How to Tell if a Driving Licence is Automatic
If you’re wondering how to tell the difference between a manual and automatic licence, you need to turn it over and look at the codes on the back of the licence. We’ll no go through what these columns, codes and numbers mean so you’ll know how to tell if a driving licence is automatic.
- This column displays the various driving licence categories that are available, most of which require additional training and tests to be completed. Alongside the categories are pictograms that depict the type of vehicle represented by the category.
- This column details the date in which a particular category is valid from. From the image of this automatic driving licence, we can see that this driver is licensed to drive five difference categories:
- AM: Moped
- B: Car
- fkq: f, k and q represents three different categories (see below)
- This column displays the dates in which a particular category is valid till.
- The numbers in this column represent restriction codes. This column is how you can tell if a driving licence is automatic. Code number 78 in the licence category B means this driver is restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission. For a manual licence, there will be no code number / restrictions within the B category.
- On a driving licence, fkq stands for the following categories:
- f: Agricultural tractor.
- k: Mowing machine or pedestrian-controlled vehicle.
- q: 2-wheeled and 3-wheeled vehicles without pedals and with an engine size not more than 50 cc if powered by an internal combustion engine and a maximum speed of no more than 25 km/h (15.5 mph).
- You may also have category P on your licence. This allows you to drive 2-wheeled vehicles with a maximum design speed of over 45km/h (28mph) but not more than 50km/h (31mph). Its engine size must not be more than 50cc if powered by an internal combustion engine.
- If on the bottom-left of your driving licence you see the code 115, it means you are a registered organ donor.
Driving Licences with More Categories
You may have noticed that some driving licences have more driver entitled categories, even though they haven’t passed any additional tests.
This is because test candidates that passed the driving test before January 1st 1997 automatically acquired the extra licence categories BE, C1, C1E, D1 and D1E. Drivers that passed the test after this date would have far fewer category entitlements and limited to AM, B, f, k and m.
In order to drive the vehicles that would have automatically had entitlement on a driver’s licence prior to January 1st 1997, a driver must now pass a test for that category of vehicle.
Hi I have 70 AE in 4 Colum under Category B … can I drive Manual vehicle also ? or is it only Automictic
Hello Sreedharacharya,
The ’70’ means that your licence was exchanged and the following letters, in your case ‘AE’ is the code from the country that it was exchanged from. If you have no other codes in your category B column, for example; code 78 that restricts the licence holder to vehicles with automatic transmission only, then it means you’re licensed to drive both automatic and manual transmission vehicles.
Hi,
I have got 70 AE and 78 in category B. Can u clarify if i can drive manual and automatic transmission cars or only automatic.
Thanks
Hello Ameena,
The driving licence code 70, under category B means that your licence was exchanged. The ‘AE’ part is the country from where it was exchanged. Also under category B, code ’78’ means that you’re restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission. Your licence entitles you to drive automatic / semi-automatic cars, but not cars with a manual transmission (clutch pedal).
I have 70AE code Driving License And I Traning For lgv Automatic Truck After i pass my Test Can I Drive Automatic Truck or Mannul also ?
Hi Varinder,
The 70AE is reference to your licence being exchanged and the country it was exchanged from. If you pass a driving test in a vehicle with automatic transmission, you’ll be restricted to the category of vehicle you passed the test in, but with automatic transmission only. If you wanted to drive the category of vehicle with manual transmission, you’ll need to pass the test in a vehicle with manual transmission.
In B column there is written 70AE,78 and BE column 70AE,78.and at the front side written on 9. Am/BE/f/k/q.what vehicle I can drive?
Hi Hasan,
The ’70AE’ means that you have exchanged your licence. The ‘AE’ part is the country code that you exchanged it from. The ’78’ means that you are restricted to driving cars with an automatic transmission. The same applies for the ‘BE’ column, except the BE column means you can drive vehicles up to 3,500kg with a trailer.
On the front, the ‘AM’ means you can drive 2-wheeled or 3-wheeled vehicles with a maximum design speed of over 25km/h (15.5mph) but not more than 45km/h (28mph). This category also includes light quad bikes with unladen mass of not more than 425kg (not including batteries if it’s an electric vehicle) maximum design speed of over 25km/h (15.5mph) but not more than 45km/h (28mph).
The ‘BE’ code is as detailed as above. The size of the trailer depends on the BE ‘valid from’ date shown on your licence. If the date is before 19 January 2013, you can tow any size trailer within the towing limits of the vehicle on. If the date is after 19 January 2013, you can tow a trailer with a MAM of up to 3,500kg within the towing limits of the vehicle.
