Search Legislation

Road Traffic Act 1988

Status:

This is the original version (as it was originally enacted).

112Grant of HGV drivers' licences

(1)Subject to the provisions of any regulations made by virtue of section 117(2)(m) of this Act, the licensing authority must not grant a full licence to drive a heavy goods vehicle of any class unless he is satisfied—

(a)that the applicant for the licence has at some time during the period of five years ending on the date of the coming into force of the licence passed the prescribed test of competence to drive vehicles of that class, or

(b)that the applicant for the licence has within that period held a full licence authorising the driving of vehicles of that class, or

(c)that the applicant for the licence holds a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under Part III of this Act and that—

(i)either he holds an exchangeable licence authorising the driving of vehicles of a category corresponding to that class or, at the time of the application for the licence granted under Part III of this Act which he holds or of an application for a previous such licence, he surrendered such an exchangeable licence, and

(ii)he fulfils the requirements of subsection (2) below.

(2)Those requirements are that at the time of his application for the heavy goods vehicle driver’s licence he has not been normally resident in Great Britain or (where the exchangeable licence is or was a Community licence) the United Kingdom for more than 18 months, that he surrenders to the licensing authority any exchangeable licence which he holds, and that either—

(a)he has passed in the member State or territory in respect of which his exchangeable licence was issued a test in respect of vehicles of a category corresponding to the class in question, being a test which, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, is equivalent to the prescribed test of competence to drive vehicles of that class, or

(b)at the time at which he became normally resident in Great Britain or (where the exchangeable licence is or was a Community licence) the United Kingdom, he had been in the habit of driving vehicles of a category corresponding to the class in question—

(i)for a period of six months falling within the period of 18 months ending at that time, or

(ii)for a period of one year falling within the period of three years ending at that time,

or for periods which, taken together, satisfy sub-paragraph (i) or (ii) above.

(3)Subsection (8) of section 89 of this Act shall apply for the purposes of this section as it applies for the purposes of that.

(4)For the purposes of this section, where an exchangeable licence authorises the driving of vehicles of any category and any vehicle falling within that category falls also within any class of vehicles specified by regulations under section 117 of this Act as a class in respect of which a heavy goods vehicle driver’s licence may be issued—

(a)that category shall be treated as corresponding to that class, and

(b)where, by virtue of those regulations, a person who passes a test of competence to drive vehicles of that class is treated as having also passed a test of competence to drive vehicles of another class, that category shall be treated as corresponding to that other class.

(5)For the purpose of enabling an applicant to learn to drive a heavy goods vehicle with a view to passing the prescribed test of competence to drive, the licensing authority may issue to him a heavy goods vehicle driver’s licence as a provisional licence.

(6)A licence issued by virtue of subsection (5) above or a full licence granted to an applicant who is under the age of 21 on the date of the application shall be subject to the prescribed conditions, and if the person to whom it is issued fails to comply with any of the conditions he is guilty of an offence.

(7)It is an offence for a person to cause or permit another person who is under the age of 21 to drive a heavy goods vehicle of any class in contravention of any prescribed conditions subject to which that other person’s licence is issued.

(8)In this section—

  • “Community licence” has the same meaning as in Part III of this Act,

  • “exchangeable licence” means a Community licence or a document which would be a Community licence if Gibraltar formed part of a member State other than the United Kingdom.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources