A Heavy Combination Licence or as we call it in short HC Licence is required if you wish to drive trucks with a single trailer, commonly referred to as a “semi-trailer”. This includes vehicles such as prime movers, truck and dogs, pig trailers, floats and low loaders. Given the size of these vehicles, it is imperative that drivers have the necessary skills and knowledge to drive them safely. Students who may feel apprehensive about handling this class of vehicle can be assured that attending a course through Core Driving School will give them the confidence and expertise they need to drive HC Licensed vehicles.
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Heavy Combination (HC) Truck Licence Training & Assessment
TLILIC3017 - Licence to drive a heavy combination vehicle

Want a Licence to drive a Heavy Combination Vehicle
The Heavy Combination Licence course involves training in both the theoretical and practical criteria as required under the AQF and HVCBA. It also includes the final competency assessment. Courses can generally be completed in one day unless a student requires a little more time working on a particular skill. At Core Driving School it is our goal to ensure all students are equipped with all the necessary skills required to pass their assessment with confidence.

Under AQF and HVCBA, drivers are assessed against specific criteria relating to the safe operation of heavy vehicles. The assessment is then conducted under a range of conditions. The assessor must be accredited by the Transport for NSW and it is a requirement under HVCBA that your training and assessment are conducted by different assessors. At Core Driving School we look after this for you and ensure that the assessor that delivers your training will not be the same assessor that conducts your Final Competency Assessment.
HOW TO GET HC LICENCE?
To be eligible to attend the HC Licence course you must;
Please note that any time spent on a P1 licence counts towards the year total however you are unable to practice on an LR vehicle or obtain an LR licence until you hold a P2 or full class C licence.
In order to attend a Heavy Combination Licence course you must first attend an Service NSW office in person and;
Heavy Combination Licence Course Requisites
You will then be issued with a Heavy Vehicle HVCBA Learner’s Log Book and a copy of the Guide to Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment. The guide will provide you with all the necessary information required regarding what tasks you need to complete in the training and your final assessment. All progress is recorded in your log book which shows your progress in developing the skills required to upgrade your licence. It is important that you keep your Log Book until you have passed your final assessment.
Once you have successfully completed your Final Competency Assessment you simply attend an Service NSW centre to be issued with your upgraded licence.
We offer all our courses in the Sydney, Penrith, Campbelltown, Newcastle, Central Coast and Wollongong regions. We offer flexible training hours, including early morning and in the afternoons to fit with your schedule. If you meet appropriate criteria and wish to obtain your Heavy Combination Licence, please call us on 0449 822 673 or book online to ensure your place in our next HC course.
HC Heavy Combination Truck Licence - Get It Right Away From The Accredited Core Driving School
If you live in Australia, you should be aware that any Heavy Combination HC Licence in NSW requires completion of a Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment (HVCBA) with an Accredited Training Provider.
Thus, if you want to operate trucks with a single trailer, sometimes known as a “semi-trailer,” you’ll need a Heavy Combination License. Vehicles such as prime movers, trucks and dogs, pig trailers, floats, and low loaders fall within this category. Because of the size of these vehicles, drivers must have the requisite abilities and understanding to operate them safely. Students who are nervous about operating this type of vehicle may be confident that taking a course with Core Driving School will provide them with the confidence and skills they need to operate HC Licensed vehicles.

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HC Licence Course Objectives
Course Objectives
- Pre-operational vehicle checks and examinations
- Launch, drive, place, manage and stop the vehicle correctly.
- Optimise engine power to save gear and engine wear.
- Rotate the vehicle while maintaining vision and positioning it precisely.
- Park, turn off and secure the truck correctly.
- Identify and avoid risks with ease (defensive driving)
- Load the truck safely and utilise the best load restraint mechanism available

