There’s been a big update to driving licence rules last week that makes life easier for anyone driving large electric vehicles.
Because EVs are packed with heavy batteries, many of the bigger electric vans weigh more than the usual 3.5-tonne limit allowed on a standard Category B licence (that’s the normal car licence most people have).
The good news? The rules have officially changed. Now, if a petrol or diesel version of a van can be driven on a standard licence, the same goes for its electric equivalent, even if it weighs up to 4.25 tonnes. This includes things like vans, minibuses, vehicle transporters, trucks, and even big SUVs.
It’s not just about more weight either. Delivery drivers and logistics firms can now tow a trailer behind a heavy electric van, as long as the total weight (van plus trailer) doesn’t go over 7,000kg.
If you passed your test before 1 January 1997, you can actually go even heavier, up to 8.25 tonnes in total.
Back in 2018, this 4.25-tonne rule was introduced temporarily for zero-emission vans. But now it’s been made permanent—and extended to more types of vehicles, not just vans.
This change matters. Some vehicle transport operators had been caught out because EVs are heavier than petrol or diesel cars, and the extra weight sometimes pushed them over legal limits without realising. These new rules give much more flexibility and should help fix that.
