Categories and subcategories of a driver's license, opening a new or several categories, what kind of driving license can be obtained at 16 years old

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.

Process of opening category "B"

In order to open category “B” you need to pass the following stages of exams:

1. Theory exam. The series of tickets for the theoretical exam in traffic rules coincides with the series of tickets for category “A”;
2. Practical driving test in the city;
3. Driving on a motor racing track, consisting of THREE exercises selected by the examiner:

First series of exercises:

• Ex. No. 4 – “stopping and starting on an incline”;
• Ex. No. 5 – “parallel parking in reverse”;
• Ex. No. 6 – “snake”.

Second series of exercises:

• Ex. No. 4 – “stopping and starting on an incline”;
• Ex. No. 5 – “parallel parking in reverse”;
• Ex. No. 7 – “turn around”.

Third series of exercises:

• Ex. No. 4 – “stopping and starting on an incline”;
• Ex. No. 6 – “snake”;
• Ex. No. 8 – “entry into boxing”.

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.

Training for category “C” and exam

You can take a full training course in almost all driving schools - both public and private. All training is divided into two stages - theoretical and practical. At the first of them, traffic rules are studied, as well as some technical aspects relating to this class of vehicles. The second part is practice, in which the basics of driving are practiced (both in a populated area and at a special training ground). At this time, you also practice the basic exercises that will be necessary in the future to pass the exam. These include: passing a slope, snake, precise parking, driving backwards into a designated sector (garage).

After both courses are completed and a certificate of completion of a driving school is received, the most important stage remains - passing the exam at the traffic police (in fact, the exam is also taken at the end of school, and in essence both of them are very similar. But the requirements much more serious at the state exam). It, as well as the course of study, is divided into two parts - theory and practice. The theoretical part is taken in a special computer class using testing. Each ticket includes 20 questions, and the total number of tickets is 40. The system automatically selects which one the examinee will receive. The exam is considered successfully passed only if one or two errors are made. If there are more of them (even three), then the exam has not been passed and will have to be retaken after some time (but not earlier than in a week).

After the first part of the exam is passed, you are allowed to move on to the second - to demonstrate your practical skills at the road inspection circuit. Starting and stopping, as well as four main exercises (described above), are tested on it, and if everything is completed without errors, then you are allowed to proceed to the final part - city driving. At this stage, you will have to overcome one controlled and one unregulated intersection, transitions, make turns (left and right), turn around, overtake, change lanes (on multi-lane roads), perform several braking (with different initial speeds), and also carry out a long movement at the maximum permissible speed. In this case, for each violation, the examining inspector will assign penalty points, and based on their total number, he will determine whether the exam was successfully passed or a retake will be required.

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 license category C

Our driving school offers truck driving courses all year round. To legally drive heavy trucks, you must have an open category "C" on your driver's license. To obtain such rights, it is enough to undergo training and pass the traffic police exams.

To start training in our driving school, certain conditions must be met.

The following persons are accepted for training in category “C”:

• over 18 years of age;
• having a license to drive a car;
• having no medical contraindications.

The course of lectures includes classes on:

• traffic regulations;
• vehicle device;
• providing first aid in case of an accident;
• liability for committing traffic violations in the Russian Federation;
• OSAGO.

Retraining of drivers to category “C” includes:

• theory classes;
• practical training on ISUZU NQR vehicles;
• organized passing of traffic police exams in our driving school.

Theory lesson schedule:

• Twice a week: Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 12:00.
• distance learning

Practical lessons.

Driving training for Category C cars is carried out on a site located on the territory of the driving school.

The retraining course is aimed at obtaining the necessary skills and abilities in driving a truck. Practical classes for this category are held on Saturdays and Sundays from 8.00 to 17.00, as well as on weekdays by agreement with students.

After completing the training, qualifying state theoretical and practical exams are held:

• solution to the exam paper - 20 questions on traffic rules;
• practical exam - taken by traffic police inspectors at our site and along our routes, on the same cars on which the training took place.

Driver's licenses are issued at MOGTORER No. 5 of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Moscow (Varshavskoe highway, no. 170D).

For the convenience of students, staged payment for training is provided. Please check with the driving school administrators for the amount of the first payment (prepayment).

Students are provided with free use of several computer classes equipped with educational programs and multimedia projectors, a car simulator room and a large training ground for practical training.

Make a request

Application for training

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.

How to prepare for the traffic police exam yourself?

Even if you get into a very good driving school, self-preparation for the traffic police exams is not canceled. You can only work on the practical part with an instructor, but the theory is quite accessible for learning at home. To do this, you just need to use our convenient service, thanks to which you can not only download ready-made tickets, but also practice passing the theoretical exam - it will look exactly the same for you as in the traffic police.

Our service will allow you to master all the tickets as simply and quickly as possible, and as a result, you will feel more confident in the real exam.

Sign up for the traffic police exam through State Services

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.

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).

Cost of obtaining rights "C"

The main amount that you will have to pay when obtaining such rights is the cost of training. It varies from region to region, and also depends on the presence of an already open category B. Its average value for the country is about 25,000 rubles. You also need to add to it the payment of the state duty (the standard amount is 2,000 rubles) and the medical examination (the cost of the latter also varies greatly by region, on average it is 3,500 rubles). Thus, the total amount will be approximately 31,000 rubles (for Moscow about 40,000 rubles). At the same time, if the driver already has category B, then there is an opportunity to seriously save money - the cost of training in this case will be lower by 4000-5000 rubles.

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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