What is the minimum age requirement for obtaining an A1 license?
2 Answers
Currently, you cannot directly apply for an A1 driver's license; you need to upgrade your existing license. The applicant must be between 26 and 50 years old and apply for the large passenger vehicle driving category in their registered residence. Requirements for upgrading: 1. Have held a B1 or B2 license for at least five years, with no full-point penalty record in the last three consecutive scoring cycles before application; or 2. Have held an A2 license for at least two years, with no full-point penalty record in the last scoring cycle before application. Other vehicle types that an A1 license holder can drive include: A3 (city buses), B1 (medium-sized passenger vehicles), B2 (large trucks), C1 (small cars), C2 (small automatic transmission cars), C3 (low-speed trucks), C4 (three-wheeled vehicles), and M (wheeled self-propelled machinery). Only an A2 license holder can drive full trailers and semi-trailers; an A1 license does not permit this.
When I was preparing for my A1 driver's license test, my instructor repeatedly emphasized the age requirement: you must be at least 24 years old to apply, as this is a strict rule. My colleague, who obtained his B2 license at 22, was eager to drive a bus but had to wait until his 24th birthday to register. Operating large vehicles like tractors or buses requires more mature psychological qualities, hence the stringent age restriction. If you're aiming to directly obtain an A1 license, it's advisable to first gain experience with other licenses, such as getting a C1 car license at 18 to build up your skills. If you already hold a B1 or B2 license, you must have at least 5 years of driving experience before you can upgrade to an A1 license, with no major traffic violations during that period.
