What the B1 licence is and why you probably don't have one

The driving licence is something we all have and for some years now it has followed the format valid across the entire European Union. The driving licence complies with all the regulations of every European country and all member states are required to use the same format. That said, there are small differences between some of the European countries, even though the licence is the same in all of them.

For this reason there are things on the licence you carry in your wallet that you probably don’t know the purpose of. One of these things that appear on the driving licence and that you probably don’t know what it is. The B1 licence is one of the types of permit that exist, but most likely nothing is marked in that section, even if you have all the others. Do you know what the B1 licence is and what it is for? We’ll explain it.

B1 licence in Spain

In 2013 the new driving licence was introduced and for the first time it included the B1 licence, which is marked by the icon of a van. Curiously, in Spain practically nobody holds it, and there is an explanation for that. In the modification of driving licences, this permit was added, but it was left to the individual member states to choose whether to examine the two licence categories separately.

In Spain, on the other hand, obtaining the B1 licence is not necessary. So, what vehicles does the B1 licence refer to? This licence allows those over 16 years of age to drive quadricycles and quads that do not exceed 60 km/h. Spain already has a permit that covers this possibility, so it was decided not to adopt this modification.

For this reason, Spain does not hold the exam to obtain the B1 licence, which in our case is covered by other permits that authorise this type of mobility. So you will not need it in any European country in almost any case. That is, if you are over 18 and have permission to drive this type of vehicle.

AM, A1, A2 and A licences

The licences available in Spain that allow driving mopeds and motorcycles of different engine capacities are classified with the letter A, so this group of licences allows the legal use of all two-wheeled vehicles and of four-wheeled vehicles that do not require a B licence to be driven.

The most basic licence is the AM licence, which allows driving mopeds with an engine of less than 50 cc. The minimum age to obtain the AM licence is 15 years and it replaces the former moped licence. Holders of this licence may use a moped, although they may not carry passengers until they turn 18.

The following motorcycle licences are the A1, the A2 and A. Each of them allows driving a motorcycle of a different engine capacity. The first allows driving a motorcycle of 125 cc and the minimum driving age for this type of vehicle is 16 years. The next licence, the A2. To obtain this licence you must already be over 18, so it falls among those requiring the age of majority to obtain it.

The maximum power of the motorcycle this licence allows you to drive is 35 kW. The licence that allows using motorcycles of greater engine capacity is the A licence, and to obtain it you must prove two years of holding the A2. So in Spain the only licences that allow those under 18 to drive are the AM and A1 licences, which meet the requirements of the B1 licence.