Vehicle categories for driving tests in Germany

Category		Description
A Full standard		Direct access for age 25 and over, for motorcycles with and without sidecar with power exceeding 25 kW (34 PS) or unladen mass of under 6.25 kg per kW. Included categories: A restricted, A1, M
A restricted		Motorcycles with and without sidecar up to max. power of 25 kW/ 34 PS and unladen mass of 6.25 kg per kW, (full standard after 2 years of driving without further training or test) Included categories: A1, M Minimum age: 18 years
A1		Light motorcycles with cubic capacity not exceeding 125 cm3 and power not exceeding 11 kW. Up to the age of 18, holders of an A1 driving licence may only drive light motorcycles whose maximum design speed is restricted to 80 km/h. Minimum age: 16 years Included category: M
Mofa		Maximum design speed 25 km/h, one-seat, electrical motor or internal combustion engine up to 50 cm3 cubic capacity Minimum age: 15 years
M		(Moped, mokick up to max. cubic capacity of 50 cm3 and max. speed of 45 km/h) light motorcycles and bicycles with electrical or auxiliary engine not exceeding 50 cm3 and maximum design speed of 45 km/h Minimum age: 16 years
S		Tricycles and quadricycles with - maximum design speed of 45 km/h and - in the case of quadricycles the unladen mass shall not exceed 550 kg. The unladen mass of electrically propelled vehicles shall not take account of the battery mass and - maximum cubic capacity of 50 cm3 (for spark ignition engine (e.g. petrol engine) or - max. 4 kW power (for other combustion engines, e.g. diesel) or - max. 4 kW continuous rating for electrical motors Minimum age: 16 years
B		Motor vehicles with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) not exceeding 3500 kilograms and - trailers up to 750 kg MAM or - trailers with an MAM exceeding 750 kg, if the maximum authorised mass of the combination does not exceed 3500 kilograms and the maximum authorised mass of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the tractor vehicle Minimum age: 18 years Included categories: M, L, S
BE		Combination of vehicles consisting of a tractor vehicle in category B and a trailer, where the combination is not covered by category B . Motor vehicles with maximum authorised mass (MAM) not exceeding 3500 kilograms and a - trailer with MAM exceeding 750 kg, if the MAM exceeds the unladen mass of the tractor vehicle, - trailer with MAM exceeding 750 kg, if the maximum authorised mass of the combination exceeds 3500 kilograms and the maximum authorised mass of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the tractor vehicle. Holders of previous category 3 driving licences may tow all single-axle trailers (including trailers with twin axles) with their vehicles. Minimum age: 18 years Criteria: driving licence category B required
C		Motor vehicles with maximum authorised mass exceeding 3500 kg (no upper limit), also plus trailer with maximum authorised mass of up to 750 kg Minimum age: 18 years. For goods vehicle operators, the minimum age is 21 years if the MAM of the tractor vehicle or of the tractor vehicle plus trailer exceeds 7500 kg. Criteria: driving licence category B required Included category: C1
CE		(Articulated lorries and tractor trailers) Motor vehicles with maximum authorised mass exceeding 3500 kg (no upper limit) also plus trailer with maximum authorised mass exceeding 750 kg Minimum age: 18 years. For goods vehicle operators, the minimum age is 21 years if the MAM of the tractor vehicle or of the tractor vehicle plus trailer exceeds 7500 kg. Criteria: driving licence category C required Included categories: C1E, BE, T, if holdingD1: D1E, if holding D: DE
C1		Motor vehicles whose maximum authorised mass (MAM) is over 3500 kg but not more than 7500 kg may be combined with a trailer with maximum authorised mass not exceeding 750 kilograms; Minimum age: 18 years. For goods vehicle operators, the minimum age is 21 years if the MAM of the tractor vehicle or of the tractor vehicle plus trailer exceeds 7500 kg. Criteria: driving licence B required
C1E		Combination of driving licence category C1 and trailer (up to maximum authorised vehicle mass of 12000 kg) Motor vehicles with MAM over 3500 kg and up to 7500kg combined with a trailer with MAM over 750 kg. The MAM of the trailer must not exceed the unladen mass of the tractor vehicle and the total MAM of the combination must not exceed 12000 kg. Minimum age: 18 years. For goods vehicle operators, the minimum age is 21 years if the MAM of the tractor vehicle or of the tractor vehicle plus trailer exceeds 7500 kg. Criteria: Driving licence category C1 required Included categories: BE, if holding category D1: D1E
D		Buses seating over 16 passengers - may also be combined with a trailer with MAM of up to 750 kg Minimum age: 21 years Criteria: Driving licence category B required Included category: D1
DE		Buses seating over 16 passengers and a trailer with MAM exceeding 750 kg Minimum age: 21 years Driving licence category D required Included categories: D1E, BE, if holding C1: C1E
D1		Buses seating over 8 and up to 16 passengers - also including trailers with MAM of up to 750 kg Minimum age: 21 years Driving licence category B required
D1E		Combination of driving licence category D1 and trailer (up to 12000 kg maximum authorised mass) bus seating over 8 and up to 16 passengers - including trailer with MAM of over 750 kg Minimum age: 21 years Driving licence category D1 required Included categories: BE, if holding C1 first: C1E
L		Agricultural or forestry tractors with maximum design speed of up to 32 km/h, also combined with trailers (in this case: maximum speed 25 km/h); Industrial trucks (also with trailer) and other powered work machinery up to maximum design speed of 25 km/h Minimum age: 16 years
T		Agricultural or forestry tractors with trailers (maximum design speed over 32 km/h but not exceeding 60 km/h). Powered work machinery for agriculture or forestry with maximum design speed of up to 40 km/h also combined with trailer Minimum age: 16 years. Up to age 18, only tractors with maximum design speed of up to 40 km/h Included categories: L, M, S