Can a B2 license drive a 12-meter 4-axle truck?
3 Answers
12-meter 4-axle trucks can be driven with a B2 license. The vehicle types that a B2 license can drive include heavy and medium-duty trucks or large, heavy, and medium-sized specialized operation vehicles. Large, heavy, and medium-sized specialized operation vehicles refer to vehicles equipped with special equipment or devices, such as water sprinklers, concrete mixers, fire trucks, etc. Different levels of driver's licenses have different permissions. Drivers can only operate vehicle types that match their license and must not drive vehicles that do not match their license, otherwise, it is illegal. Driver's licenses are categorized by the permitted vehicle types as follows: Large bus A1 license can drive large passenger vehicles and B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, M vehicle types; Tractor A2 can drive heavy and medium-duty full trailers, semi-trailer combinations and B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, M vehicle types; City bus A3 can drive city buses with a capacity of 10 or more passengers and C1, C2, C3, C4 vehicle types; Medium bus B1 can drive medium passenger vehicles (including city buses with a capacity of 10 to 19 passengers) and C1, C2, C3, C4, M vehicle types; Large truck B2 can drive heavy and medium-duty trucks and C1, C2, C3, C4 vehicle types; Small car C1 can drive small and mini passenger vehicles and C2, C3, C4 vehicle types; Small automatic car C2 can drive small and mini automatic passenger vehicles as well as light and mini automatic trucks; Low-speed truck C3 can drive low-speed trucks (originally four-wheel agricultural transport vehicles) and C4 vehicle types; Three-wheeled car C4 can drive three-wheeled cars (originally three-wheel agricultural transport vehicles).
I remember asking my driving instructor back when I was learning to drive that these 12-meter-long trucks with four front wheels and eight rear wheels cannot be driven with a B2 license, as they exceed the limitations of a standard B2 license. The B2 license is mainly for medium-sized trucks, like small four-to-five-ton trucks or vans, whereas these four-front-eight-rear trucks typically weigh over ten tons just by themselves, and their total length of 12 meters classifies them as heavy-duty equipment, requiring an A2 license. Having driven trucks for several years, I know that if you try to drive such a large vehicle with just a B2 license, getting caught by the police could mean not only fines and points deducted but also possible license suspension. And if an accident happens on the road, it's even more troublesome—trucks have large blind spots and complex handling, and without professional training, they're really hard to control. So, I suggest first checking the permitted vehicle types on your driver's license. It's not just about driving big vehicles recklessly; considering upgrading to an A2 license is the safer choice—safety first, after all.
As a seasoned driver who often helps friends with car-related matters, I can tell you straight up that driving a 12-meter quad-axle truck with a B2 license is absolutely not allowed. Think about it—such vehicles have high specifications, multiple axles, and long bodies, definitely falling into the heavy-duty truck category. According to traffic regulations, a B2 license only covers light to medium trucks, typically up to six or seven tons in size. Anything larger requires specialized licenses like A2 or A1. I once saw someone on a forum who got heavily fined for using a B2 license to drive an oversized truck, and it even messed up their insurance claim. If you really need to handle such a big vehicle, it's better to check the vehicle's certification at the DMV first to confirm the permitted driving type, or take the time to attend driving school and get a higher-level license. Don't take risks just to save a little trouble.
