Driving license category E is a license to trailer a car

What does category E mean in driving license?

Category E is an additional stamp on the license, confirming the ability to drive a vehicle in conjunction with a trailer.
However, such a license cannot be obtained without a preliminary exam for the rights of the main categories (B, C or D), since different types of cars require the use of special trailers. Holders of type A and B1 licenses, required to drive motorcycles, ATVs and tricycles, do not need an additional license. The power of the listed types of transport will not allow the use of a trailer, the carrying capacity of which will affect the quality of driving. Persons with type B license (driving a passenger car) do not always require an “E” permit. To use trailers weighing up to 0.75 tons, you do not need to undergo additional training, since a small-sized trailer does not affect the deterioration of the vehicle’s performance.

If the weight of a passenger trailer is greater than the permitted maximum (750 kg), it is necessary to undergo training to open category E in accordance with the type of vehicle being used.

What is category "E"?

Today, traffic rules provide for a separate category called “E”. Now there are: “BE”, “C1E”, “CE” and “D1E”.

Category “E” to “B” is actually permission to move in a train: a passenger vehicle and a trailer. You will have to get a subcategory if the trailer is heavier than 750 kg. It is permissible to drive in this category, even if the total weight of the road train exceeds 3500 tons. If it weighs less, then you can drive the road train in category “B”.

The tightening of the rules for obtaining subcategory “E” is due to the complexity of driving a road train, regardless of the total weight. Vehicles with tractors pose an increased threat on the road.

Who is who?

Category "E" is considered a more serious issue. It can be said that not everyone gets it. And there are a number of objective reasons for this.

Let's start with the fact that you have abolished the concept of category E. It does not exist independently. Three subtypes are currently used:

BE (BE);
DE (DE).

Russia and Ukraine use approximately the same standards, so I am sure that the situation in the neighboring country is similar.

BE means obtaining permission to drive vehicles that belong to category B, together with a light trailer weighing more than 750 kg;
Almost similar conditions are provided for CE. A driver with such a license can drive a vehicle from category C together with a trailer whose weight ranges from 750 to 3500 kg;
The DE category is considered the most serious. Here the driver receives the right to drive buses with more than 8 passenger seats. Additionally, the vehicle can pull a trailer weighing 750-3500 kg.

I’ll say right away that buying DE rights is extremely difficult. And I don’t recommend it, because they impose serious responsibility. This is not an ordinary passenger car, but a whole road train. If you are pulling tractor trailers behind you, and there are a dozen other people sitting in the cabin, then you are responsible for them. Don’t take risks, but complete the entire training package.

Today, many driving schools offer the corresponding licensed courses in the cities of Moscow, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, St. Petersburg, Kyiv, etc. In small towns with a certified educational institution there may be problems.

New subcategories

Driving instructors remind you that category E has disappeared as a separate category. But three subcategories appeared:

BE - passenger cars with a trailer (previously they were classified as category B),
CE - trucks with trailers,
and the last category DE - articulated buses (relevant for large cities, where such passenger buses usually operate).

Cars for professional drivers

The main difference between professionals on the road is that they are allowed to drive large and heavy vehicles with trailers or semi-trailers. To learn how to drive a truck with a trailer, you must first study for category C - driving trucks. In order to drive a car with a trailer, category E is not required.

Category E is not needed to drive a trailer weighing less than 750 kg.

According to new changes in the rules, category E is not assigned separately. Now it goes in combination with other categories:

BE. Category BE allows you to drive a passenger car with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg.
SE. Category CE allows you to drive a truck weighing more than 3.5 tons with a trailer or semi-trailer weighing more than 0.75 tons.
DE. Category DE allows you to drive buses and minibuses with more than 8 passengers and a trailer weighing more than 750 kg.
C1E. Category C1E allows you to drive a cargo vehicle with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg, but the weight of the trailer must be less than the weight of the vehicle itself.
D1E. Category D1E allows you to drive minibuses and small buses with a maximum of 16 passengers, plus you can attach a heavy trailer.

New designations were taken from abroad. They have been practicing there for a long time.

