Who sits the Category C paper
One truck theory test covers every rigid and articulated category: C, CE, C1, C1E. You sit it once, whether you are going for a 7.5-tonne rigid or a full artic.
It is a substantially bigger exam than the car test: 100 questions in 120 minutes, needing 74 correct. You also need to hold a category B licence already before you are allowed to sit it.
Category C1
C1 covers vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg, the category most van drivers move into first. There is no shorter C1 theory paper: the full Category C test is what you sit.
Category CE and C1E
The E categories add a trailer. They do not add a theory test. Your Category C certificate already covers CE and C1E, so the extra work is practical rather than theoretical.
What is different from the car test
Beyond length, the truck bank adds material the car paper never touches: air brake systems, tachographs and driver hours, load securing and weight distribution, vehicle dimensions and overhead clearances, and the specific manoeuvring risks of a long vehicle. Expect roughly two and a half times as much reading, on a wider syllabus.
Our truck bank holds 401 questions across the same five areas the exam uses. They are labelled Truck and Bus, because the C and D syllabuses overlap heavily and the source material groups them together.
Practising for free
You can practise a 40-question sample of the truck bank without an account. The full bank is part of Truck Pro, which is a separate plan from the car one, so a car subscription does not include it. See pricing for what each covers.
Before you book
The truck and bus guide covers the licensing path and what CPC adds on top. Booking and test day work the same as for any other category, and bus practice draws on this same bank if you are considering the combined CD paper.
Common questions
How many questions are in the truck theory test?
The Category C paper is 100 questions in 120 minutes, and you need 74 correct to pass. That is two and a half times the length of the car paper, and the pass mark is proportionally higher.
Is C1 a different theory test from C?
No. One C paper covers category C, CE, C1 and C1E, so a 7.5-tonne C1 rigid and a full artic licence start from the same theory test.
Do I need a car licence before sitting the truck theory test?
Yes. The higher categories require you to already hold a valid category B driving licence before you can sit the test, which is not the case for the car or motorcycle papers.
Can I sit truck and bus in one test?
Yes. The combined CD paper is 140 questions in 180 minutes with 104 to pass. It is longer than either on its own, but it is one sitting and one fee instead of two.
Is the theory test the same as Driver CPC?
No. Driver CPC is a separate professional qualification with its own module tests. Passing the Category C theory test is the licensing step; CPC is what you need to drive commercially.