What is a Class 3 licence?
A Class 3 licence lets you drive a straight truck — a single vehicle, not a tractor-trailer combination — with more than two axles or a heavy gross vehicle weight rating. In practice, that's the truck parked on most construction sites and municipal yards in B.C.: dump trucks, hydro trucks, tandem-axle delivery trucks and similar equipment.
It sits between a car licence and a full Class 1. A Class 3 also carries every privilege of a Class 5, so you don't lose anything you already had, and it lets you tow a trailer over 4,600 kg — well past what a Class 5 alone permits. For a lot of drivers it's the licence that actually matches the job: local and regional work that keeps you home most nights, without the 140-hour commitment that a first Class 1 now requires.
Class 3 is not MELT
Mandatory Entry-Level Training only applies to a first B.C. Class 1 licence. There is no ICBC-mandated hour count for Class 3 — how much training you need depends on what you can already do behind the wheel, which is why we assess you rather than sell a fixed package. See what training actually covers.
Who takes Class 3 training
- Firefighter applicants getting the Class 3 with air brakes that fire departments look for before they apply.
- Drivers moving up from a Class 5 into their first commercial licence, often for a construction, hydro, or municipal driving job that's already been offered.
- Drivers who don't want or need Class 1 — the job is a straight truck, not a tractor-trailer, so there's no reason to take on 140 hours of MELT.
- Experienced drivers who need the air brake endorsement added to an existing licence before a specific vehicle or job requires it.
Not sure whether Class 3 or Class 1 is the right fit for the work you want? Call us at (778) 549-1727 and we'll talk through the actual vehicle and route before you commit to either one.
Already Class 3 licensed?
If you just need a few hours of focused practice before a road test, an air brake refresher, or you're an employer wanting a pre-employment driver assessment, see our Class 3 Individual Lessons & Road Tests page instead of the full training program below.
Class 3 manual or automatic: choose your training
Manual and automatic are two ways to train and test for the same Class 3 licence. Which one you take your road test in decides whether your licence is restricted to automatic, so choose with the job you want in mind.
Class 3 manual
Train and test in a manual truck and your licence is not restricted to automatic. You learn clutch control, shifting and hill starts on top of the pre-trip, air brakes and backing. See Class 3 manual truck training.
Class 3 automatic
Test in an automatic and ICBC restricts your licence to automatic transmission (code 28). Many fire trucks and garbage trucks now come as automatics. See Class 3 automatic truck training before you decide.
Individual lessons & road tests
One-on-one lessons booked by the hour for drivers close to their road test, plus pre-employment road tests for employers. See Class 3 individual lessons and road tests.
Class 3 refresher
For drivers who already hold a Class 3 and are coming back after a gap, moving to a different truck or facing an employer’s assessment. See Class 3 refresher training.
Not sure which one fits? Tell us the truck you expect to drive and whether your employer’s fleet is manual or automatic, and we will help you choose before you book: (778) 549-1727.
Jobs a Class 3 licence opens
If the job you want is behind the wheel of a big straight truck, it almost certainly needs a Class 3 with an air brake endorsement. These are the drivers we train most often.
Fire trucks
Most Lower Mainland fire departments ask recruits for a Class 3 with air brakes, some at the application stage. An automatic Class 3 is usually all you need: see Class 3 Automatic.
Dump & gravel trucks
Construction, excavation and landscaping crews across the Lower Mainland are always hiring dump truck drivers, and most start you on a tandem straight truck.
Garbage & recycling trucks
City and private waste-collection routes: steady local shifts, home every night, and year-round work.
Cement mixers
Ready-mix concrete companies need Class 3 drivers who can handle a heavy, top-loaded truck on job sites and city streets.
Hydrovac & utility trucks
Hydrovac, bucket and line trucks for utilities, pipeline and municipal contractors. Specialized work that tends to pay near the top of the Class 3 range.
City & public works
Snowplows, sanders, street sweepers and water trucks for municipalities: public-sector jobs with benefits and a pension.
Training for the fire service? Here's the short version.
You need a Class 3 with air brakes, an automatic licence is normally accepted, and you can train evenings and weekends around your current job. Tell us which department you're applying to and we'll plan your training around its deadline. Call (778) 549-1727.
What you can and can’t drive with a Class 3 licence
Class 3 is defined by the vehicle, not the cargo — so the same licence covers a wide range of work as long as the truck itself qualifies.
