Please be patient: B driving license to 4250 kg one step closer

The joint European directive for driving licences has existed since 1980 and changes regularly. For example, driving licences were made of paper until 2006 and in 2013 – with the third European driving licence directive – the citizen service number (BSN) was added to the driving licence. With the introduction of the fourth driving licence directive, which is still a while away, a great wish of camper enthusiasts is coming true: an increase of the B driving licence from 3500 kg to 4250 kg.

Thirteen months ago we already wrote about the introduction of the fourth driving licence directive, which Europe has been working on for some time. At the time, the European Parliament approved the directive, you can read more about this in the article below. But with that approval, the new driving licence was not yet available. That is why the parliament now entered into consultations with the Council of the European Union, in which ministers from the member states meet. Together they have agreed on the fourth driving licence directive, which aims to increase road safety. And this is urgently needed, because almost 20,000 people die on EU roads every year.

Now: B driving license up to 3500 kg

Holders of the current B driving licence are allowed to drive a vehicle up to 3500 kg. A heavier vehicle, such as a camper, requires a C1 driving licence. This rule has been under fire for some time now. Campers are becoming increasingly heavier – partly due to safety and environmental requirements. The electrification of the vehicle fleet, which is also slowly gaining momentum in the camping world, also brings with it the necessary weight.

Lobbying for an increase

Interest groups and industry associations – including the ECF (European Caravan Federation), the FICC (Federation Internationale de Camping et de Caravanning), camper club NKC and the KCI (Dutch association for the Camping and Caravan Industry) – have been lobbying for an increase in the permitted maximum mass for some time now. This would offer camper owners many more options. Not only driving a heavier camper, but also opting for additional options that increase the weight of a camper, such as an extra access door or an oven.

In the future: increase to 4250 kg

All that lobbying has been successful, because the upcoming fourth driving licence directive includes an increase in the permitted maximum mass to 4250 kg. But beware: this only applies to campers and ambulances, both fossil fuel and electric. It will soon be possible to drive a camper over 3500 kg and up to a maximum of 4250 kg with a B driving licence.

Training or exam

This will require training or an exam, writes Caravaning Industrie Verband e.V. (CIVD), which is committed to increasing the driving licence via the ECF: “It is up to the individual Member States to decide whether training, an exam or both are required. All vehicles with alternative drives do not have to be checked if the driver has held the driving licence for at least two years. In Germany, the measures are expected to be transposed into national law in 2029.”

Introduction of new rules

The provisional agreement still needs to be approved by the EU Council and the European Parliament. EU countries have four years to transpose new provisions into national law and prepare for their implementation. So please be patient.

Summary: increase of B driving license to 4250 kg

1. What does the increase in the B driving licence mean for camper owners?

With the current – ​​third – driving licence directive, holders of a B driving licence are still allowed to drive a camper with a maximum total weight of 3500 kg. A camper that exceeds this, or options that make a camper heavier, are currently still out of reach with a B driving licence. With the future increase, a camper owner will also have the option of driving a heavier camper.

2. Who will soon be allowed to drive a camper with a maximum total weight of 4250 kg?

People who have completed a training course, an exam or both. This is not necessary for campers with alternative drives, provided that the driver has held a driving licence for at least two years.

3. When can I drive a heavier camper with my B driving licence?

That will take until 2030.

4. Do all EU Member States have the same driving licence rules?

In principle yes, although all Member States still have to incorporate the directive into their national laws. For example, they can choose for themselves whether people have to do a training, an exam or both before they are allowed to drive a heavier camper.

5. Is the increase in the B driving licence for campers the only new thing in the fourth driving licence directive?

No, there are more changes. Another notable change is the introduction of a digital driving licence that you can store on your mobile phone. In the Netherlands, where a driving licence also serves as proof of identity, the validity period will be ten years. Furthermore, novice drivers will have a probationary period of at least two years, and stricter rules apply to them in areas such as alcohol and wearing a seat belt. Finally, it has been decided to allow eighteen-year-olds to be eligible to drive trucks under certain circumstances.