How long after passing C1 can you take B1?
2 Answers
You must wait at least three years after obtaining a C1 license and have no record of accumulating 12 penalty points within those three years before you can apply for a B1 license. Below are the relevant requirements: 1. Application for adding a medium-sized bus driving category: You must have held a license for driving city buses, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission vehicles, low-speed trucks, or three-wheeled vehicles for at least three years, with no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in the last three consecutive scoring cycles before application. 2. Application for adding a tractor driving category: You must have held a license for driving medium-sized buses or large trucks for at least three years or held a license for driving large buses for at least one year, with no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in the last three consecutive scoring cycles before application. 3. Application for adding a large bus driving category: You must have held a license for driving city buses, medium-sized buses, or large trucks for at least five years or held a license for driving tractors for at least two years, with no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in the last five consecutive scoring cycles before application.
Shortly after obtaining my C1 driver's license, I was eager to upgrade to a B1 license to drive larger vehicles. However, after asking around, I found out that I had to wait a full three years—this is a mandatory regulation. Driving a medium-sized bus requires more experience than a small car, so it's essential to accumulate driving hours, familiarize yourself with road conditions, and ensure safety. I personally went through these three years: the first year driving in the city to get used to traffic, the second year joining a car club to improve my skills, and the third year finally signing up for B1 training. Besides the time requirement, you also need to be at least 21 years old and pass a physical fitness test. There's really no need to rush—take it slow, wait for the driving school's notification, and prepare well for both the theoretical and practical exams. The upgrade process actually taught me a lot.
