Before anyone can start practical lorry training, they need to clear the theory stage. TRS Training, a UK Grade 2 Ofsted-rated training provider, explains that learners working towards a Category C+E licence must pass the Part 1a multiple-choice and Part 1b hazard perception tests before practical training begins. Many also take the Part 2 case studies test early, as it forms part of the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) required to drive professionally.
The tests follow a national format set by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), so candidates in Bristol sit the same tests as those elsewhere in Great Britain.
Booking the Tests
A provisional lorry licence is required before booking any part of the theory test. Getting one involves a medical assessment and an application to add provisional HGV entitlement to an existing car licence.
On the day, candidates need a valid photocard driving licence. Anyone who has changed their name since booking must bring proof, such as a marriage certificate or deed poll, or the test cannot go ahead.
Part 1a: Multiple Choice
The multiple choice test contains 100 questions to be answered within 1 hour and 55 minutes. The pass mark is 85.
Candidates can flag questions to return to later and change answers at any point before finishing. Working through familiar questions first and returning to harder ones with time remaining is a sensible approach.
Part 1b: Hazard Perception
The hazard perception test uses 19 video clips filmed from a driver’s point of view. Each clip contains at least one developing hazard, and one contains two, giving 20 in total.
A developing hazard is one that would make a driver change speed or direction, such as a pedestrian moving towards a crossing or a vehicle preparing to pull out. Candidates click as soon as they see it starting to develop. Earlier responses earn more points, up to five per hazard, for a maximum of 100. The pass mark is 67.
Clicking constantly or in a pattern scores zero for that clip. Each clip plays only once, and responses cannot be reviewed, so practising with sample clips helps build the timing needed to respond early without overclicking.
Part 2: Case Studies
The case studies test belongs to the Driver CPC rather than the licence itself, but professional drivers need it. It contains seven scenarios based on situations a lorry driver is likely to meet at work.
Each case study has between five and ten multiple-choice questions, with 50 in total. Candidates have 1 hour and 15 minutes, and the pass mark is 40. Where Part 1a checks knowledge directly, the case studies test how well a driver applies it to realistic situations.
How Long Each Pass Lasts
Parts 1a and 1b are booked separately and can be taken on the same day in either order. Both must be passed within two years of each other to receive a theory test certificate.
The certificate lasts two years from the date the first part was passed. The practical driving tests must be completed within that window, or the theory test must be retaken. The Part 2 pass letter also lasts two years, during which the Part 4 practical demonstration test must be passed.
Anyone who fails can rebook immediately but must wait three clear working days before sitting the test again.
Timing the Theory Stage Around Practical Training
Because each pass has a limited lifespan, timing matters. Sitting the theory tests too early can leave too little time for practical training and testing before the certificate expires, while sitting them too late delays the start of practical lessons.
A workable plan is to book practical training soon after passing both Part 1 tests, then complete the case studies and Part 4 alongside or shortly after the licence. Readers who want a clearer picture of how the theory tests fit into the full route to an HGV licence can find further information at TRS Training.
TRS Training Ltd
+44 1744 809010
Unit 4 Micklehead Business Village
Sutton
St Helens
Merseyside
WA9 4YU
United Kingdom