Cars for category "E"

Category E gives the right to drive a train with cargo trailers

One of the features of this category is that it gives the right to drive not just a vehicle, but a train with cargo trailers. This type of driving requires special skill, so additional training is required. However, the question arises as to what types of trailers fall under this category. With the onset of spring, many motorists go to their dachas, attaching trailers to passenger cars for transporting all kinds of useful cargo, as well as boats, boats, bicycles, etc. There are often cases when such trains are stopped by a traffic police inspector and issued a fine for lack of category “E” . Such actions are unauthorized: according to the law, this category does not apply to passenger trailers whose weight does not exceed 750 kg.

Category “E” is not given on its own: it is always in addition to other driving licenses, so there are three additional subcategories:

“BE” - is given for driving category “B” passenger cars if they are connected to a trailer whose weight is more than 750 kg.
"CE" - the right to drive heavy trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons, if they are connected to a trailer weighing more than 750 kg.
“DE” is a category that allows you to drive buses with more than eight passenger seats. The letter "E" indicates that the bus can be coupled to a heavy trailer.

In addition, there are also special subcategories that appeared in the legislation just a few years ago. They specify the types of vehicles and allow the driver to get exactly the right category. Among them, “C1E” is the right to drive a truck with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg, but its weight should not exceed the weight of the truck itself without loading. “D1E” is a license category for minibuses with no more than 16 seats and connected to a heavy trailer.

How to get category "E"?

To open the “BE”, “CE”, “C1E” category, a citizen must meet the following requirements:

be over 18 years of age;
have a driving experience of at least one year.

To open categories “DE” and “D1E” you need:

age 21;
driving experience for more than a year.

Look at the photo for clarity:

It should be remembered that the age limit does not apply to the study of theoretical traffic rules. Books with driving principles can be bought at any bookstore, and you can start familiarizing yourself with traffic rules exam tickets from school.

When receiving category “E” you must pass a theoretical and practical exam.

Practical skills testing will take place in two stages:

Autodrom. The driver must demonstrate the skills of coupling and disengaging with a tractor, the ability to stop, reverse and correct parallel parking for loading.
City - test of driving in real conditions in compliance with traffic rules.

Watch the video about new exercises for categories BE, CE, DE, B1E, C1E:

If a citizen fails the exam, the authorized person must notify him of the reason for failure in writing. However, he will be able to retake it. This option is available no earlier than a week after receiving a negative result.

Package of documents

To apply for a driver’s license for category “E”, you must collect the following package of documents:

identification document;
fee payment receipt;
a certificate from a medical institution confirming a medical examination;
certificate of completion of a driving school or specialized courses;
driver card if available;
document confirming driving experience.

Since 2013, there is no possibility of self-training. Now, in order to pass the traffic rules exam, you must have a certificate of completion of training in a driving school with the appropriate license.

What is the price?

You can undergo training for category “E” at any driving school that is accredited in this area.

Before choosing a specialized institution, you need to pay attention to the availability of a license and the number of reviews.

Before starting your studies, it is recommended to make sure that the driving school is equipped, has specialized classes and the necessary simulators for driving training. There must be a race track on the territory that meets all regulatory requirements.

You should familiarize yourself with the production base in advance, check the qualifications of the instructors and the quality of the vehicles provided.

When choosing a driving school, it is important to pay attention not to the cost of training, but to the number of graduates who passed the exam the first time.

The price for taking courses to obtain a category “E” driver’s license varies everywhere.

Significant factors for determining the cost of training are the reputation of the school, the technical equipment of the institution, the experience of instructors and location.

As a rule, the price ranges from 15,000 to 25,000 rubles.

This video talks about obtaining the “CE” category, how much time and money it takes:

Deadlines

When attending classes 1-2 times a week, the training period is usually 1-1.5 months. In most driving schools, 16 hours are allocated for category E theory training, and 24 hours for practical classes.

How to get E category - requirements for the applicant

Many drivers, while operating their vehicles, may need to transport loads that are larger in weight or volume than their vehicle can accommodate. A trailer is required for this. If its parameters exceed certain indicators (maximum weight more than 750 kg), an additional category E is required to ride with it.

