Over the past few years, the driver's license has been modified several times. Until recently, categories such as cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles were distinguished, and driving a car with a trailer had a separate column. Now, due to the addition of subcategories, there are more of them. In total, there are 16 categories in 2021, some of which apply only to those who plan to drive public transport.
A license issued by the traffic police allows you to drive a certain type of vehicle. The plastic card, measuring 5.5 x 8.5 cm, contains complete information about the driver: photo, name, date and place of birth, signature. At the same time, the number, validity period of the document and the assigned category are indicated. If the owner drives a bus with a license to drive only a passenger car, he risks receiving a considerable fine.
Category "A"
A category A driving license gives the right to drive:
- motorcycles of any kind, including sidecars;
- vehicles with three or four wheels, weighing no more than 400 kg;
- motorcycles with engine capacity up to 125 cc. cm, and a power of no more than 11 kilowatts.
The latter are allocated to a separate subcategory A1, which can be obtained from the age of 16. But in this case, the motorcyclist will not be able to change to a more powerful motorcycle. If the driver is assigned category A, A1 is counted automatically.
What does category Be mean in your license and how to get it in 2021?
In the process of training in a driving school for category Be, the emphasis is on repeating traffic rules and the practical part. A person will have to pay about 7,000-20,000 rubles. The exact cost depends on the chosen program. The region in which the Be category is trained also affects the price of the service.
Required documents
To enroll in a driving school, a citizen must provide a package of documents. The list includes:
- identification;
- license category B;
- medical certificate;
- application for admission to study.
Sometimes a TIN and photographs are required. The exact list of documents can be found at the selected driving school.
When a person has completed training for category Be, it is necessary to pass an exam at the traffic police. In order for the applicant to be admitted, it is also necessary to prepare a package of documentation. It differs from the list that is presented upon admission to a driving school. Required:
- identification;
- driver's license category B;
- medical certificate;
- driving school completion certificate;
- a receipt confirming payment of the state duty.
You need to make a copy of your ID card. A photocopy of the registration page, as well as the first two sheets, is required.
To obtain a category B driver's license, you must pass a medical examination. It is needed for enrollment in a driving school and subsequent admission to the traffic police exam. Experts advise visiting a specialist before a person pays for training. The fact is that there may be contraindications that do not allow you to drive a vehicle of the corresponding category. As a result, the citizen will simply spend the money. Finding out the specifics of the situation will save money.
The medical examination itself is also paid. You will have to pay about 2,000-2,500 rubles for it. Prices depend on the region and tariffs of the medical institution to which the application was made.
category “B” - cars (except for vehicles of category “A”), the permissible maximum weight of which does not exceed 3,500 kilograms and the number of seats, in addition to the driver’s seat, does not exceed eight; cars of category “B” coupled to a trailer whose maximum permitted weight does not exceed 750 kilograms; cars of category “B” coupled with a trailer, the permissible maximum weight of which exceeds 750 kilograms, but does not exceed the unladen weight of the vehicle, provided that the total permissible maximum weight of such a combination of vehicles does not exceed 3500 kilograms;
To drive a category B vehicle with a heavy trailer, the driver will need category BE:
category "BE" - cars of category "B" coupled to a trailer, the permissible maximum weight of which exceeds 750 kilograms and exceeds the weight of the vehicle without load; cars of category “B” coupled to a trailer, the permissible maximum weight of which exceeds 750 kilograms, provided that the total permissible maximum weight of such a combination of vehicles exceeds 3500 kilograms;
Category "B"
The most popular type of license that allows you to drive a car:
- weighing up to 3500 kg;
- with a number of seats up to 8;
- with a trailer weighing up to 750 kg;
- with a trailer heavier than 750 kg, but with a total weight of up to 3.5 tons;
- with a trailer whose weight does not exceed the weight of the car without load.
This category includes cars, SUVs, minibuses, and small trucks. If you plan to travel with a trailer that does not fit into the listed standards, you will need to obtain a license with a mark in column BE. Subcategory B1 opens up the possibility of driving quadricycles (not ATVs - these are different vehicles) and tricycles.
Exam for "BE"
The exam is held at the State Traffic Inspectorate, where a three-stage knowledge testing system has been developed. Moreover, at each level, those drivers are eliminated who do not demonstrate strong knowledge to obtain category BE in their license.
Theory
In the theoretical part of the exam you will have to answer 20 questions. You are allowed to make only 2 mistakes, which are not forgiven by the examiners. If 1 mistake is made, the examinee must additionally answer 5 questions correctly. Well, if 2 mistakes are made, then 10 additional questions will be added at once. And only correct answers will help you get credit for the theoretical exam.
Test at the race track
The driver driving the vehicle train must undergo several special exercises at the race track to make it clear whether he is worthy of obtaining a driving license with category BE, or whether time is required for additional training.
The practical driving test includes 4 exercises: (from September 1, 2021, the number of exercises has been increased to four)
- ex. No. 9 - at the beginning, the trailer is coupled to the car, then uncoupled;
- ex. No. 10 - complete stop of the car to board or disembark passengers;
- ex. No. 11 - entering the hangar in reverse. Special precision is needed here, because... this maneuver involves “backing” the trailer at 90° and the ability to fit into the established frame;
- exercise No. 12 - parallel parking at the platform where loading takes place.
