Lorry Sizes UK
Check Luton van dimensions alongside the main UK rigid and articulated lorry sizes, including payload, pallet capacity, gross weight and licence class. The guide helps transport buyers and operators shortlist vehicles and check site access.
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- Published UK data
How to use: set the minimum pallets or payload you need and the table filters instantly. Tick two or three vehicles to build a side-by-side comparison. Detailed notes on every vehicle class are further down the page.
| Compare | Vehicle | Internal L x W x H (m) | UK pallets | Euro pallets | Typical payload | GVW | Licence |
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UK lorry size classes explained
The right vehicle is the one that clears your load on internal dimensions, pallet count and payload while keeping you legal on weight and licensing. The classes below run from the smallest car-licence vans to the largest articulated outfits. All figures are typical specifications and vary by body builder, so confirm exact dimensions and payload with the operator before you commit a load. If you would rather hand the whole decision to an expert, CTS matches your requirement to vetted operators through contract haulage and dedicated distribution.
Small van (car-derived and compact panel van)
The compact van class (think Volkswagen Caddy or Ford Transit Connect) is the workhorse of same-day courier and parcel work. It takes a single UK pallet or one to two Euro pallets and is driven on an ordinary category B car licence. Choose it for small, urgent consignments, engineer parts runs and multi-drop city deliveries where speed and access matter more than volume.
Medium panel van (short-wheelbase Transit class)
A short-wheelbase 3.5 tonne panel van such as the Transit Custom carries around two UK pallets loaded through the rear doors and roughly a tonne of payload. It remains a category B licence vehicle, making it the default for small business deliveries and light dedicated van work. Bear in mind that a fully specified van's kerb weight eats into the 3.5 tonne limit, so real payload is often less than the headline figure.
Large panel van (long-wheelbase, high-roof)
The long-wheelbase, high-roof van (Mercedes Sprinter or Transit "jumbo") is the largest vehicle most people can drive on a car licence. It swallows three to four UK pallets or up to five Euro pallets and suits bulky but light consignments, furniture, and dedicated van contracts. Because payload is capped by the 3.5 tonne gross limit, it is a volume vehicle rather than a weight carrier.
Luton van with tail-lift
A Luton is a box body built out over the cab, usually fitted with a column tail-lift for kerbside pallet delivery without a forklift. At around four UK pallets and a tonne of payload it is the standard choice for removals, furniture and palletised goods to sites with no loading dock. It sits at the top of the 3.5 tonne car-licence bracket, so once again the box and tail-lift reduce usable payload.
7.5 tonne rigid
The 7.5 tonne rigid is the first "proper lorry" in the range and the smallest vehicle needing a category C1 licence (drivers who passed a car test before 1997 usually hold C1 under grandfather rights). It carries around ten UK pallets but only about 2.5 tonnes of payload, so on this vehicle the weight limit typically bites long before the deck fills. It is popular for urban distribution because its size clears width and weight restrictions that exclude larger lorries.
18 tonne rigid
An 18 tonne two-axle rigid is a mainstay of regional pallet distribution, carrying around 14 UK pallets and roughly nine tonnes of payload on a curtain-sided or box body. It needs a full category C (rigid HGV) licence. The 18 tonner balances useful capacity against manoeuvrability, which is why it is the go-to for retail store deliveries and general palletised freight.
26 tonne rigid
The 26 tonne three-axle rigid is the largest common rigid, holding about 16 UK pallets and up to 15 tonnes of payload. Also a category C vehicle, it is often fitted with a tail-lift for multi-drop work and is the heavy-lifting rigid for regional distribution where an artic is too long for the delivery points. Many operators pair a 26 tonner with a drawbar trailer to lift capacity close to artic levels.
13.6 m articulated curtain-sider
The 13.6 metre curtain-sided trailer behind a tractor unit is the standard UK trunking and full-load vehicle, running at up to 44 tonnes gross combination weight. It carries 26 UK pallets or 33 Euro pallets on a single deck and around 27 tonnes of payload, and needs a category C+E licence. This is the default vehicle for full loads, trunking between depots and long-distance contract distribution.
Double-deck articulated trailer
A double-deck trailer adds a second load floor, roughly doubling pallet capacity to as many as 52 UK pallets while staying within the same 44 tonne weight limit. That makes it a volume vehicle: ideal for light, bulky, high-cube freight such as packaging, retail non-food and e-commerce returns. Because gross weight is unchanged, payload is similar to a single-deck artic, and each deck has a lower internal height, so it suits cube-limited rather than weight-limited loads.
Methodology and assumptions (July 2026)
All vehicle data is embedded as typical UK specifications for standard body types. Internal dimensions, pallet counts and payloads reflect widely published figures for curtain-sided, box and Luton bodies; exact values vary by body builder, chassis, axle configuration and equipment fitted (tail-lifts and fridge units reduce payload). Payload is the gross vehicle or combination weight minus a typical kerb weight, so a specific vehicle may carry more or less. Licence categories follow DVSA rules: category B for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, C1 for 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes, C for rigids over 3.5 tonnes (in practice over 7.5 tonnes here) and C+E for articulated and drawbar combinations. Drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 generally retain C1 (and often C1+E) entitlement. UK articulated outfits run to a maximum 44 tonne gross combination weight on six axles. Sources: DVSA driving licence categories and vehicle weight guidance (gov.uk), UK Construction and Use Regulations, and standard commercial trailer and body builder specifications.
Frequently asked questions
What size lorry can I drive on a car licence?
A standard category B car licence lets you drive vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gross, which covers all van classes up to and including the Luton. Anything heavier needs C1 (up to 7.5 tonnes), C (rigid HGV) or C+E (articulated), unless you passed your car test before 1997 and hold grandfather rights for C1.
How much can an 18 tonne lorry carry?
An 18 tonne rigid typically carries around nine tonnes of payload and about 14 UK pallets on the floor. The exact payload depends on the vehicle's own kerb weight and any tail-lift, so treat nine tonnes as a typical figure and confirm with the operator.
What is the maximum weight of an HGV in the UK?
The maximum gross combination weight for a standard articulated lorry in the UK is 44 tonnes, on a six-axle configuration. That gives a typical payload of around 27 tonnes once the tractor unit and trailer weights are deducted.
How many pallets fit on an articulated lorry?
A standard 13.6 metre single-deck curtain-sided trailer holds 26 UK pallets or 33 Euro pallets. A double-deck trailer can carry up to around 52 UK pallets, but only where the load height suits the reduced clearance on each deck.
What licence do I need to drive a 7.5 tonne lorry?
You need a category C1 licence to drive a 7.5 tonne lorry. Drivers who passed their car test before 1 January 1997 usually have C1 entitlement automatically; anyone who passed after that date must take a separate C1 test.
What is the difference between a rigid and an articulated lorry?
A rigid has the cab and load body on a single chassis and comes in weights up to 26 tonnes. An articulated lorry splits into a tractor unit and a detachable trailer joined at a pivot, allowing longer trailers, higher payloads and the ability to drop and swap trailers.
Picked your vehicle? Get it quoted properly
Knowing the right lorry size is half the job. The other half is finding a vetted UK operator to run it. Tell CTS what you need to move and how often, and we place your requirement with licence-checked hauliers who fit the brief. It is free and there is no obligation.
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