Driver requirements

The requirements for category E applicants are spelled out in detail in Article 26, Article 196 of the Russian Law:

Availability of initial driving category – B, C, C1, D, D1
12 months experience driving a car or bus expected to be driven with a trailer.

To obtain a license with the E mark, you must undergo retraining at a licensed driving school and pass a final qualifying exam.

Conditions of receipt

In accordance with government decree No. 1604, which regulates the health of transport drivers, the requirements for category E are identical to those of a tractor.

The most common reasons for refusal include:

For category BE, vision is worse than 0.6 and 0.2 in the better and worse eye, respectively.
Both arms are missing or both are deformed
dysfunction of the vestibular apparatus

For categories CE, C1E, DE, D1E

Vision worse than 0.8 and 0.4 in the better and worse eye, respectively

One eye is completely blind

No arm or hand

No leg or foot

No 2 phalanges of fingers on the right hand

There are no 3 phalanges of fingers on the left hand

The leg is shorter than 75 cm or shortened by more than 6 cm

Height is less than one and a half meters

The audibility of a conversation closer than 3 m or a whisper closer than 1 m.

The health requirements for drivers of trucks and buses with trailers are stricter than for drivers of cars. This is explained by the greater complexity and responsibility of the management process.

Required documents

In order to pass the exam for category E, you must present a set of documents containing:

Application addressed to the head of the authorized body of the traffic police - usually REO
Passport or other equivalent proof of personal identity
Certificate of completion of training in the prescribed volume
Driving license with open categories B, C, C1, D, D1 depending on the new mark requested
A medical report confirming the driver’s health and the absence of established prohibitions on driving in the required category
2 photographs 3*4, if photographs are not taken on site
Receipts for payment of established state fees. If the payment is made through State Services, you do not need to bring a printout of the receipt. The information enters the computer system of the recipient of the money.

Do I need a category for a trailer for a car?

If the permissible maximum weight of the trailer does not exceed 750 kilograms and the total permissible maximum weight of such a combination does not exceed 3500 kilograms, then a special subcategory is not needed, in all other cases it is necessary. On a driver's license it looks like this: BE, CE and DE.

In order to open one of these categories, you must first have 1 year of driving experience. If, for example, you need a trailer for a car, then you must first drive for a year with a category B license and only then undergo training. Yes, there are special courses that teach drivers how to drive vehicles with trailers. Then you take the exam at the traffic police and after that they will open the required subcategory for you.

Conditions for obtaining category E

Vehicles with heavy trailers are characterized by large overall dimensions and weight, so training in Cat E is required. Even if it is possible to buy this category or do it through an acquaintance, it is better to unlearn it. An experienced instructor will show you the secrets of driving a long trailer, how to drive through intersections, if, for example, a 16-meter trailer or semi-trailer is attached.

Training for category "E"

Training for category “E” occurs in the same way as for other categories of driver’s licenses - in two stages. The first stage is the study of theory, during which the student masters the rules of the road, the design of a vehicle of this category, and the procedure for providing medical assistance to victims of an accident. Traffic legislation, liability for violating traffic rules and other issues are also studied.

The second stage is practical training, where the skills of driving vehicles with trailers of category “E” are acquired, both on the autodrome and on city roads.

Upon completion of training at a driving school, an internal exam is taken, and only after successfully passing it will you be allowed to take exams at the traffic police.

How to get a license?

To open any subcategory or additional to the one already included in the driving license document, you must pass a qualifying exam. Let's figure out what is included in it and what are the requirements for passing.

Requirements

Initially, a citizen encounters requirements while still in a driving school during retraining. For subcategories that allow you to drive a vehicle with a trailer, you need to pay attention to:

age;
driving experience;
main category in rights;
compliance with medical requirements.

You will have to undergo a medical examination. Upon completion of the test, you will be issued a medical certificate of form 083/у‑89. It is provided upon admission to a driving school. In addition, you must attach:

a copy of your passport (have the original with you);
driver license;
three matte photographs 3x4 (any color);
military ID or registration certificate (for male citizens under 27 years of age).

