21 restriction, when you also need Code 95, the medical and time-limited validity, and how it all fits together.

In Austria, training and testing are conducted through a driving school (Fahrschule), while the licence is issued by the licensing authority (the Bezirkshauptmannschaft or, in cities, the Landespolizeidirektion). Our driving licence in Austria and licence eligibility pages are good starting points.

What is a Class C1E licence in Austria?

C1E lets you drive a combination of a Class C1 vehicle (a goods vehicle of 3,500 kg to 7,500 kg) and a trailer or semi-trailer over 750 kg, where the whole combination is up to 12,000 kg. The same C1E entitlement also lets you drive a Class B vehicle with a trailer, again up to a 12,000 kg combination. It is the step up from C1 for anyone who seriously needs to tow.

C1E, C1, BE and CE: how they fit together

• C1 — a goods vehicle of 3,500 kg to 7,500 kg, with a trailer only up to 750 kg.
• C1E — a C1 vehicle with a trailer over 750 kg, combination up to 12,000 kg.
• BE — a car or van with a trailer, combination up to 7,000 kg (a lighter towing licence).
• CE — a full Class C truck with a heavy trailer, for articulated lorries.

You must hold C1 before adding C1E — you cannot go straight from a car licence to C1E.

What can you drive with a C1E licence?

C1E covers the heavier end of medium-vehicle towing: 7.5-tonne trucks with drawbar trailers, recovery and breakdown combinations, plant and machinery trailers, large lorry-and-trailer horseboxes, boat and vehicle transporters, and delivery combinations that need more capacity than a rigid truck alone. It is widely used in trades, logistics, agriculture, events and motorsport.

Who can apply for a Class C1E licence?

• You must already hold, or be acquiring, the Class C1 licence (which itself builds on Class B).
• The practical exam can be taken from 18, and training at a driving school can begin from 17 and a half.
• You must pass a medical examination and hold the first-aid training required for the truck classes.

Training and the practical exam

In Austria, the theory for the whole C group is shared, so if you already hold C1, you have completed the relevant theory. Adding C1E therefore centres on practical training with a truck-and-trailer combination and a practical driving exam. The training and test use a qualifying combination, and the exam focuses on coupling and uncoupling, load and brake checks, reversing and manoeuvring the long combination, and safe control on the road. If you take C1 and C1E together, the theory is done once for both.

The under-21 restriction

This is an important Austrian point. You can obtain the licence from 18, but until you turn 21, it generally stays restricted to C1 and C1E (medium trucks up to 7.5 tonnes and their combinations), automatically extending to the full Class C afterwards. The restriction can be lifted earlier if you complete the professional qualification — the Code 95 driver qualification (Fahrerqualifizierungsnachweis) or a professional driver apprenticeship. So for many young drivers, Code 95 is not just about working legally but also about unlocking the heavier categories sooner.

Do you also need Code 95?

The C1E licence lets you drive the combination, but to drive it professionally — carrying goods commercially with a vehicle over 3.5 tonnes — you also need the Code 95 professional qualification. If you only tow privately, for example, a horsebox for your own use, you generally do not need it. Helpfully, the practical Code 95 test can often be taken together with your C1 test. Read our guide to Code 95 in Austria, and note that professional driving also brings tachograph rules.

The medical and first-aid requirements

Like C1, C1E requires a medical certificate (ärztliches Gutachten) confirming you are fit to drive heavier vehicles, including an eyesight check. Arrange it before training and submit it to the authority before the exam; it must not be more than 18 months old when the licence is granted, and the medical for the C categories costs around €50. You also need the first-aid course for the truck classes if you did not already complete it for an earlier licence. A stricter 0.1 alcohol limit applies when driving Class C vehicles.

Time-limited validity and renewal

As with all the truck classes in Austria, C1E is issued on a limited basis — normally five years, reducing to two years from age 60. Each renewal requires a new medical certificate. A separate 15-year limit applies to the card document itself. Still, the C1E driving entitlement is the time-limited one to watch, so book your renewal medical in good time to avoid it lapsing.

Licences you get automatically.

Gaining C1E usually brings additional entitlement. In most cases, C1E holders also receive BE (car-and-trailer towing) and D1E if they already hold D1. This means one practical test can unlock more than just the C1E combination, so it is worth knowing what comes bundled with it.

How is your licence issued?

You apply through your chosen driving school, which submits the application to the licensing authority. After you pass the practical exam and pay the fees, you receive a temporary licence so you can drive straight away, and your card licence (Scheckkartenführerschein) is posted to you, normally within about five to ten days.

The route forward: C and CE

C1E is a strong step on the professional ladder. If you need to drive heavier still — full-size articulated lorries and drawbar combinations above the C1E limits — you progress to the full truck licence (Class C), then CE. Combined with Code 95, these open the widest and best-paid range of driver jobs in Austria and across Europe.

Tips for getting your C1E licence in Austria

• Make sure your C1 licence is in place first — C1E always builds on it.
• If you are under 21 and want to drive professionally, plan to lift the restriction sooner with Code 95.
• Practise reversing and manoeuvring, which catch out most candidates on the test.
• Arrange your medical early and watch the five-year expiry so your entitlement does not lapse.
• Check the trailer-weight rules and your vehicle documents before towing.

Take your driving further.

A Class C1E licence lets you tow heavy trailers behind a medium truck across Austria and Europe and is a valuable addition for anyone in logistics, trades or agriculture. Add Code 95, and you can be paid to drive; progress to C and CE, and you can move into full-size 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. Licence categories, weight limits, ages, medical standards, validity periods, training requirements and fees can change and may vary by case and by authority in Austria. Always confirm the current rules with the official Austrian government sources before making decisions. The authoritative information is on the government’s oesterreich.gv.at driving licence and licence categories pages, and the EU framework is in the EUR-Lex text of Directive (EU) 2025/2205. FastDriver.eu accepts no liability for actions taken based on this information.