How to get a category “C” driver’s license and what you need for it

Types of driving categories

In total, there are 7 main categories approved by the provisions of Art. 25 of the Federal Law “On Road Safety”. , which are further divided into subcategories.

Having a driver's license of one category does not give the right to drive vehicles belonging to another.

How to open a new category in rights

The Law “On Road Safety” states that in order to add a new driving category to a valid driver’s license, the applicant must pass a qualifying exam at the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate. However, depending on the driving category, the composition of the exam varies, as well as the number and types of exercises, the successful completion of which is counted in the practical part of testing at the race track. The rules for conducting exams and specific types of exercises, the successful completion of which is counted in the practical exam, are listed in the Methodology for conducting exams for obtaining the right to drive a vehicle; we will discuss this below.

Categories A, M, A1, B1

To open driving categories related to driving motorcycles (two, three and four wheels) on your current license, you must pass an exam consisting of two parts:

• theoretical part on tickets;
• practical driving on the circuit.

The driving test consists of three exercises:

• stops for boarding (disembarking) passengers;
• parking and leaving a parking space;
• maneuvering in confined spaces (“snake”, performing maneuvers at speed, braking, stopping, etc.).

Important

In this case, a city driving test is not conducted to open a new category.

Motorcycle transport is considered the easiest to drive, so having a valid license is a guarantee that the driver knows the traffic rules and is ready for city driving.

Category B

Opening category B while having a license of another category will require the driver to pass a full exam consisting of three parts:

• theoretical on tickets;
• practical in the form of driving a car on a race track;
• practical in the form of driving in the city.

Driving a car on a racetrack includes testing the student’s skills using the following exercises:

• “slide” (“overpass”) – the student’s skills in stopping and starting on an incline are tested;
• “Parking” – the student’s parking skills are tested (parallel parking, stopping to pick up/drop off passengers on an overpass);
• “entering a garage box” – the ability to maneuver and park in reverse;
• “high-speed maneuvering” - testing maneuvering skills, “snake”, “turn”, “90° turn” (two exercises at the examiner’s choice);
• crossing a controlled intersection.

Two minutes are allotted to complete each exercise. After successfully passing the exercises on the race track, students demonstrate their driving skills in urban conditions.

Categories C, D and subcategories

To pass the exam for driving freight and passenger transport to open a new category in your current license, you must also pass an exam consisting of three parts:

• theoretical part on knowledge of traffic rules;
• driving on a race track;
• driving in the city.

Exercises on the circuit for categories C and D are completely the same as exercises for passenger cars. The exam also consists of the student demonstrating proficiency in the skills of high-speed maneuvering, parking, reversing, etc. After passing, the examinee is allowed to take the exam in the city. If the driver successfully passes all three exams, he will be able to open a new category on his license.

Driving with a trailer (BE, CE, DE, C1E, D1E)

Passing the exam for obtaining a driving category related to driving a vehicle with a trailer also consists of three parts:

• theoretical exam on tickets for knowledge of traffic rules;
• exercises on the race track;
• driving in the city.

The exam at the race track consists of sequential performance of four exercises:

• coupling and uncoupling a trailer with a towing vehicle (assistance from other persons is allowed when producing the coupling);
• maneuvering in confined spaces, stopping to unload/load cargo (pick up/drop off passengers);
• entering the garage box in reverse;
• parallel parking, reverse parking on a hill.

Successful completion of the exercises on the race track is the basis for admission to the urban driving test.

Important

A condition for admission to taking the test to drive a vehicle with a trailer is the possession of a valid driver's license of the appropriate category, which is valid for at least one year.

Categories Tm and Tb

Driving trolleybuses and trams stands apart. Admission to take exams and obtain rights in the corresponding categories is permitted from the age of 21. The conditions for preparing and actually passing the exams also differ. The traffic police accepts only the theoretical part; practice at the race track and in the city is completed by the student in the training organization itself. Students of such schools have the title of cadets and even receive a scholarship.

