What exactly am I entitled to drive!?

Pippy2002

Mornin all!!

Wondering if you fine people can assist me please? I have been driving for around 11 years now and having not so long ago renewed my (standard UK manual) licence I was interested to figure out what all the stuff actually meant on the back.

I took a look on the DVLA website but to me it didn't make sense. The reason being, I have never taken anything other than the UK standard manual test (I've never even been on a motorbike) yet on looking at my licence it seems to suggest that I am fully qualified for 2 wheels!? There are 'valid from' dates against the codes: AM/A/B1/B/f/k/p/q and also 'expiry' dates too??

I have attached a photo of my licence (personal info has been blurred for my safety) - has the DVLA made a !!!! up? And exactly what can I ride on my current licence?

Many thanks

Pipp

Netwizard

All explained here: https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories

Pippy2002

Thanks for that Netwizard but I don't understand it - my licence appears to imply I can ride a motorbike??

Rover_Driver

See if there is a code in the right hand column on the back of your licence, the codes are in pages 12 & 13:
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/208103/ins57p.pdf

As I understand it
'AM' is Moped - valid with a CBT.
'A' is motorcycles and tricycles - but you would only be qualified for a tricycle.

goonarmy

The new card liscence gives a picture of what you can be qualified to drive. Roughly speaking a 2.5ton van with tailift-think decent size transit flat bed but possibly not the biggest crew cabbed ones, any car, and as said above trike and moped but not sure what you need in the way of cbt for that. Used to be that you could drive a minibus if not for profit organisation but think thats changed. Then theres traliers....small ones less than 750kg are fine over that you may need b+e but bit of a mine field there.
And after all that be wary what the dvla divs put on and take off your liscence when any changes are made. Lad at work now has a full bike liscence for just updating his picture.

Rover_Driver

goonarmy wrote: »

And after all that be wary what the dvla divs put on and take off your liscence when any changes are made. Lad at work now has a full bike liscence for just updating his picture.

If he has category 'A' - Motorcycles and Tricycles, make sure he is not restricted to only tricycles.

Prior to January 2013, depending on when the licence was issued, tricycles were in the same group/category as cars, or had their own.

Now they are in the same category as motorcycles, which is why there is restriction if the holder has not passed the relevant motorcycle test.