Does
my licence cover me to tow?
The ability to tow a caravan or trailer will depend on the driving licence you hold. The category entitlement on your driving licence will determine the type of trailer you can tow.
On your driving card licence, under category, you will see B, if you do not
have an E next to it this means you may not be able to tow a caravan,
horse trailer, or boat if you passed your driving test after 1st January 1997,
this also applies to companies who are towing a trailer over the weight of
750kgs.
Still confused? Click here for a flow
chart.
If you employ a driver who is required to tow a trailer or any other tow able attachment, it is also a legal requirement for them to have passed the additional driving test.
Once you have undertaken our towing course you will then be able to tow the
following,
• Caravans
• Trailers
• Horse trailer's
• Company Machinery
For a more detailed understanding.
All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes. Described hereafter as MAM (Maximum Authorized Mass). This was previously known as gross trainweight. They also have entitlement for a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs.
If you passed your car driving test (category B) after the 1st January 1997, you
are only entitled to tow a combined (car + trailer) weight of up to 4.25 tonnes
MAM with a gross trailer weight of 750kgs.
However if the gross weight of your trailer is to exceed 750Kg (which is
permitted) then your allowed MAM is reduced to 3.5 tonnes.
If this is the combination you choose then the gross trailer weight must not
exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle or the manufactures recommended
max trailer weight.