If you’re planning to hire a cherry picker, you may be wondering whether you can drive it on your standard UK driving licence.
In many cases, the answer is yes. However, it depends on the type of cherry picker you’re hiring. While many truck-mounted cherry pickers can be driven on a standard UK Category B licence, other types of MEWP aren’t road legal and must be transported to site.
It’s also important to understand that driving a cherry picker and operating one are two different things. In this guide, we’ll explain which cherry pickers you can drive, when additional training may be required and what to consider before hiring.
Can You Drive a Cherry Picker with a Standard UK Licence?
Yes.
Many van-mounted MEWPs and truck-mounted cherry pickers weighing up to 3.5 tonnes can be driven using a standard UK Category B driving licence.
This is one of the biggest advantages of vehicle-mounted access platforms, allowing contractors to travel directly between jobs without needing additional transport.
At Smart Platforms, our self-drive fleet includes truck-mounted cherry pickers with working heights of up to 27 metres, all designed to be driven on a standard UK driving licence.
Can Every Cherry Picker Be Driven on the Road?
No.
This is where many people become understandably confused.
Only road-legal vehicle-mounted cherry pickers can be driven between sites.
Other types of MEWP, including self-propelled boom lifts, scissor lifts and many tracked spider lifts are transported to site rather than driven on public roads.
These machines are designed to move around the work area once they’ve been delivered, but they aren’t road vehicles in the same way as a van-mounted cherry picker.
Does a Driving Licence Mean You Can Operate a Cherry Picker?
Not necessarily.
A driving licence only allows you to drive the vehicle on the road. It doesn’t automatically demonstrate competence to operate the elevated work platform.
Across the powered access industry, the most widely recognised operator qualification is IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) training.
Different types of MEWP have different IPAF categories, including:
- 1b – Vehicle-mounted boom lifts and spider lifts
- 3a – Scissor lifts
- 3b – Self-propelled boom lifts
Many commercial sites and principal contractors will ask operators to hold the relevant IPAF qualification before work begins.
Do You Need IPAF to Hire a Cherry Picker?
Not always.
At Smart Platforms, you don’t need an IPAF card to hire one of our self-drive truck-mounted cherry pickers.
Instead, one of our experienced engineers provides a comprehensive familiarisation before every hire, ensuring you’re confident using the machine’s boom functions safely.
This familiarisation covers the operation of the platform and allows you to ask any questions before leaving the depot.
However, it’s important to remember that some construction sites and commercial projects may have their own competency requirements and could ask for an IPAF PAL Card before allowing work to take place.
If you’re unsure, it’s always worth checking with the site manager before hiring.
Why Choose a Truck-Mounted Cherry Picker?
Truck-mounted MEWPs offer several advantages over other types of access equipment.
Because they’re road legal, you can drive directly between multiple jobs during the day without arranging transport for the machine.
This makes them particularly popular for projects where road access is vital, including:
- Roofing contractors
- Signage installation
- Property maintenance
- Telecommunications
- Facilities management
- Building inspections
If you’re visiting several customers in one day, a van cherry picker can save considerable time compared with transporting a self-propelled boom lift between sites.
Choosing the Right Cherry Picker
The right machine depends on more than just your driving licence.
You’ll also need to consider:
- Working height
- Horizontal outreach
- Site access
- Ground conditions
- Whether you’ll be travelling between multiple locations
If you’re working across several sites, a truck-mounted cherry picker is often the most practical choice.
For larger construction projects where the machine will remain on site, a self-propelled boom lift or scissor lift may be a better solution.
So, can you drive a cherry picker with a standard UK licence?
Yes – provided it’s a road-legal truck-mounted cherry picker weighing 3.5 tonnes or less.
However, driving the vehicle is different from operating the access platform. While Smart Platforms provides a full familiarisation before every hire, many sites may also require operators to hold the relevant IPAF qualification.
If you’re unsure which cherry picker is right for your project, our experienced team can help you choose the safest and most suitable solution based on your working height, site conditions and access requirements. Contact us today.
