Categories of motor vehicles
Categories of motor vehicles
Every motor vehicle belongs in a certain category designated with a capital letter, such as A, B, C, etc. The category of vehicles that you are allowed to drive is added to your driving licence.
The main categories of motor vehicles are explained briefly below. Click on the "Read more" near category to read about driving courses and obligatory state exams.
Categories, in turn, are divided into subcategories designated with letters and numbers. For example, categories A1 and A2 are motorcycles with limited motor power. If you are interested in specific categories or subcategories, click here.NB! Unladen mass - vehicle weight without passengers and cargo. Maximum mass - the maximum permitted weight of the vehicle with a driver, passengers and cargo.
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Main Categories
AM – moped
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up to 50 ccEngine capacity
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up to 45 km/hPermitted speed
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2-4Number of wheels
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14 yearsMinimum age
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from 14 yearsAge for starting the course
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noneRequirements for starting the course
A – motorcycle
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no limitationsEngine capacity and net power
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2-3Number of wheels
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24 yearsMinimum age
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from 23.5 yearsAge for starting the course
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2 yearsRequirement for receiving a driving licenceyou have held a driving licence for any category car, including a provisional driving licence
A – motorcycle (trike)
You are also allowed to drive one with a category B driving licence (incl. a provisional driving licence).
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no limitationsEngine capacity and net power
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3Number of wheels
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21 yearsMinimum ageif the net power is over 15 kW
B – passenger car
Which vehicles can you drive with a category B driver's licence?
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up to 9Number of seats
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allowedTowing a trailer
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up to 3.5 tMaximum mass
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16 yearsMinimum age
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noneRequirements for starting the course
B with code 96 – a passenger car with a trailer
Studying at the driving school is not required. For code 96, you must simply take a special driving exam at the Transport Administration.
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up to 9Number of seats
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up to 4.25 tMaximum total mass
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category B driving licenceRequirement for taking the exama provisional driving licence is enough
BE – a passenger car with a heavy trailer
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up to 9Number of seats
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up to 7 tMaximum total masscar up to 3,500 kg + trailer up to 3,500 kg
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category B driving licenceRequirements for starting the coursea provisional driving licence is enough
C – lorry
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up to 750 kgTrailer's maximum mass
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21 yearsMinimum age
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half a yearRequirements for starting the coursecategory B driving licence (a provisional driving licence and the limited right to drive do not count)
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1 yearRequirement for receiving a driving licencecategory B driving licence (a provisional driving licence and the limited right to drive do not count)
CE – a lorry with a heavy trailer
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over 750 kgTrailer's maximum mass
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21 yearsMinimum age
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category C driving licenceRequirement for starting the driving lessonsyou can start studying for categories C and CE simultaneously
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category C driving licenceRequirement for receiving a driving licence
D – bus and trolleybus
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over 8Passenger seats
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up to 750 kgTrailer's maximum mass
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24 yearsMinimum age
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1.5 yearsRequirements for starting the coursecategory B driving licence (a provisional driving licence and the limited right to drive do not count)
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2 yearsRequirement for receiving a driving licencecategory B driving licence (a provisional driving licence and the limited right to drive do not count)
DE – bus with a heavy trailer
If you have a category CE and D driver's licence, you automatically obtain the permit to drive a category DE combination of vehicles.
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over 750 kgTrailer's maximum mass
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category D drivers licenceRequirements for starting the course
T – tractor
T category vehicles can also be driven having other categories. More info here.
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15 yearsMinimum age18 years if the maximum mass of the tractor is over 18 t
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from 14.5 yearsAge for starting the coursefrom 17.5 years if the maximum mass of the tractor is over 18 t
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noneRequirements for starting the course
Subcategories
A1 – motorcycle
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up to 125 ccEngine capacity
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up to 11 kWMotor powerif the motorcycle has three wheels, then up to 15 kW
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16 yearsMinimum age
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from 15.5 yearsAge for starting the course
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noneRequirements for starting the course
A2 – motorcycle
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no limitationsEngine capacity
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up to 35 kWMotor poweror power density up to 0.2kW/kg
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18 yearsMinimum age
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from 17.5 yearsAge for starting the course
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noneRequirements for starting the course
B1 – passenger car
NB! These vehicles are very rare.
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4Number of wheels
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up to 400 kgUnladen massif the vehicle is meant for transporting goods, then up to 550 kg
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16 yearsMinimum age
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from 15.5 yearsAge for starting the course
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noneRequirements for starting the course
C1 – lorry
Designed for the carriage of goods. Category C1 can be acquired along with category B (the so-called BC1 category).
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3500 - 7500 kgMaximum mass
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18 yearsMinimum age
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from 17 yearsAge for starting the course
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category B driving licenceRequirements for starting the courseprovisional driving licence is enough
C1E – a lorry with a trailer
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over 750 kgTrailer's maximum mass
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up to 12 tMaximum total mass
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subcategory C1 driving licenceRequirements for starting the course
D1 – bus
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up to 8 mLength
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9-16Passenger seats
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21 yearsMinimum age
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from 20.5 yearsAge for starting the course
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half a yearRequirements for starting the coursecategory B driving licence (a provisional driving licence and the limited right to drive do not count)
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1 yearRequirement for receiving a driving licencecategory B driving licence (a provisional driving licence and the limited right to drive do not count)
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