Directly for the exam you will also need:

pay the state fee (keep the receipt);
take a document confirming completion of training from the driving school;
fill out an application.

The previous list of documents also needs to be taken into account with the exception of the photo. Today the traffic police do not require it.

Exams

To obtain categories you will need to pass an exam. It consists of the following blocks:

theory, based on the delivery of tickets;
practical exam on the territory of the race track: driving in a straight line, reversing and placing the tailgate on the platform;
practical exam in the city.

As for driving a vehicle with a trailer weighing less than 750 kilograms, the driver does not need category “E”. This question is often asked by those who have not yet fully figured out their new driver's license.

Also, citizens often wonder whether it is possible to take a license if the training was completed a year or two years earlier. In this case, the statute of limitations for graduating from a driving school does not matter.

Category “E” is today divided into additional ones in order to improve the quality of driving on Russian roads. We hope that our article will help those who decide to undergo training and obtain a license.

Choosing a driving school

If you want to get category E (as well as any other), first of all pay attention to the choice of driving school. This must be a specialized educational institution with an appropriate license. Now this is a mandatory condition.

Before enrolling, be sure to make sure that there are training classes equipped with simulators where you can start learning to drive. A driving school must have its own site or racing track that meets all modern requirements.

Look at the cars you will be training on in advance and get to know the instructors. That is, the production base of the educational institution must be at its best.

When choosing a driving school, it is recommended to focus not on the cost of training, but on the percentage of graduates, the number of people who passed the traffic police exam the first time, and the reputation of the school.

How do you pass exams for category E?

To obtain an o or “DE” certificate, you do not need to pass a theoretical exam. It is clear that the candidate knows the theory, since he has the right to drive a heavy truck and a bus.

A vehicle with a trailer requires high skill; it is not for nothing that such drivers are called true professionals.

The exam is taken in two stages:

at the race track;
on the highway or in an urban environment.

In the first case, the examiner tests the candidate's ability to drive a heavy truck. There are certain exercises that the candidate must cope with: straight reversing and placing the vehicle with its back side to the platform. Provided that the student has completed these tasks, he can proceed to the second part of the tests.

The real-time exam involves choosing a route with heavy traffic and pedestrian traffic. This will allow the examiner to determine how ready the candidate is for independent professional activity. If mistakes were made, the reason for failure will be indicated on the exam sheet. You can retake the test in a week.

A feature of category E is the high degree of responsibility that the driver must have. He will also need high skill and deep knowledge.

Passing exams at the traffic police for category “E” (“BE”, “CE”, “C1E”, “DE” and “D1E”)

Passing the traffic police exams takes place in two stages: theory and practice.

The theoretical exam is taken using exam cards, which you can familiarize yourself with, test your knowledge and take training here.

Having successfully passed the theoretical exam, you are allowed to take the practical exam at the traffic police race track (site), where you must correctly position the tailgate to the platform (Exercise No. 9) and straight-line reverse movement (Exercise No. 10).

After successfully passing the test at the race track, you must pass driving in the city.

Remember that if you fail the exam at one of the stages, you will be given a retake only after a week, not earlier. But if you failed to pass the exam in the city three times, subsequent retakes will be scheduled at intervals of a month. If in 6 months you still fail to pass the “city” test, you will have to retake the theoretical exam again.

Having successfully passed the traffic police exams, you receive the right to drive trains with category “E” trailers.

Passing exams at the traffic police and exercises at the race track

It is noteworthy that in order to open E (CE, C1E, DE, etc.), you do not need to pass the theory. You just need to go through two stages of testing your practical skills in driving a vehicle with a trailer:

The first is testing the skills of driving a vehicle with a trailer at the traffic police track. During the test drive, the driver will need to demonstrate simple skills in driving a car with a trailer, parking skills on an overpass, and the ability to reverse;
the second stage is testing the driver’s ability to drive a vehicle with a trailer in real city traffic conditions.

If under any circumstances you were unable to pass the traffic police driving test the first time, you will be able to retake the test for driving a car with a trailer in 7 days.

