What is the difference between C1, C, C1/E and C/E — and which age and prerequisites apply? Here are the categories with their weight limits, set out according to the Danish Road Traffic Authority.
Introduction
Truck driving licences are divided according to the size of the vehicle and whether a large trailer is hitched behind it. Common to all of them is that you must first hold a car driving licence (category B). If you want to drive commercially, the Driver CPC training (certificate of professional competence, code 95) is added on top — it follows from EU Directive 2003/59/EC.
The categories
| Cat. | Vehicle | Gross weight | Trailer | Min. age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Small truck | max. 7,500 kg | ≤ 750 kg | 18 years |
| C1/E | Small truck w. large trailer | vehicle combination ≤ 12 t | > 750 kg (requires C1) | 18 years |
| C | Large truck | over 3,500 kg (no upper limit) | ≤ 750 kg | 21 years (18 with initial qualification) |
| C/E | Large truck with large trailer | — | > 750 kg (requires C) | 21 years (18 with initial qualification) |
C1 covers the small lorry up to 7,500 kg permissible gross weight with a trailer of no more than 750 kg. C is the large lorry over 3,500 kg with no upper weight limit, but still with a small trailer of no more than 750 kg. If the trailer is to weigh more, you need E on top (C1/E or C/E).
Health requirements and medical certificate
For commercial driving licences (C, C/E, D, D/E), the law sets stricter health requirements than for ordinary cars. A medical certificate is required for both application and renewal, and the vision requirements — visual acuity, visual field, and colour vision — are stricter than for category B. Stable circulatory, neurological, and metabolic diseases (e.g. insulin-treated diabetes) also weigh heavily in the assessment.
- 01Medical certificate: mandatory at application and at each renewal of C and C/E.
- 02Visual requirements: higher requirements for visual acuity, visual field and colour vision than for a car.
- 03The driver's certificate is in principle valid for 5 years but the doctor can shorten the period for chronic illness.
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