COVID-19
During these trying times, we have taken efforts to protect both our pupils and employees from the coronavirus. In our cars, buses, and workplaces, we scrupulously follow the Australian Department of Health’s instructions and take the most important personal grooming precautions.
We can keep our non-training personnel to a minimum by having our administration staff work from home. The duration of the programs has also been limited to ensure that each participant gets at least 4 square meters of training space.
Our pupils have all been notified that they must reapply if:
- You recently returned from a trip to another country.
- You’ve interacted with a diagnosed COVID-19 patient in the previous 14 days.
- In the preceding 14 days, you’ve been advised to separate yourself.
Automatic Heavy Combination (HC) Course Summary
After passing the course, the student will be eligible to receive their Heavy Combination (HC) licence and operate HC trucks with automatic or synchromesh transmissions.
If you have an unrestricted licence, you will not forfeit it when you upgrade to an automat; you will still be permitted to drive HC vehicles with manual transmissions (also known as a Road Ranger, Crashbox, or Constant Mesh).
This training is for participants who desire to acquire their Heavy Combination Licence in an automated vehicle from Core Driving School.
After passing the course, the student will be eligible to receive their Heavy Combination (HC) licence and operate HC trucks with automatic or synchromesh transmissions.
If you have an unrestricted licence, you will not forfeit it when you upgrade to an automat; you will still be permitted to drive HC vehicles with manual transmissions (also known as a Road Ranger, Crashbox, or Constant Mesh).
Heavy Combination Unrestricted (HC) Course Summary
Students will be eligible to get their Heavy Combination vehicle licence after completing this training and education programme. Based on the student’s ability and previous experiences, education and evaluation might take up to two days (about 17 hours).
Upon project accomplishment, the learners will be able to earn an unrestricted Heavy Combination (HC) licence and be able to drive HC trucks with any gearbox type (auto, synchromesh, or continuous mesh transmission) (auto, synchromesh, or constant mesh transmission).
This training is for participants who desire to acquire their Heavy Combination Licence in an automated vehicle from Core Driving School.
After passing the course, the student will be eligible to receive their Heavy Combination (HC) licence and operate HC trucks with automatic or synchromesh transmissions.
If you have an unrestricted licence, you will not forfeit it when you upgrade to an automat; you will still be permitted to drive HC vehicles with manual transmissions (also known as a Road Ranger, Crashbox, or Constant Mesh).
About The HC Licence
Before beginning training and evaluation for a Heavy Combination Vehicle licence, a candidate must first:
- For one (1) year or longer, you must have had a class MR or HR licence or equivalent. Note that any time spent on a P2 MR or HR licence counts, but you won’t be able to practise driving an HC truck or upgrade to an HC licence until you have a full class HR licence.
- Take the HC knowledge test and pass it.
- Pass a vision exam
An individual may register for a Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment (HVCBA) Learners Logbook after passing the vision and awareness examinations, and then proceed to a programme of study to get an HC licence.
This training is for participants who desire to acquire their Heavy Combination Licence in an automated vehicle from Core Driving School.
After passing the course, the student will be eligible to receive their Heavy Combination (HC) licence and operate HC trucks with automatic or synchromesh transmissions.
If you have an unrestricted licence, you will not forfeit it when you upgrade to an automat; you will still be permitted to drive HC vehicles with manual transmissions (also known as a Road Ranger, Crashbox, or Constant Mesh).
Things to know about HC Licence Training
Before beginning training and evaluation for a Heavy Combination Vehicle licence, a candidate must first:
- For one (1) year or longer, you must have had a class MR or HR licence or equivalent. Note that any time spent on a P2 MR or HR licence counts, but you won’t be able to practise driving an HC truck or upgrade to an HC licence until you have a full class HR licence.
- Take the HC knowledge test and pass it.
- Pass a vision exam
An individual may register for a Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment (HVCBA) Learners Logbook after passing the vision and awareness examinations, and then proceed to a programme of study to get an HC licence.
Roads and Maritime Services (previously Roads and Traffic Authority – RTA) authorised Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) with heavy vehicle licenced driving instructors to conduct Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Appraisal.
Students will get one-on-one instruction from our experts in order to learn the information and abilities required to properly operate a Heavy Combination (HC) vehicle.
Students will be educated and tested in several skills throughout the course, with the final competence assessment (FCA) taking place at the conclusion. It entails the formulation of effective management of all vehicle operations, traffic and road surveillance, vehicle condition and employee evaluation, and proper leadership of precarious environments.
5 Star Rated Professional Truck Driving Training Services
Our services are available to potential truck drivers in Sydney, Central Coast, Campbelltown, Wollongong, Penrith, and Newcastle.
We don’t just provide first class training, we also assess and improve your skills throughout the course. You would learn the fundamental skills required to operate the heavy vehicles, you will also go through safety courses to ensure that you know how to drive the truck in a safe and efficient manner.
We aim to provide the best quality heavy vehicle training through our range of programs to suit every need.
Heavy Vehicle Knowledge Test & Driver Manuals
Frequently Asked Questions on HC Licence Training
There are two ways to obtain a heavy truck driver’s licence. These costs vary depending on where you reside and the type of heavy vehicle licence you’re looking for.
You must complete the Heavy Vehicle Knowledge Test for the class of licence you want before deciding which path to pursue.
After passing the knowledge test, you’ll be able to figure out which test or assessment you need to take.
Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment (HVCBA) – completing an HVCBA with a Registered Training Organization is the most common route to earn a heavy vehicle licence (RTO). You must finish the HVCBA if you are applying for a Multi Combination (MC) class licence.
Any person who wants to continue driving an expressed auto with three or more axles must have a Heavy Combination (HC) licence. For example, a prime mover driving a single semi-trailer or a big rigid transport carrying a trailer with a GVM of more than nine (9) tonnes.
The knowledge test at RMS/Services NSW is the first stage towards updating your licence
A Big Combination (HC) Truck Driver is someone who operates and operates trucks or heavy equipment that are connected to a semi-trailer or heavy rigid vehicles that are dragging a trailer. Infrastructure, farming, and shipping are all possibilities for HC Truck Drivers.
A truck, prime mover, or mobile crane with a trailer weighing more than 9 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass is classified as a class HC vehicle (GVM). You can drive trucks with a single trailer with an HC licence (commonly known as semi-trailers). Prime movers, trucks and dogs, pig trailers, floats, and low loaders are all examples of this.
You must have had a class MR or HR licence or equivalent for at least one year before applying for an HC licence.
To pass the Heavy Vehicle Knowledge Test, you must first pass the Heavy Vehicle Knowledge Test. Also, pass an eye examination and focus on completion of the HVCBA or passing a heavy vehicle driving test
You must pass the Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment to obtain your heavy truck licence and operate as a truckie in Australia (HVCBA).
You can legally drive that has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of less than 4.5 tonnes and can seat up to 12 persons, including the operator.