You can drive
- Trucks with more than two axles, such as dump trucks, large tow trucks and tank trucks (fuel, water or propane).
- A tow car towing a vehicle of any weight, and a mobile truck crane.
- Trailers or towed vehicles over 4,600 kg, but only if neither the truck nor the trailer has air brakes.
- Everything a Class 5 allows: cars, vans, two-axle trucks and tow trucks, and motorhomes.
- Air-brake trucks, once the code 15 air brake endorsement is on your licence.
You can’t drive
- Semi-trailer trucks and other tractor-trailer combinations. These need a Class 1.
- A truck or trailer with air brakes towing a trailer over 4,600 kg. That combination needs a Class 1.
- Buses carrying passengers. ICBC puts these in Class 2, or Class 4 for smaller buses of up to 25 people.
- Taxis, limousines, ride-hailing vehicles and ambulances. These need a Class 4.
- Motorcycles. These need a Class 6 (or Class 8 while in the graduated program).
- Any vehicle with air brakes unless the code 15 air brake endorsement is on your licence.
Source: ICBC licence class chart in Driving Commercial Vehicles and icbc.com. Rules can change, so confirm with ICBC.
Almost every Class 3 vehicle has air brakes
Which means almost every Class 3 driver needs the air brake endorsement too. Rather than treat it as a separate errand, we build it into your Class 3 training — see what's covered below, or take air brakes on its own through our standalone air brake course if that's all you need.
Air brakes and your Class 3 licence
Almost every Class 3 truck has air brakes, and you cannot drive one until the code 15 air brake endorsement is on your licence. ICBC requires an air brake course (or acceptable proof of air brake experience) before you take the air brake knowledge test. It is not required before the Class 3 knowledge test, but if you want to take both tests in one visit, do the course first.
- Our air brake course is 7 hours of theory and 4 hours of practical, and it is the standard course for Class 3 students.
- The air brake knowledge test is 25 questions with 20 correct needed to pass. Practise with our free air brake practice test.
- Our in-house practical assessment is only available to students who complete both the theory and the practical training with Tricon.
- Want the full picture first? Read our air brake endorsement guide.
Ask us about taking the air brake course together with your Class 3 training when you call: (778) 549-1727.
What Class 3 training covers
Because there's no fixed MELT curriculum for Class 3, we build your training around the truck you'll actually drive and the ground you're starting from. A driver who's spent years around trucks needs less time than someone coming straight from a car licence — but every student covers the same ground before we call them road-test ready.
Vehicle systems & controls
The controls, gauges and mechanical systems on a straight truck — what's different from the car you've been driving, and what to check before you ever start the engine.
Pre-trip inspection
The NSC 13 pre-trip inspection component by component, the same standard ICBC tests you on for the road test.
Air brake systems
How an air brake system works, pre-trip and en-route inspection, identifying defects, and checking and adjusting pushrod travel — the material behind the air brake endorsement.
Backing & manoeuvring
Straight-line and offset backing, turning wide without swinging into the next lane, and judging a truck's length and blind spots from the driver's seat.
On-road driving
City and highway driving in a Class 3 vehicle — space management, braking distance and load awareness — building toward the exact route style ICBC's road test uses.
Professional driving habits
Defensive driving, hazard perception, and the basics of cargo securement — enough to keep a load, and everyone around your truck, safe.
What’s included in Class 3 training at Tricon
- The NSC 13 pre-trip inspection practised component by component, including the air brake pre-trip.
- Air brake training toward the code 15 endorsement (7 hours of theory, 4 hours of practical).
- Backing and tight-space manoeuvring, then on-road driving in a Class 3 vehicle.
- Instruction in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Italian from instructors who have driven commercially.
- Lessons booked by the hour, 9am to 9pm every day, weekends and holidays included.
- In-house funding if you want to start before the full fee is paid.
ICBC test and licence fees go to ICBC and your medical exam fee goes to your doctor. See our course fees page for what a Tricon fee covers.
How long will it actually take?
There's no honest single answer — it depends on your comfort behind a larger vehicle and how much time you can put in each week. We'll give you a realistic estimate for your situation on the phone, before you book anything.
ICBC knowledge test, pre-trip and road test
Three ICBC hurdles stand between you and a Class 3 licence. Here is how to prepare for each one.
- Knowledge test. 35 multiple-choice questions from ICBC’s Driving Commercial Vehicles guide, 28 correct to pass, 45 minutes. Practise with our free commercial knowledge practice test and road signs practice test.
