How to become an HGV driver in the UK

HGV driving is steady, well paid by trades standards, and consistently one of the most-advertised jobs in the country. The route in is licence-based, so it takes a few months and some training cost, but there are funded ways through.

Class 2 or Class 1?

There are two main licences. A Category C licence (Class 2) lets you drive a rigid lorry over 7.5 tonnes. A Category C+E licence (Class 1) adds an articulated trailer, pays more, and opens up long-distance work. Most drivers start on Class 2 and upgrade to Class 1 once they have experience.

The steps

You need to be 18 or over, hold a full car licence, pass a medical, then work through the provisional entitlement, the theory tests and the practical test. On top of the licence you need the Driver CPC — an initial qualification plus 35 hours of periodic training every five years to stay legal for commercial driving.

Cost and funding

Training runs into four figures if you pay for it yourself. But you often do not have to: many haulage employers fund licence training in return for a commitment, and government Skills Bootcamps have covered HGV training in recent years. Ask employers and your local college before paying out of pocket.

What the work is like

Pay and lifestyle vary a lot by route. Multi-drop urban delivery is the most physical and fast paced; regional trunking is more predictable; long-distance Class 1 pays best but means nights away. Drivers' hours and tachograph rules cap how long you can drive, which keeps the work structured. Demand has stayed strong since the post-2021 driver shortage, and it is not a job automation is replacing on UK roads any time soon.