As a rule, they are sent to training organizations by operating enterprises, so it is practically impossible to get into such a school from the outside. During training, drivers not only learn to drive passenger vehicles, but also learn their primary repairs, learn safety precautions when working with electric motor units, etc.

Opening a new category

If the driver has a license, but he wants to open additional categories, he must follow the conditions established by law.

Automatic receipt

Automatic issuance during the exchange of rights is provided for the following groups:

• “M” – opens to all persons who have any driver’s license;
• junior subcategories according to the corresponding main categories.

In this case, it is enough to submit the necessary papers without additional training and certification.

Mandatory exam

Drivers pass a mandatory exam with advanced training at a driving school when additional categories are opened or by changing their driving license to drive a car with a manual transmission if they have a license for an automatic transmission.

Category B

Differences

To open categories “A”, “A1”, “M” and “B1”, you have to:

• passing theory with examination testing;
• pass a test of driving skills at the testing ground with maneuvering, parking, boarding and disembarking passengers.

For categories “B” and “B1” an examination trip to the city has been added to the listed tests.

When passing for the license of groups “C” and “D”, the composition of the exams is similar with the difference in the controlled equipment and the composition of the tickets. But if the driver opens a license with permission to drive a cargo or passenger vehicle of the specified category with a trailer, the theory test is not provided.

A theoretical course test (in addition to driving) will be required when obtaining a Group BE permit.

To retrain from an automatic to a manual, the theory does not pass. The test involves a driving test at the MREO site.

A separate examination program is provided for drivers of urban electric transport with test exams and a driving test.

When opening a new category is not necessary

Clause 7 of Art. 25 of Federal Law No. 196-FZ approved a provision regarding the possibility of automatically opening certain categories of driving. Having a valid ID automatically opens “minor” subcategories in the following cases:

• A – to drive vehicles of subcategories A1 and B1 (with a motorcycle seat or steering wheel);
• B – to drive a vehicle of category B1 (not with a motorcycle seat or not with a motorcycle handlebar);
• C – subcategories C1;
• D – category D1;
• CE and DE are C1E and D1E, respectively.

Important

In all other cases, passing the traffic police exam is a prerequisite for opening a new driving category.

Reasons for refusing to open a new category

The traffic police reserves the right to refuse a motorist to open a new category of rights. Most often this is due to an incomplete package of documents provided by the applicant. Reasons for refusal may also include restrictions on the age and health of the driver. Another common reason for refusal is deprivation of a driver’s license under the existing category. The refusal may also be due to the non-authenticity of the documents provided.

To avoid being denied a new category, the motorist should take care to pay all existing fines. You can check the availability of current fines on the official website of the traffic police. It is also impossible to obtain a new certificate due to arrears in transport tax. You can find out about the presence of such debt on the website of the Federal Tax Service.

How to upgrade your skills from automatic transmission to manual transmission

Students who have undergone training and passed the exam in cars with an automatic transmission receive a certificate that allows them to drive only cars with an automatic transmission. A corresponding note about this is made in the license. Such drivers cannot legally drive cars with a manual transmission.

To obtain the right to drive a car with a manual transmission, you will also have to pass an exam. But such drivers are exempt from passing the theoretical and city driving exams - they just need to successfully pass the exercises on the race track. Having a valid license confirms that the driver has driving skills in the city and knows the rules of the road. Therefore, the only thing he must prove during the exam is his skills in driving a manual car, which are demonstrated on the race track.

Driving cars with automatic transmission

The law also allowed the test to be taken in cars with automatic transmissions. The corresponding mark will now appear on the driver’s licenses of such drivers - in section 14 “Restrictions” the designation “AT” will be placed - driving only a car with an automatic transmission. If you want to extend your driver's license from an automatic to a manual transmission in the future, you will have to re-study at a driving school and retake the exams at the traffic police. So think carefully about how you study. The question is discussed in detail in a separate text.