- Pre-trip inspection. Your road test opens with it, including the air brake check if the truck has air brakes. Learn it with our pre-trip inspection checklist and the full pre-trip walkaround video (filmed on a tractor-trailer, same method).
- Road test. You phone ICBC to book a commercial road test, and you take it in a Class 3 vehicle. See ICBC road test locations in BC.
Before you can enrol
Class 3 has its own eligibility rules, separate from — and in one case looser than — Class 1's.
- Be at least 18 years old. That's a year younger than the Class 1, 2 or 4 minimum.
- Hold a full-privilege B.C. Class 5 or 6 licence (or an out-of-province equivalent). A Class 7 novice licence doesn't qualify.
- Pass the Class 3 knowledge test and road signs test. The knowledge test is 35 multiple-choice questions from ICBC's Driving Commercial Vehicles guide, with 28 correct needed to pass and 45 minutes to do it. Practise with our free commercial practice test.
- Add the air brake knowledge test if your training vehicle has air brakes, which almost all Class 3 trucks do. ICBC requires an air brake course (or proof of air brake experience) before that test.
- Meet the commercial medical standard. ICBC checks your vision and asks health questions when you apply for your learner's licence. After your road test you get a Driver's Medical Examination Report form for your doctor, and RoadSafetyBC reviews it.
- Have a clean enough record. Fewer than four penalty-point incidents on your Class 5 in the past two years.
Not sure where you stand on any of these? That's a five-minute phone call, and it's free. (778) 549-1727.
Your path to a Class 3 licence
From your first phone call to a licence in your wallet, here is the sequence as ICBC sets it, and where we come in.
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Check you qualify
You must be 18 or older (ICBC needs a parent or guardian’s consent if you’re 18), hold a full-privilege B.C. Class 5 or 6 licence, have fewer than four penalty-point incidents in the past two years, no driving-related criminal convictions in the past three, and no unpaid ICBC fines or debts.
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Study ICBC’s Driving Commercial Vehicles guide
It is free on icbc.com. The Class 3 study chart includes the air brake chapters.
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Take the 7-hour air brake theory course
ICBC requires an air brake course (or acceptable proof of air brake experience) before you take the air brake knowledge test. It is not a requirement for the Class 3 knowledge test, but if you plan to take both tests in one visit, do the course first. Our air brake course is 7 hours of theory plus 4 hours of practical. Our in-house air brake practical assessment is only available to students who complete both the theory and the practical training with Tricon.
With us -
Pass your knowledge tests at an ICBC office
Book an appointment. You take the Class 3 knowledge test (35 questions, 28 to pass), the road signs test and the air brake test (25 questions, 20 to pass) on a screen, after a vision check and medical questions. Taking a commercial and the air brake test together costs one fee.
At an ICBC office -
Get your learner’s licence and train
Your learner’s licence is valid for one year and lets you practise driving with a supervisor or at a driving school. This is when your on-road training with us starts.
With us -
Book and pass your road test
Phone ICBC to book (you can’t book a commercial road test online). The test includes a pre-trip inspection, an air brake pre-trip if the truck has air brakes, and the road test. Bring the tools for an air brake adjustment.
At an ICBC office -
Medical form and photo licence
After you pass, you pay the licence fee, get a temporary licence and a Driver’s Medical Examination Report form for your doctor. Your photo licence is mailed once RoadSafetyBC confirms your medical fitness.
Not sure which step you're on?
Tell us what's on your licence today and we'll map out exactly what's left — no obligation, no sales pitch.
Why train with Tricon
Class 3 training isn't standardised the way MELT is, so the school you pick matters even more here — it decides how thorough your pre-trip and air brake training actually are.
Air brakes built in, not bolted on
We treat the air brake endorsement as core to Class 3, not an upsell — most of our students need it, so it's part of the same course.
Instructors who have done the job
Our instructors have driven commercially themselves, so pre-trip and inspection training comes with the reasoning behind it, not just the checklist.
Open 9am to 9pm, every day
Including weekends and holidays. Most Class 3 students are training around a job offer with a start date, so we work around your schedule, not ours.
Yards in Surrey and Langley
Two Metro Vancouver training yards, plus a third location in Duncan/Nanaimo, so your backing practice isn't a 90-minute commute each way.
