How to move from a category B to a category C licence

To obtain category C after B, you must submit a new application, pass the required tests and practise in a suitable vehicle. The CQC is a separate qualification for professional transport.

First check whether you need category C

A category B licence only authorises the vehicles within its limits; experience alone does not let you drive a heavy vehicle. Category C covers goods vehicles with a maximum authorised mass over 3.5 tonnes, excluding D1 and D vehicles, and a trailer up to 750 kg. A vehicle weighing up to 7.5 tonnes may instead fall under C1. The registration document and intended use help identify the right category.

If you want to work in goods transport, also consider the CQC for goods. MIT describes this as a separate professional qualification, obtained through initial training and an exam, and required for certain activities. You can coordinate the two pathways, but do not confuse the driving licence, CQC training and qualification awarded.

Submit the application to the UMC

This is not an automatic conversion of B: you start a new application to obtain category C. The MIT page lists form TT2112, your current licence, ID, tax code, medical certificate and PagoPA fees. Submit the application to the Civil Motorisation Office (UMC); separate guidance covers representatives, residency and documents for foreign citizens. Generate receipts for the current procedure, as fees and channels can change.

Organise the required originals and copies, check the medical certificate's period of validity and find out how your local office books tests. Before signing the form, make sure it says C, not C1 or C1 code 97. An initial mistake may require an administrative correction and cost you an exam slot.

Age, theory and practical test

The ordinary minimum age for C is 21. It may be 18 under the MIT CQC goods pathway, if you complete the qualification before the practical test. Applicants must hold category B and meet the medical fitness requirements. The UMC schedules the theory test and, after you pass, issues the learner's permit.

The practical stage requires familiarity with the vehicle's dimensions, clearance, braking, mirrors and positioning. The test must use a vehicle that meets the ministerial specifications for category C, including its mass, length, width and specific equipment. Ask the school or vehicle provider which configuration you will use; practising only in a different vehicle may make the test harder.

How to organise your study

If you already hold B, you will know some road rules, but category C theory goes deeper into mass, dimensions, loads and heavy-vehicle behaviour. Study by topic and keep driving questions separate from administrative ones: an instructor can explain manoeuvres, the UMC can confirm the application, and a driving school can coordinate the course. Do not rely on test counts or deadlines from an outdated page; check the MIT guidance linked below.

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