The ‘fkq’ stands for the following categories:
f: Agricultural tractor.
k: Mowing machine or pedestrian-controlled vehicle.
q: 2-wheeled and 3-wheeled vehicles without pedals and with an engine size not more than 50 cc if powered by an internal combustion engine and a maximum speed of no more than 25 km/h (15.5 mph).
In my license, nothing mentioned in the 12th column for B category. Does this implies i can drive both manual and automatic
Hi Sashini,
Yes, that’s correct.
Hello, i have code 01, beside Category B. Does it mean that i can drive both manual and auto transmission? Thanks
Hello Ma,
I assume the 01 code is within the restriction column on the right? Code 01 on your driving licence means that you must wear glasses or contact lenses while driving. If you don’t have the restriction code 78, then you are licensed to drive both manual and automatic transmission.
How do I know on my driving license if I have been on the organ list
Hello Carol,
If you look on the back of your driver’s licence, bottom left, if you are on the organ donation list, you will see the code 115.
How do you tell whether a uk license is manual or automatic???
Hi Daryan,
Under column 12 on your licence (marked as number 4 on the image), if you have any numbers in this column, they are restrictions on your licence. Under category B, if you have a code 78, it means you have an automatic licence. There will not be a code in there if you can drive a manual car.
Thanks
Automatic has code ’78’ on the back of the licence
If I don’t have any restrictions codes on the new uk license can I drive manual aswell as automatic
Hi Brandon,
Yes that’s right. No restriction codes mean you can drive manual and automatic cars.
Hello
I got only 01 code on my new driving license. What does this mean?
Hi Olatokunbo,
Code 01 on your driving licence is due to eyesight correction. For example, when driving, you must wear your glasses or contact lenses.
Hi there. I have the numbers 79(3) under column 12 on catagory A, what does that mean? I also have 118 under column 12 in category fkpq? Thanks
Hi Wendy,
Under category A (motorcycles), code 79 (3) means that you’re restricted to riding tricycles. The licence code 118 means ‘start date is for earliest entitlement’. Code 118 basically means you can start using the specified machinery from the date that you obtained your licence.
Hi what is code 95 mean
Hi Sajo,
If you have a code 95 entitlement on your licence, you can get a GB Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) card by exchanging your licence for a GB licence. The card is sometimes called a Driver Qualification Card (DQC). You must carry this card while driving a lorry, bus or coach professionally.
hi,
Dear. Can you please explain code 122.
Thanks
Jose
Hi Jose,
Since February 2001, an individual who’s passed their car driving test will be required to take a moped riding course before they’re entitled to ride a moped on a public road.
Driving licence code: 122 – valid on successful completion: Basic Moped Training Course.
Code 122 means a driver cannot ride a moped on the road do this until they’ve successfully completed a basic moped training course.
Thank you so much. Good explain.
hi
i have exchanged my UAE licence to UK licence and i have got a code written on bottom left corner (70. ARE 01 .78 ) does it mean i cant drive manual ?? as my exchanged licence was manual licence
please tell how to change to manual
thx
JOY
Hi Joy,
Yes, the code 78 refers to being restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission. The DVLA do this with some countries and the onus is on the licence holder to prove that they passed in a manual vehicle. That in itself is generally quite impossible, usually leaving the only option being to take a UK driving test in a manual car.
Hi passed my bus test and i dont have any codes at the side like 78 does this mean i can drive manuel buses thanks
Hi Tom,
It depends on what you passed your bus test in. Providing you have passed a manual bus test then you are able to drive a manual bus. You can find out which vehicles you’re licensed to drive by checking your driving licence information.
Hi, I originally passed my test in an automatic. But I have recently passed my manual test. Will there be anything on my new licence saying I used to have an automatic licence?
Hi Peter,
No, you’ll just have the restriction to only drive automatics code removed.
In my license there is 70AE, i want to know which category of vehicles i can drive??
Thanks
Hi
On my licence I have 70. HB 2982252 CDN. Can you please explain what I can drive. Thanks
Hi Christine,
The driving licence code 70 refers to your licence being exchanged. The letters following this refer to where you originally took your test and which country the licence has been exchanged. Not entirely sure what the codes are, perhaps HB being Switzerland and CDN is Canada?
If you don’t have any restriction codes, for example code 78 – (restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission), it then means you can drive vehicles with both manual and automatic transmission.
I have a class C Veh wGVWR on the back of my license. Do I have to take a test to renew? Thank you