Class 1 Licence Cost: What the £2,895 Course Includes

Where the £2,895 goes

Class 1 training cost is mostly time in the vehicle. An articulated lorry handles very differently from a car or a rigid: it pivots in the middle, the trailer cuts in on bends, and reversing works the opposite way to what feels natural. That is why the course includes 25 hours of in-vehicle training, more than any other category we teach. The rest of the price covers the stages around the driving.

• D4 medical, needed for the provisional application.
• Theory and CPC case study preparation, with study material.
• 25 hours of in-vehicle training on an articulated vehicle.
• The practical driving test, including the uncoupling and recoupling exercise.

Comparing Class 1 quotes

The average cost of a Class 1 licence you see quoted online can look lower or higher than ours for one main reason: different things are included. Ask each provider how many hours are spent in the vehicle, whether the medical and theory preparation are part of the price, and whether the test is included. A cheaper headline price with fewer hours, or with the test charged on top, can end up costing more, especially if a retest is needed.

Class 1 licence cost in Scotland: travel and dates

Our price is the same wherever you live in our catchment, from Glasgow itself to Lanarkshire, Ayrshire or Edinburgh. What changes is the time spent travelling to Blochairn Road. Booking the in-vehicle hours as blocks keeps the number of journeys down, and you can tell us your shift pattern so the dates fit around work.

Do you need Class 2 first?

Some drivers take Class 2 at £1,695, work for a while and then add Class 1. Others go straight for Class 1 because articulated work is what they want. If you already hold Category C, tell us when you enquire so we can discuss the right route rather than assume you need the full package.

Costs after the licence

To drive Class 1 for a living you also need Driver CPC. New drivers complete Module 4, which is £199 with us, and every five years you complete 35 hours of periodic training at £55 per seven-hour course. Class 1 is also the licence most tanker and chemical work is built on, so many drivers add ADR, from £496, once they know the loads they will carry.

Paying for Class 1

You can pay directly, use our finance options to spread the cost, or ask your employer to be invoiced. Haulage firms often fund Class 1 for drivers they want to move up, sometimes with a service commitment, so it is worth asking your current employer before paying yourself.

What can add to the cost

The course price covers the training and the test. What it cannot control is a failed test that needs to be retaken, or a gap of weeks between lessons that means time is spent relearning. The best protection is preparation: arrive having revised for the theory, keep the in-vehicle days close together, and practise the coupling routine until it is automatic. Tell us early about anything that could delay the medical, so paperwork is sorted before lessons start.

Is the cost worth it?

Only you can judge that against the work you want. The guide to whether HGV driving is a good career looks at the kinds of roles each licence opens, so you can decide with the full picture rather than the headline price alone.