2.1 SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE GOODS VEHICLES

• Small goods vehicles: gross weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes.
• Medium goods vehicles: gross weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not 7.5 tonnes.
• Large goods vehicles (LGVs): gross weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes.
• Gross weight figures include the gross weight of any trailer used with the vehicle.
• Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) is another expression used for maximum legal vehicle weight, particularly in driver licensing legislation.

2.2 OPERATOR LICENSING

• With certain exceptions, operator licensing applies to goods vehicles and combinations used in connection with a trade or business exceeding 3.5 tonnes gross plated weight.
• Examples of exemptions from O-licensing in the training material include certain dual-purpose vehicles, police, fire and ambulance vehicles and road rollers.
• Full operator-licensing detail is covered in Module 10.

2.3 DRIVER LICENSING

• Vocational licensing starts with vehicles exceeding 3.5 tonnes MAM.
• LGVs are vehicles exceeding 7.5 tonnes MAM and require the appropriate vocational entitlement.
• Further driver-licensing detail is covered in Module 22.

2.4 RELEVANT WEIGHT

• For a rigid goods vehicle, relevant weight means its legal maximum/permissible maximum weight.
• For a plated vehicle, the relevant maximum weight is its gross plated weight.
• Gross plated weight details are shown on the laminated DVSA plate issued after first registration.