Payload & Driving Licence Calculator
Work out how much payload is left after a conversion — kerb weight, build-out, water and passengers all eat into the GVW — and see which driving licence category that GVW puts you in. The maths runs entirely in your browser — nothing you type is sent or stored.
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Methodology
Payload is what's left of the GVW once everything fixed has been subtracted — the number that actually decides whether a finished van is road-legal.
- Remaining payload (kg) = GVW/GVM limit − manufacturer kerb weight − build-out weight − water carried (1 kg per litre) − (passengers × mass per passenger).
- Default mass per passenger (75 kg) follows the EU masses-and-dimensions regulation's standard occupant mass for type-approval purposes — override it if your crew is heavier or lighter.
- Driving licence category is read from GVW alone, per the EU driving-licence directive: Category B up to 3,500 kg, C1 up to 7,500 kg, C above that (UK: B/C1/C).
- This is independent of whether the payload figure is positive — a van can be licence-category B and still be over its own payload limit.
This calculator gives a planning estimate, not a certified weighbridge reading. Kerb weight varies by exact model/options — use your own manufacturer's plate or a weighbridge ticket, not a generic figure, before finalising a build. Driving licence rules also carry national exceptions (e.g. UK grandfather rights, alternative-fuel weight allowances) — confirm your category with your national licensing authority.
Sources
What this page is based on — every source is verified and links out so you can check it yourself.
- Verified / official
- Provisional
- Out of date