How to Put Your Driving Licence on Your CV (+ Examples)

Is it worth mentioning your driving licence on your CV, or is this information unnecessary? The truth is, the impact of adding your driving licence will vary depending on the role you're applying for and whether the employer will require you to drive as part of the job.

Should you include your driving licence on your CV?

There are certain situations when it could be necessary to add your driving licence to your CV, or it would be beneficial to do so. For one, if driving is a key part of the role you're applying for (include category or class of licence). Secondly, if the job description specifies travel requirements that might benefit from you being able to drive.

However, in these situations, it's not necessary to include your driving licence in your CV if the job description doesn't specify travel requirements, and if it's mainly an office-based position or a remote, home-working role.

You might also wish to add your driving licence and car ownership information to your CV if you live a long distance from the workplace. Although it's not essential to add this information, it could alleviate concerns the employer might have about your ability to commute.

To help you decide whether to include your driving licence on your CV, review this checklist:

If you can answer 'yes' to any of the items on the checklist above, it's worth adding your driving licence information to your CV. You'll need to decide where to place it, and how much information to add (for example, category and class of licence, vehicle ownership and so on). Read on for details of how, when and why to mention all these things.

Where to put your driving licence on your CV

There are a few places you can include details of your driving licence in your CV, depending on how relevant it is for the job application. This also depends on the CV template you are using.

Mentioning your driving licence in the right places on your CV will help you pass the ATS stage, as well as confirming to the reader that you're eligible for the role. According to research from Jobseeker, a third of HR professionals consider certifications to be the most important element of a CV for ATS optimisation.

See below for tips on where to mention your driving licence on your CV for maximum impact:

Contact/personal details

If the role requires regular driving, travel to meetings, visiting sites or other travel that's instrumental to the role (aside from haulage or transport jobs), add your driving licence details briefly in your CV header. List your name, email address, phone number, location and your LinkedIn URL if you have one. After this, you can add a simple line confirming your driving licence status. In this, you can list your driving licence(s). Also, if it’s relevant for the position to state that you have a car because the job requires a long commute, then you can also mention this.

Certifications and skills sections

If you’re applying for a job where driving is a requirement (for example, truck driver or taxi driver), showcase your licence information in the certifications section of your CV, and confirm your skills in the skills section.

In addition to including details about the category or class of your driving licence, you’ll need to be specific about the types of vehicles you’re allowed to drive, for example:

• Heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes and over 20 feet.
• Full motor vehicle including trailer not exceeding 7.5 tonnes.

It’s also important to highlight that you possess a ‘clean’ driving licence with no penalty points when applying for a job that requires a significant amount of driving:

• Driving licence: full, clean

'Additional information’ section

If a driving licence is not a requirement, but the job may require some incidental travel or requires a commute, you could mention car ownership in your CV's additional information section. This will emphasise that the job’s location, and occasional travel, isn’t a problem for you. Include details of your driving licence as above.

Other sections

Depending on how integral driving is to the role, you might wish to mention your driving skills and licences in other parts of your application. This could include your CV profile and work experience section (particularly if you have previous experience in driving roles).

You may also want to confirm your driving licence status and driving skills in your cover letter, if it's a critical part of the role.

Different driving licence categories by country

If the role requires a certain type of licence, and driving is a core element of the role, it’s important to specify the category of your driving licence in your CV. This is especially relevant if the job requires you to drive a specialist vehicle such as an HGV or a coach.

Driving licence categories vary by country, so make sure you know the correct categories for the country you're applying to work in. Some key countries and their driving licence categories are listed below:

United Kingdom

In the UK, the category B licence is the main, full driving licence that gives you permission to drive cars up to a weight of 3,500kg. There are various sub-categories of licence for different types of vehicles, but the main specialist categories are:

• A – motorcycles
• B – cars
• W — work vehicles
• C — trucks and caravans
• D — minibuses, buses and coaches

For more information on the different licence categories in the UK, visit GOV.UK.

USA

Across the US, driving licence categories can differ, as licensing is handled by each state individually. However, the following main categories exist across most states:

• Non-commercial licences (personal use): Class D (standard licence), Class A/B (heavy vehicles).
• Commercial licences: Class A (combination vehicles, for example, articulated lorries or tractor-trailers, with a weight exceeding 26,001 lbs), Class B (single vehicles, for example buses, dump trucks, with a weight exceeding 26,001 lbs), Class C (vehicles designed to carry 16 or more passengers).

India

India has an extensive list of non-transport (personal) and transport (commercial) licence categories. Some of the key categories include:

• LMV-NT (Non-Transport) – personal cars
• LMV-TR (Transport) – light commercial vehicles, including taxis
• HGMV (Heavy Goods Motor Vehicle) – heavy trucks used for haulage jobs
• HPMV / HTV (Heavy Passenger Motor Vehicle) – heavy passenger vehicles (i.e. buses and coaches)

Example of driving licence on a CV

See the CV example below for an idea of how driving licence and details or driving capabilities can look across a complete CV. Using a CV builder like Jobseeker can help you produce a well-structured CV like the example below, to maximise your chances of success with your applications.

What is a 'full' and 'clean' driving licence—and does it matter?

Being able to state that you have a 'full, clean' driving licence can give you an advantage over other candidates when driving is a requirement of the role. But what does each term mean?

• A 'full' driving licence simply means you have passed your driving test. In the UK, this generally means you have a Category B licence, entitling you to drive cars. It doesn't typically mean you have any specialist licences.
• A 'clean' driving licence means you don't have any penalty points or traffic endorsements on your licence. In the UK, penalty points are applied to your licence for driving infringements, such as speeding or driving through red lights. If you receive 12 or more points within a three-year period, you will face a driving ban.

Having a 'full, clean' driving licence can be essential for roles like delivery drivers, truck drivers or any other role where driving is integral to the job. It's an advantage for UK jobs that involve driving for the following reasons:

Key takeaways for adding your driving licence to your CV

It can be confusing to know when to add your driving licence to a CV. Applying the following advice from this article can help you with your decision: Add diving licence information for any job that requires driving, whether it's integral to your duties, or if travel is a regular element of the role. List your driving licence in a suitable place in your CV, either with your contact details, in your certifications section, or in your CV's additional information. You can also showcase your driving skills in your profile, work experience and skills sections. Add licence categories and specialist driving training, if these are appropriate. Emphasise that you have a 'full, clean' driving licence for maximum impact with the reader.

To create a CV that includes all the relevant, required information in a well-presented, professional format, sign up to Jobseeker today. Jobseeker offers a wealth of resources and CV tools to help you understand exactly how to create an application that stands out from the crowd. You can also access CV and cover letter templates to quickly and easily produce an eye-catching CV that boosts your chances of reaching the interview stage.