Manual or automatic, how to learn

Is it possible to prepare on your own?

In 2013, amendments were made to the Road Safety Law. Starting this year, self-preparation for the driving test for driving categories A, B and their subcategories has been cancelled. The same applies to obtaining other driving categories. Without providing a certificate of completion of a driving school, it is impossible not only to issue a completed certificate, but also to obtain admission to the traffic police exam.

Important

Independent study, preparation and retraining for passing exams is not allowed.

To get a license without attending lectures at a driving school, you can take online license training.

In what case will you not have to take the exam?

Regardless of what category a motorist plans to open, he must pass theoretical and practical exams. There are no exceptions for anyone. In addition, starting from November 5, 2013, the traffic police, in accordance with changes to the law “On Road Safety,” abolished the possibility of self-preparation for passing exams. Now, to obtain a license of any category, the driver will have to undergo training at a driving school that has the necessary license. Let us remind you that previously drivers had the opportunity to independently retrain and then pass an exam at the traffic police.

Documents for the new category

List of documents required when applying for a new driver's license. It includes:

• personal passport;
• valid rights;
• certificate of completion of a driving school and passing exams;
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• written application (filled out on site);
• medical report (if necessary).

Reference

Also, to open a new category in your license, you must provide a photo. If the applicant applies to the traffic police department, the photograph is taken on the spot by a staff photographer.

Documents required to obtain a new category

To obtain a new category, the following documents are required:

• passport identifying the citizen;
• a statement that the driver wishes to open a new category;
• a document that confirms passing a medical examination, it is mandatory, without it you will not be allowed to study;
• a document confirming further training at this driving school;
• a receipt indicating that the state duty has been paid.

The required documents are standard; certain differences in the application are allowed. Driving school training usually does not exceed 3 months.

During this period, you will be able to learn a lot that you did not know if you had category C. This knowledge and skills will help you overcome many obstacles, understand the operation of the car, and so on. Remember, the most important thing is to be careful on the road, which can cost road users their lives.

How much does it cost to open a new license category?

Despite the fact that the driver already has a valid license, when a new category opens, he is an ordinary student. He will have to pay for the entire training course at the driving school; the cost depends on the training organization itself and the region of residence and does not depend on the duration of training and the category of rights. Typically, training costs 20-30 thousand rubles.

Also, to obtain a driving license with a new category, you will have to pay a state fee for obtaining a driving license (2 thousand rubles). If you obtain a license to drive passenger and cargo transport, and the driver had a license in the passenger categories, he will have to obtain a medical report with the permission of doctors. The conclusion will cost 2-3 thousand rubles. (RUB 1,675 – in municipal clinics).

Opening a new or several categories of driver's license at once

As I already wrote, to obtain a driver’s license you must study at a driving school; independent testing at the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate and “externship” have been cancelled. This also applies to the situation when you already have a driver's license and want to open a new category of driver's license. Now this action can only be carried out through a driving school.

At the same time, modular training is now declared in driving schools, so there will be a discount on training for having a driving license. You need to communicate with driving schools and find out who can offer the best conditions. Some driving schools offer an accelerated course of study, which involves fewer driving lessons (it is assumed that the person has the skill).

Sometimes you can do without training at all:

Diploma-certificate of a driving school without training, “retraining” (opening new categories of vehicles with a driving license)

You can also simultaneously study for several categories at once, usually we are talking about categories B and C. This is more profitable than studying for them sequentially. When taking the exam, you can take theory once; driving is taken for each category. The fee for obtaining a driving license is also paid once (if the application for the second category is delayed, you can get a driving license with one open category, then the fee for issuing a driving license with a new category will have to be paid again).

Replacement of driver's license

When replacing a driver's license due to its expiration (10 years), all current categories are automatically renewed, but only if the driver's health meets medical requirements.

