What Is the UK Law on Towing?

Summer is on the way and with it comes plenty of drivers hitting the road with caravans in tow. If you’re a caravan owner, we hope you thoroughly enjoy your summer holiday. That said, do you know what the UK law is regarding towing? We wouldn’t want you to run afoul due to ignorance.

UK law divides vehicles according to weight and size. Vehicles on the low-end of both scales can be legally driven by anyone with a standard car licence. However, the higher you move up the weight and size scale, the greater the restrictions on who can drive such vehicles.

Guidelines for Category B licence Holders

If you only drive your own passenger vehicle, it is quite likely you have a category B licence. This type of licence is the most commonly issued in the UK. With a category B licence, you are allowed to tow certain types of trailers meeting specific weight requirements. The rules are as follows:

• New Licence Holders – From January 2013, all new category B licence holders are allowed to tow small trailers weighing up to 750kg. When combining the weight of the trailer with that of the towing vehicle the total cannot exceed 3500kg. Vehicles with a combined weight greater than 3500kg require an upgraded B+E licence.

• Pre-1997 Licenses – Drivers who earned their category B licence prior to 1997 are allowed to drive any trailer and vehicle combination with a total weight of up to 8.25 tonnes MAM (maximum authorised mass). MAM is the combined weight of the trailer, the tow vehicle, and the entire load of both. Pre-1997 licence holders can also drive minibuses with trailers in excess of 750 kg.

• Post-1997 Licenses – Anyone earning a category B licence after January 1997 is eligible to drive vehicles up to 3.5 tons towing trailers of up to 750kg. The combined weight of the two cannot exceed 4.25 tonnes. Trailers heavier than 750kg can still be towed if their unladen weight does not exceed the weight of the tow vehicle. In such cases, the total combined weight cannot exceed 3.5 tonnes.

Larger Trailers, Heavier Loads

Any combination of larger trailers and heavier loads that exceed the above limits require drivers to earn an HGV licence. You do that by first applying for a provisional entitlement. With the entitlement secured, you’ll then have to pass both a theory and practical test in order to receive your C1+E licence.

In the event your trailer/vehicle combination requires an HGV licence, there is an added benefit: earning your licence makes you eligible to drive commercial vehicles for a living. If you are looking for a new career, it’s actually a very good option. Driving commercial vehicles pays well, lets you enjoy the freedom of the open road, and offers very good job stability.

Just remember that getting your HGV licence takes between six and eight weeks. If you’re going to need it in order to go caravanning this summer, you need to start working on it now.