Electric van driving licence change comes into force 10 June

The government has confirmed that the changes to driving licence regulations for zero emission vehicles will come into effect from 10 June 2025.

The change will allow category B driving licence to drive an electric or hydrogen-powered vehicle with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 4.25 tonne, to account for the additional weight of their batteries, providing the vehicle is zero emission vehicle.

This will remove the need for category B licence holders to undertake five hours additional training before operating 4.25 tonne electric vans and allows the same towing capabilities as internal combustion engine (ICE) equivalents.

The change, amongst others, have been called for by fleet operators and industry professionals alike.

BVRLA Chief Executive, Toby Poston, said: “Out-of-date regulations are hampering the transition to a cleaner, greener van fleet, so we welcome any modernisation to reflect the profiles of today’s vehicles. These changes are long overdue and leave a couple of other urgent updates waiting in the wings.
 
“The BVRLA, in coalition with its Zero Emission Van Plan partners, continues to call for this red tape to be eliminated. Regulatory barriers remain a key blocker for van fleet decarbonisation, alongside the lack of fiscal support and concerns over charging. Government knows the levers that need to be pulled and we are optimistic that today’s changes mark the start of more progress to come.”