Training for category “E”: terms and cost

As mentioned earlier, additional categories, as well as subcategories, can be obtained:

upon reaching a certain age;
having driving experience based on the main category of at least 1 year.

In practice, it looks like this: if category “D” is received by drivers over 21 years of age, then an additional “DE” to it can be defended in the exam no earlier than upon reaching 22 years of age.

Everyone who wants to is required to study in driving schools, where they first receive the theoretical component of the course, and then undergo practical training. The duration of training directly depends on the class schedule, but in practice it is limited to three months.

In total it consists of:

academic theoretical hours;
individual schedule of practical classes.

The cost varies by region and ranges from 15,000 to 27,000 rubles for the full course of training, including practical classes.

When you come to a driving school, you can confirm the fact of driving experience of a certain category in a simple way - by presenting your license. The course itself is very similar to the one previously studied by the driver:

traffic regulations;
providing assistance to victims;
vehicle device.

Those who have completed the training course can take the exam at the traffic police.

Replacement of rights with category E

According to the current legislation, for drivers who issued an E driver's license before the end of 2000, the “Special notes” field will contain information that E is available for all existing categories. In other words, if B, C and D exist, the entry E will be added to B, C and D in the “Special Notes” field - when passing the exam, CE, BE and DE will be opened.

If you opened E in 2001 or later, you can only replace the rights to the category that was opened. In other words, if you have DE open, then to get CE and BE you will have to take the exam separately.

How to get a CE or C1E category license

Obviously, in order to open an additional E for an existing driver's license of a different category, you must meet certain requirements. The same goes for C1E. This is justified by the fact that driving bulky trailers even in a passenger car requires considerable experience in driving vehicles.

Necessary documents and requirements for the driver

First, the driver must meet certain requirements. The first is age. To obtain BE, CE and C1E rights you must be over 18 years of age. To obtain a DE and D1E license, you must be 21 years old, since the ability to drive buses requires at least 3 years of driving experience.

The next requirement for the driver is experience in driving a car of the required class. Such experience should not be less than one year. The first to be issued is a certificate B, C or D, and then, a year later, they can already take courses to obtain category E.

If you meet the first two requirements, you must enroll in courses at a driving school. According to the new legislation, a driving school must meet certain parameters, so be sure to clarify that here you can open BE, C1E, etc.

And the last thing is the medical examination. Opening your C1E rights also requires passing, in addition to the standard list of doctors, a narcologist and a psychotherapist. You can get their conclusions in specialized clinics. After going through all the specialists and passing all the tests, as usual, the conclusion is written by the therapist.

And, of course, you must provide a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation and a tax payment receipt (approximately 800 rubles).

Price

The price for taking courses in Russian driving schools varies. Now it ranges from 15 to 25 thousand rubles. In most cases, the training includes lessons on the theory of driving cars and practical lessons on driving a car with a trailer. How many hours and actual classes per month is decided on an individual basis. Also, some driving schools additionally prepare a package of documents and registrations for submission to the traffic police. It usually includes:

registration of the listener in the traffic police;
certificate of completion of courses;
preparation of a full set of certificates from the traffic police;
passing testing on driving school cars.

Deadlines

Passing exams at the traffic police and exercises at the race track

The first is testing the skills of driving a vehicle with a trailer at the traffic police track. During the test drive, the driver will need to demonstrate simple skills in driving a car with a trailer, parking skills on an overpass, and the ability to reverse;
the second stage is testing the driver’s ability to drive a vehicle with a trailer in real city traffic conditions.

If under any circumstances you were unable to pass the traffic police driving test the first time, you will be able to retake the test for driving a car with a trailer in 7 days.

Replacement of rights with category E

Fine for driving without a category

According to the law, fines for driving without a category are equivalent to fines for driving a car without a driver's license at all. And this:

a fine in the amount of 5 to 15 thousand rubles;
evacuation of the vehicle to the impound area;
withdrawal of rights.

The exception is those cases when the driver is just undergoing training to open E, and a qualified instructor with an open license to drive vehicles is nearby.

Opening E requires considerable experience in driving and operating a car, as well as ideal knowledge of traffic rules.