Vehicle Categories, Documents and Load Rules
Candidates must match licence categories to vehicles. Category AM covers mopeds, A1, A2 and A cover motorcycles by power and age, B covers cars up to 3,500 kg with up to eight passenger seats, BE adds a trailer, C and CE cover lorries, and D and DE cover buses. Category B holders may tow a light trailer within combined weight limits; heavier combinations need BE. Age minimums and probation periods are frequent question targets.
Every vehicle on the road needs valid registration, compulsory third-party liability insurance, a technical inspection certificate, and the driver needs the correct licence. Carry the documents or their authorised electronic equivalents. Insurance must be renewed without a gap; driving uninsured attracts heavy penalties and vehicle seizure.
Load rules are tested with practical scenarios. Loads must not obstruct lights, plates, mirrors or the driver's view, must be secured against shifting, and must not exceed axle or gross vehicle weight ratings. A load projecting more than one metre behind the vehicle must be marked, typically with a warning panel or flag in daylight and a red light at night. Passengers may not ride in a trailer or in the load area of a goods vehicle.
Rule of thumb: before any trip, check the four documents, the four tyres, and the load's four corners. If any projection exceeds one metre, mark it.
Worked example: a B-licence driver tows a trailer of 1,300 kg behind a 1,500 kg car. The combination exceeds the B limit, so a BE licence and appropriate plating are required.