4.7★ Surrey · 5.0★ Langley on Google
By drivers who now hold a commercial licence. We're a BC Trucking Association member school with an established record of training new drivers.
In-house funding available
We finance training directly as well as helping students apply for provincial grants — so the course fee doesn't have to arrive as one lump sum.
Class 3 training in Surrey, BC
Class 3 training runs from our Surrey yard at 12511 82 Ave, with the same programs and instructors at our Langley yard. Call and we will book you at whichever suits you.
Our Surrey yard and Langley yard train Class 3 students from across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, including Delta, Abbotsford, Burnaby, Richmond, Coquitlam and New Westminster.
Class 3 fees and funding
ICBC does not set the price of driver training — every approved school sets its own, which is why quotes vary across the province. We quote current Class 3 pricing over the phone based on how much training your experience actually needs, rather than a flat package price. Our course fees page explains what a Tricon fee covers and what you pay to ICBC separately.
You may not have to carry the full cost yourself. Several provincial programs exist specifically to get new drivers into the trucking and heavy-vehicle industries:
Community Workforce Response Grant
Provincial funding aimed at filling skills gaps in local labour markets — commercial driving is a recurring priority.
Skill Enhancement Training Grant
Support for individuals training toward in-demand occupations in British Columbia.
Indigenous Skills Training Development Fund
Dedicated training funding for Indigenous learners across B.C.
B.C. Employer Training Grant
If an employer is willing to sponsor you, this covers a large share of the cost of training a new driver. See our employer training grant guide.
In-house funding at Tricon
We also finance training directly, so you can start before the whole fee is in the bank. Ask about it when you call — and see our funding options page for the full picture, or WorkBC and other funding for programs that don’t need an employer sponsor.
Class 3 driving school FAQs
How do I get a Class 3 licence in Surrey, BC?
You must be 18 or older and hold a full-privilege B.C. Class 5 or 6 licence. Study ICBC’s Driving Commercial Vehicles guide, pass the Class 3 knowledge test and road signs test (plus the air brake test if the truck has air brakes) at an ICBC office to get your learner’s licence, then train with a driving school such as Tricon in Surrey. After that you book and pass the road test and complete the medical form. The full sequence is in our step-by-step guide.
Do I need an air brake endorsement for Class 3?
Almost always. Most Class 3 vehicles have air brakes, so you need the code 15 endorsement to drive them. ICBC requires an air brake course (or acceptable proof of air brake experience) before the air brake knowledge test, not before the Class 3 knowledge test. Our air brake course is 7 hours of theory and 4 hours of practical.
Should I train and test in a manual or an automatic?
If you pass your road test in an automatic, your licence is restricted to automatic transmission, and removing that later means a road test in a manual. If you pass in a manual, it is not restricted. Many fire trucks and garbage trucks are automatic, while older dump trucks and tow trucks are often manual. Tell us the trucks you expect to drive and we will help you choose. See Class 3 manual and Class 3 automatic.
What can I drive with a Class 3 licence?
ICBC says a Class 3 covers trucks with more than two axles, such as dump trucks and large tow trucks, plus a tow car towing a vehicle of any weight, a mobile truck crane and anything a Class 5 allows. To drive an air-brake vehicle you also need the code 15 endorsement. It does not cover tractor-trailer combinations (Class 1), buses (Class 2 or 4), taxis and ambulances (Class 4) or motorcycles (Class 6). See the full list above.
What does the Class 3 road test involve?
It is taken in a Class 3 vehicle and opens with a pre-trip inspection, including the air brake system if your truck has one, before the on-road driving portion. You phone ICBC to book a commercial road test. Practise the inspection with our pre-trip inspection checklist.
Is MELT required for Class 3, and how many hours of training do I need?
No. Mandatory Entry-Level Training applies only to a first B.C. Class 1 licence. ICBC does not set a minimum number of training hours for Class 3, so we assess each student and give you a realistic estimate on the phone before you book anything.
How much does Class 3 training cost in Surrey, and is funding available?
ICBC does not set the price. Each school quotes its own, and ours depends on your starting experience and whether you train in a manual or an automatic. Call (778) 549-1727 for a quote and see our course fees page. In-house funding is available, and our funding page and WorkBC funding page cover the grants.
Can I train in the evenings or on weekends while I work?
Yes. We are open 9am to 9pm every day, including weekends and holidays, so you can train around your current job. Lessons are booked by the hour at our Surrey and Langley yards.