Who's actually trailered in Europe post Brexit

[Boggo]

Looking at the year ahead and hopeful that some european trips will be back on the cards. Usually I trailer my car (which is road legal, taxed, insured etc) out there, but I've yet to find many people who have actually been to europe with a car on a trailer post brexit. My understanding is that if it is a privately owned road legal vehicle then there is no messing around with Carnet's needed (which will cut the cost of these trips in half!). But I've heard of some people being told that they need a carnet regardless at the border.

Please can you share your experiences?

[anonymous-user]

You’re right, you shouldn’t need a carnet if it’s a road legal, registered car and you have the V5 with you but there is a small risk you meet a pedantic official on the other side of the border who disagrees. Sadly you just can’t compensate for things like that but I’m sure as more go over for track days and things, they are wising up and mistakes are infrequent.

[NIgt3]

I’ve brought mine twice and there was no problem both times!

[Steve H]

NIgt3 said:

I’ve brought mine twice and there was no problem both times!

Were you asked for any paperwork?

[Wh00sher]

Yes, I've trailered to Germany and back since Brexit via both Hull and on the tunnel

[iguana]

In 20 odd crossings last yr, enclosed transporter, got checked once.

Dale on btg did post up a tale of someone he knew that was however forced to unload their road legal track car & continue with it & leave the tow car & trailer behind.

[dhutch]

Wh00sher said:

Yes, I've trailered to Germany and back since Brexit via both Hull and on the tunnel

Steve H said:

Were you asked for any paperwork?

[dhutch]

iguana said:

In 20 odd crossings last yr, enclosed transporter, got checked once.

Dale on btg did post up a tale of someone he knew that was however forced to unload their road legal track car & continue with it & leave the tow car & trailer behind.

Presumable they could then go back and drive the towcar over later? Or presumably if a short trip, just return in the 'track car' after the trip and take the train home.

If only there was some sort of agreement between European countries on moving stuff and people around?

[Steve H]

dhutch said:

Wh00sher said:

Yes, I've trailered to Germany and back since Brexit via both Hull and on the tunnel

Steve H said:

Were you asked for any paperwork?

Keep up Nige

[NIgt3]

Steve H said:

NIgt3 said:

I’ve brought mine twice and there was no problem both times!

Were you asked for any paperwork?

No, nothing!!
Annoying thing is, going by the rules, you aren’t doing anything wrong and it’s allowed so you shouldn’t be asked for paperwork, as long as your cars is road legal and taxed plus insured!

[Steve H]

That’s the bit I want to get a confirmation on. Does it need to be MOT’d, insured AND taxed?

Is there a set of actual regulations anywhere??

[_Leg_]

Any experience of this with a road registered track car, with it's V5, but spare wheels x 8, tools, trolley jacks etc on board the trailer please?

I've not been over t'water with it since pre Brexit but got a few EU track days booked this year. Tow car, RT4.

I'd assumed I would need a Carnet for the wheels, tools etc?

[Wh00sher]

Steve H said:

Keep up Nige

Oops, missed that.

No, no paperwork asked for during any crossing on either side.

[Steve H]

Thanks Nige, I guess it’s going to be a question of get it reasonably legal and hope I don’t meet someone that has a bad attitude about it all

_Leg_ said:

Any experience of this with a road registered track car, with it's V5, but spare wheels x 8, tools, trolley jacks etc on board the trailer please?

I've not been over t'water with it since pre Brexit but got a few EU track days booked this year. Tow car, RT4.

I'd assumed I would need a Carnet for the wheels, tools etc?

I would have thought that as your own personal gear it would go through in the same way as the car?


Someone is going to have a horror story at some point when caught by a customs guy having a bad day but hopefully the experiences we’ve heard of so far will be the typical way forward.

[anonymous-user]

Some useful info here

OP’s Road legal car will need V5, tax, insurance and MoT documents in person when crossing. Tow car and trailer need green card insurance. Carnet is not required. You may just be trailering it to a track and not using it on a public road but they don’t know that hence the insurance and MoT requirements.

Any Tools and spares however will need to be on a Carnet.

[Boggo]

pablo said:

Some useful info here

OP’s Road legal car will need V5, tax, insurance and MoT documents in person when crossing. Tow car and trailer need green card insurance. Carnet is not required. You may just be trailering it to a track and not using it on a public road but they don’t know that hence the insurance and MoT requirements.

Any Tools and spares however will need to be on a Carnet.

As above, why are tools/spares any different to personal stuff in any other car?

Has anyone actually done this with a carnet for tools etc. I will be going over for racing, but car is road legal etc. So will have a gazeebo, tool box, 8+wheels etc.

[anonymous-user]

Because tools have a notable resale value and your spare pants don’t …

Unfortunately, Brexit means we have lost the free movement of capital and goods to and from the EU, critically this also includes personal equipment and accessories that are not for sale. Any goods entering and leaving the UK can b checked at the border, similar checks will be made when entering and leaving the EU. The issue is Countries have different rules about what goods you can bring in under an ATA Carnet. See here

In all honesty, no one knows the temperament of the border officials on the day you cross, they might not bat an eyelid at a road legal, taxed, insured UK registered car on a trailer, with all necessary paperwork, and some socket sets and things in the tow car… on the other hand….

[LaSource]

_Leg_ said:

Any experience of this with a road registered track car, with it's V5, but spare wheels x 8, tools, trolley jacks etc on board the trailer please?

I've not been over t'water with it since pre Brexit but got a few EU track days booked this year. Tow car, RT4.

I'd assumed I would need a Carnet for the wheels, tools etc?

Yes I've done this a few times last year - covered trailer, couple of times with a GT3 in it and other times with a road registered KTM XBow but with no MOT or Tax. XBow was not registered in my name at the time. The trailer had zero documentation or EU registration plate. Each time with spare wheels, tools, jack, etc.

As others have said typically never stopped. Once stopped by UK people who in friendly manner asked me to open trailer, saw XBow, had some banter about it, and off I went. Once a french guy asked me what was inside but didn't open it, looked at a v5 with little intent, and off I went.

Would I do it again? Hell yes.
Does it prove that you can never be stopped? Sadly no as it could be after some fishing agreement argument and the french decide the throw the rule book at you. Maybe I was breaking the technical rules but was lucky no one checked with intent.

Hopefully post pendemic as more people move across they will settle into a 'normal routine'. Think in the beginning no one knew the rules - including customs people.

Even some professional transporters can be clueless about what is needed and if you ring up a handful, you will have a handful answers. A TDO friend recently had any combo of guidance from transporters: you don't need a carnet for road cars as we say they are 'tourists', yes you need full blown carnet, etc, etc.

Apart from Iguana - he knows everything about everything