What Is The Difference Between HGV Class 1 And Class 2

We have all heard of HGV drivers, but what exactly is the difference between HGV Class 1 and HGV Class 2? The difference is very simple – a Class 1 licence allows you to drive a category C+E vehicle, which is basically an articulated lorry, or artic. A Class 2 licence allows you to drive a category C vehicle, or what is frequently referred to as a rigid.

Many training companies allow you to train and take your class 1 (C+E) test at the end, but many drivers get their class 2 licence first and then take their class 1 test afterwards. The process seems a bit daunting, so let’s break it down with some approximate costs.

Table of Contents

• HGV licence cost
• How to get your HGV licence
• HGV Driver Salary
• Looking for HGV jobs?

HGV licence cost

• First off, you need to get your provisional HGV licence and Must be 18. You must already have your car licence (a class B licence).
• Next, you need to get a D2 form from the DVLA and a D4 form to get your provisional HGV licence
  • The D2 form is free
  • The D4 form is your medical. As a lorry driver, you must pass a medical to become an HGV driver, and then have a medical every 5 years.
    • Your GP can arrange your medical which will cost around £120.
    • Many private companies can do your medical a lot cheaper – from around £50.
  • Once you have your D2 and D4 you should get your provisional licence within about 3 weeks.

How to get your HGV licence

Then there are 4 parts to getting your licence, read on to find out more.

1. PART 1 is split into 2 parts:
   1. Part 1A is your theory test. You have to answer 100 multiple choice questions and you must score 85 or more to pass. This test costs £26
   2. Part 1B – is hazard perception, again with 100 questions, but these are videos questions where you have to spot the hazard. You must score 67 or more out of 100 to pass before you can go on to the next stage of getting your HGV Licence, and the test costs £11
2. PART 2 is your CPC case studies and costs £23
3. PART 3 is the actual driving test for your HGV licence, and costs £115, but you will need to factor in lessons, and the cost for HGV lessons is usually around £1200 and involves 4 days of training with your HGV driving test on the 5th Once you have part 3 you have your HGV licence but can’t drive professionally until you have passed part 4.
4. PART 4 is a practical demonstration and involves walking around and checking the vehicle and how to run and operate the vehicle. Part 4 costs £55, but again you will need lessons which will cost about £190

At this point, you now have your HGV Class 2 (C class) licence and can drive a rigid, but you will need to get your tacho card before you can drive commercially. This costs £32 and can take2 weeks for the DVLA to send it to you.

You will now be sent your CPC card. You can now drive a class 2 vehicle commercially.

To become a Class 1 (C+E) driver, you need to take one more test – this is a practical test and costs £115.

So, after all that just how much can you earn as an HGV driver?

HGV Driver Salary

A cat C or Class 2 driver (over 7.5 but no more than 32 tonnes) can earn anywhere between £7.00 and £13.50 per hour

A cat C+E (class 1, articulated, drawbar type vehicle) can earn anywhere between £8.00 and £15.00 plus, per hour.

According to a recent study, the average salary for HGV drivers’ jobs is around £32000 in 2019, but it could be more or less depending on experience. However, more experienced drivers can earn more than newly qualified HGV drivers, but you have to start somewhere!

You can find out about all of the stages and test costs on the government website here https://www.gov.uk/become-lorry-bus-driver .

Looking for HGV jobs?

Global Employment Bureau are a leading HGV recruitment agency that provide dedicated service to drivers and clients. We have a variety of HGV driving positions available, some of the positions start immediately after the assessment. Pop in to see us at our Northampton based office or you can register online, alternatively, just give us a call on 01604 761206 if you have any enquiry.