How old do you have to be to drive an electric car?

Answer 1

Motorcycles

Category

Description

Minimum age

P

Mopeds with an engine size of up to 50 cc and a maximum speed of up to 50 km/h

16

A1

Light motorcycles with an engine size of up to 125 cc and a power output of up to 11 kW (14.6 bhp)

17

A

Medium-sized motorcycles up to 25 kW (33 bhp) and a power to weight ratio of up to 0.16 kW/kg

17

A

Motorcycles with a sidecar and a power to weight ratio of up to 0.16 kW/kg

17

A

Any size motorcycle, with or without a sidecar if you have completed the large motorcycle Direct Access Scheme

21*

*You can ride a large motorcycle at any age two years after passing a test on a medium-sized motorcycle.

• Motorcycles you can ride

Three or four wheeled light vehicles

Category

Description

Minimum age

B1

Motor tricycles, quadricycles and three or four wheeled vehicles with an unladen weight no more than 550 kg

17*

*Age 16 if you are currently getting Disability Living Allowance at the higher rate (mobility component).

• The terms used to describe different vehicle weights

Cars or light vans, with or without trailers

The term maximum authorised mass (MAM) means the total weight of the vehicle plus the maximum load it can carry safely.

Category

Description

Minimum age

B

Motor vehicles with a MAM of up to 3,500 kg, no more than eight passenger seats, with or without a trailer - weighing no more than 750 kg

17*

B

As category B but with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg. The total weight of the vehicle and the trailer together can't weigh more than 3,500 kg. The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can't weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle

17*

B auto

As category B with automatic transmission

17*

B+E

As category B but with a heavier trailer that isn't covered in the descriptions for category B

17

*Age 16 if you are currently getting Disability Living Allowance at the higher rate (mobility component).

Example of category B with a trailer weighing over 750 kg: Motor vehicle with an unladen weight of 1,500 kg and a maximum weight of 2,000 kg towing a fully loaded trailer with a weight of 1,500 kg - total weight 3500.

Example of category B+E: Motor vehicle with a MAM up to 3,500 kg towing a trailer of any weight over 750 kg.

• Maximum authorised mass - vehicle weights explained

• Towing a trailer - what you need to know

• How to get a driving licence or update yours

Medium sized vehicles, with or without trailers

Category

Description

Minimum age

C1

Vehicles weighing between 3,500 kg and 7,500 kg, with or without a trailer - weighing no more than 750 kg

18*

C1+E

As category C1 but with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg. The total weight of the vehicle and the trailer together can't weigh more than 12,000 kg. The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can't weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle

21*, **, ***

*Age 17 if you are a member of the armed services.

**Age 18 if you got your driving licence before 10 September 2009 and the weight of the vehicle and trailer together is under 7,500 kg.

***You can drive C1+E category vehicles at age 18 if one of the following apply:

• you have passed your driving test and Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) initial qualification
• you are learning to drive or taking a driving test for this category or Driver CPC initial qualification
• you are taking a national vocational training course to get a Driver CPC initial qualification
• you had your driving licence before 10 September 2009

Example of category C1+E: A vehicle with an unladen weight of 6,000 kg and a maximum weight of 7,500 kg pulling a fully loaded trailer with a weight of 4,500 kg - total weight 12,000 kg.

• Towing a trailer - what you need to know

• The terms used to describe different vehicle weights

Large vehicles, with or without trailers

Category

Description

Minimum age

C

Vehicles over 3,500 kg, with a trailer up to 750 kg

21*, **

C+E

As category C but with a trailer over 750 kg

21*, **