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Driving licence
The photocard licence showing the driver holds the right category for the vehicle.
This is general information for UK goods-vehicle operators. It is not legal advice. Use the official source on this page, and your operator licence conditions, before you rely on it.
What it is
A driver must hold a current licence with the correct category for the vehicle and trailer combination, such as category C or C+E. The photocard is the document the driver produces. Entitlement can be limited by dates, codes and medical review. A licence that looks valid in the wallet can still have the vocational entitlement expired.
Who holds it
The driver carries the photocard. The operator should keep a record of the check they made, the categories, and the expiry of vocational entitlement, rather than relying on a photocopy taken on the driver’s first day.
At a visit
Police and DVSA ask the driver to produce the licence. If the category does not cover the vehicle, the journey is unlawful. Operators are expected to have a system that would have caught that before the driver was given the keys.