A 16-year-old can first obtain a provisional category F driving licence and if the F tractor driving test is passed legally, they can drive an agricultural tractor and trailer on the road.
However, there are restrictions on the type of tractor and trailer a 16-year-old can drive on the road:
- A category F licence will only allow the holder to drive an agricultural tractor and trailer on the road. A category F licence does not allow the holder to drive any other type of vehicle (e.g. telehandler) on the road.
- At age 16 a person with a category F licence is restricted to driving an agricultural tractor with a maximum width of 2.45m. This width restriction applies to both the tractor and the trailer.
- A 16-year-old can tow either a two wheeled trailer or a four wheeled close coupled trailer. A close coupled trailer is one with axle centres no more than 840mm apart.
- A 16-year-old with a provisional F category licence is not permitted to practice on the road. The only time a person with a provisional F category licence can go on the road at 16 is either when they are travelling to or from the place where the F test is held.
- If a 16-year-old is caught driving a tractor and trailer wider than 2.45m in width, he could be prosecuted and given up to six penalty points and a £1,000 fine.
At 17 years old the width restrictions on driving tractors and trailers no longer apply.
Other agricultural machines
Other machines such as combines, telehandlers and self-propelled sprayers are officially classed as agricultural machines and require a driver to have passed a category B driving test in order to be legal on the road.
The minimum age at which a category B test can be taken, and a license obtained is age 17. However, the passing of a category B test does not give a person aged 17 the ability to drive all agricultural machines straight away.
There are more age-based restrictions to take into account up to the age of 21 yrs.
Vehicle weights and age requirements
- 3.5 tonnes limit between ages 17 and 18
- 7.5 tonnes limit between ages 18 and 21
Vehicles over 7.5 can only be driven under a category B licence on road by persons aged 21 years or over.
It is important to check the weights of vehicles younger drivers are asked to drive to make sure that drivers are at the correct age for the weight of the vehicle driven.