How to transfer a category to a new VU

The introduction of a new type of driver's license has somewhat changed the very procedure for transferring categories from old licenses to new ones. The main difficulty lies in the presence of a separate category E in the old type of licenses, which allows you to drive any vehicle with trailers. Now this category has been abolished, and students are trained to drive certain types of vehicles with trailers (BE, CE, etc.). Sometimes the traffic police refuses to automatically open all driving categories if the driver had category E. This practice is illegal, and therefore has been repeatedly refuted in the courts.

Reference

If the driver had driving category E on his old-style license, his new license should automatically be marked with BE, CE, DE, C1E, D1E.

The remaining rules for opening and transferring from old rights to new ones are as follows.

Reference

Category M is automatically assigned if there is any other category in the license.

Documentation

When replacing rights after their expiration, it is necessary to obtain a medical certificate. If license categories not related to driving freight and passenger vehicles are being extended, you must obtain permission from the following doctors:

• therapist;
• ophthalmologist;
• psychiatrist and narcologist.

If the rights additionally include categories C, D, Tm, Tb and their subcategories, then you additionally need to:

• obtain permission from a neurologist and otolaryngologist;
• undergo electroencephalography of the brain.

Thus, if a driver has B and C open at the same time, then he needs to go through all the doctors, which will cost significantly more.

In addition to a medical report, to replace your license you will need to provide the following to the traffic police:

• personal passport;
• old rights;
• receipt of payment of state duty.

How to close an unnecessary category

According to the Rules for passing vehicle driving tests, there is no provision for closing driving categories that are unnecessary for the driver. All marks about open categories are automatically transferred to the new certificate. Therefore, the driver does not have the opportunity to save money and refuse to undergo additional doctors if he previously had open categories related to driving passenger, cargo and cargo-passenger transport.

Exclusion of driving categories is allowed solely for medical reasons - if the driver is unable to successfully pass a medical examination for driving freight or passenger transport, these categories in his license will be closed, and categories of other types of transport will remain valid in his license.

If, over time, the driver’s health allows him to again drive vehicles of categories C, D and their subcategories, then they will again be included in his license without passing additional exams. To do this, the driver will have to undergo a medical examination again and submit its results to the traffic police.

Reasons for refusal to transfer

Transfer of rights to new rights may be refused for the following reasons:

• an incomplete list of documents is provided;
• the documents provided do not comply with legal requirements (for example, the medical report does not contain permission from some doctors);
• the information provided by the driver contradicts information from the internal traffic police database.

Other reasons cannot be considered grounds for refusal to open categories when replacing rights. An unmotivated refusal can be appealed administratively by filing a complaint with a higher official, or by going to court.

The opening of new categories in the current license requires the driver to undergo new training at a driving school and pass all types of exams - the theoretical part, driving on a race track and driving in urban conditions. An exception is the opening of a category for driving a motorcycle. You will also have to pay a state fee of 2 thousand rubles for issuing a new license.

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Do I need to take the theory test again?

In any case, you need to pass exams. Without them, the driver will not receive a license, and accordingly will not open the required category for driving a certain type of transport.

What you need to do to get a category B license:

1. Pass the theory. It is necessary to learn the rules of the road; the exam questions in this category are the same as those for category A.
2. Pass the internship. This is the most important exam. There are several test options to consider here:
   driving on a race track;
3. driving in the city.

In turn, driving on a race track includes tests such as:

1. Option 1: stopping and starting on a hill, snake, reverse parking.
2. Option 2: parking in reverse, turning around, stopping and starting on a hill.
3. Option 3: snake, enter the box, stop and start on the rise.

Category C and category B have the following differences:

• Category B includes passenger cars, while category C includes trucks;
• the list of traffic rules belonging to category C contains more educational material than for category B;
• methods of driving category B and C cars have their own nuances.

As you already understand, there are definitely differences, but still this should not stop drivers. Going through theory and practice will not be as scary as the first time, since you will already have certain knowledge and skills in driving vehicles. They will help you pass exams much faster.