Learn to drive a heavy vehicle

To get your heavy vehicle licence, you must learn to drive a heavy vehicle. This step is part of getting your driver licence.

You can get professional training provided by an approved heavy vehicle training and testing provider or your employer.

If you know someone with a heavy vehicle licence, they can also help with your training.

They must have a current licence for the type of vehicle that you're learning to drive.

Before your training

To prepare for your training, you must read the following:

• heavy vehicle driver's handbook
• road user's handbook
• load restraint guide.

During the training

Your trainer must sit next to you, or in buses, the closest seat to you.

You must display a 'driver under instruction' sign at the back of the vehicle.

The sign must be:

• at least 530mm wide and 300mm high
• with DRIVER UNDER INSTRUCTION in black writing, at least 75mm high on a yellow background.

If driving a vehicle more than 15 tonnes GVM, you must have a zero blood alcohol concentration.