Of the four exercises, ideally you need to do all of them perfectly. But if the driver makes a mistake in only one case and immediately corrects his mistake, he will still receive credit.
Driving around the city
It seems that everything is clear here, and in order to open the BE category, the driver will have to drive a car with an attached trailer onto the highway in the same way as it was when passing for a B-category license. You can get acquainted with the routes using the official website of the traffic police. This allows the driver to prepare in advance by clarifying what signs are encountered along the road and what the trajectory of the roadway is.
This will end the driver’s check and, if he successfully passes all exams, he will have the right to travel on highways in a car with a trailer on completely legal grounds after receiving the appropriate mark from the VU.
Anyone who has completed training and can drive a car with a trailer in accordance with the traffic rules can obtain a license with open category BE from the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate.
Last update: 04-09-2020
Category "C"
Driving license category C will be needed for those who plan to drive a car weighing more than 3.5 tons and trucks with a trailer weighing up to 750 kg. There is an important nuance - with such a certificate you cannot drive vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tons. Subcategory C1 limits the types of available vehicles to trucks weighing up to 7.5 tons. To be able to transport trailers heavier than 750 kg, you must master the CE or C1E programs . This requires at least 1 year of truck driving experience, and the driver’s age cannot be less than 21 years. To obtain an additional category, you will need to undergo training and pass exams at the traffic police.
Category "BE" in a driver's license
The BE mark on a driver's license (VU) indicates only one thing: their holder has the right to drive a car with a heavy trailer, but at the same time must fulfill certain requirements in connection with the peculiarities of operating a vehicle of this type.
The main thing for a driver sitting behind the steering wheel of a car with a heavy trailer is to have driving skills that will allow him to avoid accidents on the road.
It is very difficult to drive a car that is coupled to a trailer. Therefore, special training is required to open a category and then operate a car on many kilometers of highways.
Just a moment! Before receiving category BE, your license must have category “B”, opened 1 year (or more) ago.
A driver driving a vehicle of category “B” without this mark on his license will face administrative punishment in the form of a fine. The amount is set individually depending on the situation and ranges from 5 thousand to 15 thousand rubles. At the time of arrest, the driver is removed from driving, and the car is sent to the impound lot.
Category "D"
To be able to drive buses of any size, the driver’s license must have a mark opposite category D. The weight of the vehicle does not matter; weight restrictions apply only to the trailer - up to 750 kg. With such a license, the driver can get behind the wheel of a tourist double-decker bus and a small minibus. Only accordion buses and double articulated models are banned.
Subcategory D1 has several restrictions:
- small buses, like RAF-2203 or GAZelle-3221;
- with a number of seats from 9 to 16;
- with trailer up to 750 kg.
For towing heavy trailers, programs DE and D1E are provided. Such driver's licenses will also give the opportunity to drive articulated buses. In the second option, the number of passengers transported should not exceed 16 people, and the total weight of the bus and trailer cannot be more than 12 tons. If the driver already has a DE mark, there is no additional need to study for D1E.
Category "M"
This variety appeared later than others - at the end of 2013. With a category M license you can drive light ATVs and mopeds. Owners of certificates of any other categories have the same permission. The exceptions are those who have foreign licenses, as well as tractor drivers.
Categories of rights for public transport
The right to operate trams and trolleybuses in 2021 is given to categories Tm and Tb, respectively. They became isolated just a few years ago. Before this, a record was made in the rights in “special notes”. Holders of such documents cannot drive other vehicles.
Category M license
Driving a scooter or moped without a driver's license is prohibited due to the increasing number of accidents involving this type of transport. Since the beginning of 2014, a new category “M” for the Russian Federation has been defined. Those who open it receive the right to drive a moped, scooter and light quadricycle . Category “M” in the 2021 driver’s license means that any previously opened category automatically provides its owner with the legal right to drive vehicles of this category.
A driver's license of category "M" can be obtained upon reaching the minimum driving age - 16 years . Since the same drivers who are given the right to drive any other vehicle are usually allowed to drive a category “M” vehicle, this category of license is automatically opened in all driver’s licenses. The only condition for this is to open it in a medical certificate together with any category. A driver with an old-style license also has the right to drive mopeds.
The fine for “disenfranchised” driving of a moped, or scooter and quadricycle ranges from 5 to 15 thousand rubles ( Clause 1 of Article 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation ).
Attention! A tractor driver's license does not give the right to drive vehicles of the designated category.
How to open a new category?
For a number of reasons, it may be necessary to open a new category. Some of them are assigned automatically, while for others you will have to re-enroll in a driving school, undergo training and pass exams. This applies even to those who, with an existing category C, want to master the B program.
For cars with an automatic transmission, a separate subcategory is allocated in the license. Operating an automatic transmission is much simpler than a manual transmission, so drivers who have learned to drive an automatic transmission are prohibited from switching to a manual transmission. Absolutely every category requires special skills, which is why the rules are so strict.
To avoid getting a fine for not matching the category of driver's license for the vehicle you are using, enroll in the Vector driving school and undergo training on conditions convenient for you. We offer a flexible lesson schedule and 3 types of payment in installments. Call the numbers listed in the contacts or leave a request on the website.
