Do I need a towing licence?

[Happy82]

I'm a little confused as some sites say you need a towing licence if the caravan weighs more than 750kg but others say only if the combined weight is over 3.5t

I passed my driving test in 2000 so I don't receive the automatic towing rights that pre-97 drivers do, and the DVLA site is a page of confusing gibberish that is not helping

[cv01jw]

As I understand it, your licence (which should be the same as mine) allows you to drive category B vehicles.

From the Directgov site, this means that you can tow a caravan provided the MAM of the car plus the caravan does not exceed 3.5 tonnes, and the caravan MAM does not exceed 85% of the towing vehicle's MAM.

I had the same problems when I first started looking into it, the Directgov site really could be better at explaining it. Took me a while and a number of searches around other sites to satisfy myself that I am legal.

[Happy82]

Cheers

[Jetblackonetenth]

Taken from

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/motoring/driverlicensi...

Car driving licence first obtained since 1 January 1997
Drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 are required to pass an additional driving test in order to gain entitlement to category B+E and all larger vehicles. In addition to the new driving tests, drivers of vehicles which fall within subcategories C1, C1+E, D1 and D1+E also have to meet higher medical standards.


B
Motor vehicles with a MAM of up to 3,500 kg, no more than eight passenger seats, with or without a trailer - weighing no more than 750 kg

Edited by Jetblackonetenth on Thursday 12th July 19:14

[R TOY]

We have had this for some of our 'younger' employees,
As i understand the law if you want to tow a trailer that can weigh more than 750kg (inc trailer) than you have to take the extra test,
This means any braked trailer/ caravan irrelevant of how much it weighs at the time ,could be empty but you still need the test.
The test is no walk in the park either, as all three of ours failed 1st time and had to retake. Cost about £500 each with training (essential) and then another £170 odd for retest.
I know people who have been pulled for towing without test and been prosecuted so worth doing imo.
Sometimes age has its benefits

[Happy82]

Thanks, I think we might stick to camping in that case

[marshal_alan]

if the max weight of the car and the max weight of caravan/trailer is under 3.5 tonnes you are okay without B&E

this thread explains it all http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_...

[ChrisRS]

marshal_alan said:

if the max weight of the car and the max weight of caravan/trailer is under 3.5 tonnes you are okay without B&E

this thread explains it all http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_...

That's my understanding as well, which isn't great as my disco has a MAM of 2850kg!

Seems a bit daft that I need to buy a less capable tow vehicle to tow a caravan!

[marshal_alan]

chris, the whole thing is/was a massive feck up now your disco will struggle to find a caravan that has a MGW of 85% of kerbweight apart from stuff like hobby's etc, most normal uk cans will be lucky to hit 50% of kerbweight, thus your outfit will be solid as a rock on the road no matter how poorly you load and drive it (not that I am saying you will load the van wrong and drive like a twunt). yet to be legal you will have to buy a light towcar and have a rig that will be nowhere as stable.

Personally mate I'd do the B&E and have a rig that all you need to do is to look and see the van is there as opposed to having to work hard all the time

[ChrisRS]

That's my plan later this year, my brothers got the same car and used it to tow my disco on a huge plant trailer last year when it broke down, was solid as a rock, just seems daft to me that although I did the same test as someone who passed before 1997 I don't get the same entitlements. He did his B+E last year through work and said with practice it's not too bad. Looks like I'm going to have to she'll out £500

[Happy82]

So.......

If the caravan and vehicle pulling it come to a maximum train weight of 3.5t (and the caravan weighs no more than 85% of the car) I am ok on my standard licence

I can drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonne but can only have a trailer up to 750kg allowing a maximum train weight of 4.25t

Anything over the above requires the B & E licence


Is that right?

I plan on taking a few towing lessons anyway if we get a caravan, but have no desire to send more money the way of the DVLA if I don't have to as those parasites get enough money for sod all as it is

[ChrisRS]

Not quite, the max is 3500kg so my car with a MAM of 2850kg is able to tow a trailer/caravan with a MAM of 650kg with a driver with only B entitlement

[Shaw Tarse]

Does This help?
I'm old enough not to worry about these things.

[Happy82]

Thanks, that clears it up a bit more!

They say ignorance of the law is not a valid reason for breaking it, I'm sure far fewer would break the law if the government made the laws clear!

[James_N]

marshal_alan said:

if the max weight of the car and the max weight of caravan/trailer is under 3.5 tonnes you are okay without B&E

this thread explains it all http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_...

This is my understanding also. I used to tow my caravan to france and back many a time and never been questioned by plod on the issue

[nutsytvr]

cv01jw said:

As I understand it, your licence (which should be the same as mine) allows you to drive category B vehicles.

From the Directgov site, this means that you can tow a caravan provided the MAM of the car plus the caravan does not exceed 3.5 tonnes, and the caravan MAM does not exceed 85% of the towing vehicle's MAM.

I had the same problems when I first started looking into it, the Directgov site really could be better at explaining it. Took me a while and a number of searches around other sites to satisfy myself that I am legal.

That's not correct. There is no legal reference anywhere to 85%. That is a Caravan Club guideline, and many peeps ridicule it. It has no legal standing anywhere.

[abbotsmike]

nutsytvr said:

That's not correct. There is no legal reference anywhere to 85%. That is a Caravan Club guideline, and many peeps ridicule it. It has no legal standing anywhere.

Indeed. The 85% is a recommendation, not a rule. It is also largely irrelevant if you load the trailer well and tow with a decent vehicle.

The trailer test is fairly cheap, and if you are in a position where you can use your own vehicle/trailer combo it is even cheaper. I plan to do the B+E at some point, and don't plan to take any training, I've just spent some time towing a smaller trailer under a B license, that should be practise enough!

[fid]

Isn't it a commercial test, and therefore more difficult to pass because you can't get as many minor points? I don't know for sure, just remember hearing it somewhere. Of the few people I know that have taken the test, with tuition, none passed first time.

[Chrisgr31]

As a matter of interest if you passed your test before January 1997 can you subsequently lose your entitlement to the towing exemption when you reach licence expiry at 80, or if you pick up a disqualification?

Never event happened to me so just an interest question!

[R0G]

ChrisRS said:

Not quite, the max is 3500kg so my car with a MAM of 2850kg is able to tow a trailer/caravan with a MAM of 650kg with a driver with only B entitlement

750 kgs

Law = any vehicle up to 3500 can tow a trailer up to 750 kgs plated MAM on a B licence

Its when the trailer is over 750 that the 3500 rule applies for B licence towing