Trailer towing:- B and B+E licence rules explained

[R0G]

Not sure if this has been done before but it may be useful to some ....

I have extensive knowledge on this issue and already have a trailer towing clinic HERE

Trailers over 3500 kgs plated MAM weight come under different rules which is why all the trailers towed by B class vehicles , those of 3.5 tonnes and under, are not plated at more than 3500 kgs or 3.5 tonnes MAM

Trailers without plates use the total of the TYRE LOAD RATINGS to determine the MAM.
A rating of 66 on 4 tyres would give a MAM of 1200 kgs.

Vehicles in the B licence category will have the following information on a plate in the vehicle, in the handbook or on the V5 form.
Information can also be found on many internet vehicle specification sites.
Unladen or Kerb weight - although there is a slight difference in the two it is not that much
GVW - the max weight the vehicle can weigh when fully loaded
GTW - the max weight the vehicle and trailer can ACTUALLY weigh when added together. This does not refer to the total of the vehicle GWV and trailer MAM weights.
Towing capacity - this is the ACTUAL weight that can be towed by the vehicle - it does not mean the trailer MAM weight.
None of the above weights must be exceeded


FOR B+E LICENCES
Where a towing capacity is listed then this would be a legal example:-
CAR has GVW of 2000 and a towing capacity of 1800
TRAILER has a MAM of 3500 and an unladen weight of 1000
The trailer can be loaded with a maximum weight of 800

Where there is not a towing capacity listed then the GTW is used
GTW minus the GVW does not give the towing capacity unless the vehicle is fully laden
EXAMPLE: -
VAN has GVW of 3500 and GTW of 6000
TRAILER has MAM of 3500
The van and trailer can weigh 3000 each and be legal

FOR B LICENCES
The Gov sites are not that good at explaining this so I have managed to find a simple way of determining whether a driver can tow something on a B only licence -

To tow over 750 kgs with a B licence you need to say NO to the following:-
Does the GVW of the towing vehicle plus the plated MAM of the trailer add up to more than 3500 kgs?
Is the ACTUAL weight of the empty trailer and its load more than the listed towing capacity?

Example of legally towing over 750 kgs with a B licence - made up figures but not that far from what can be found....

Towing vehicle -
Unladen/empty/kerb = 1500
GVW = 2000
Towing capacity = 1800

Trailer -
Unladen/empty = 800
MAM = 1500 (Perhaps originally a 2000 MAM but downplated by manufacturer so it conforms to B licence towing)

Load trailer with 700 max

Reasons it is legal for towing on a B licence -
The 1500 MAM of the trailer is not more than the 1500 unladen/empty weight of the towing vehicle
The 2000 GVW of the towing vehicle plus the 1500 MAM of the trailer is not more than 3500
The towing capacity/actual weight being towed does not exceed 1800

SUPERVISING A B+E LEARNER
In April 2010 new rules were introduced for those supervising certain learner drivers but they only affected those supervising VOCATIONAL categories such as C1 C1+E D1 & D1+E where the supervising driver had those categories given to them for free when they passed a pre 1997 car test.
They do not affect those with pre 1997 B+E licence who wish to supervise a B+E learner.
The usual rules apply when a learner is driving -
The supervising driver must be aged over 21
The supervising driver must have held a B+E licence for at least 3 years
L plates must be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer
Correct insurance for a B+E learner

Caravan weights work on a slightly different system as they take into account the recommended (not legal) 85% towing rule

I hope this helps those who are unsure of the rules

Edited by R0G on Sunday 8th January 10:15

[R0G]

lgw said:

I agree very informative and easy to understand, just a query I am sure there are trailer maximum lengths and widths requirements though I cannot remember what they are.

Yes there are
There are also other rules to towing such as towing ball weights etc but I decided just to keep it down to the licence and weight requirements as that seems to be the main area in which there can be some confusion or misunderstanding

[R0G]

Aviz said:

Very informative. I spent ages trying to work out what I could tow using my range rover. I passed on 98 so only have B. in the end I think I worked out I could tow upto 750kg , giving a MAM of 4250kg including the range rover. Everyone told me I could only have a MAM of 3500kg. Did I get it right ?

My trailer has no plate. Not sure what the tyre ratings are though ! I assume they need to addup to less than 750 ?

3500+750=4250 is legal

The 750 must be the maximum MAM so I assume that the tyre load ratings must not add up to more than that - but that is a guess

Going over 750 kgs MAM is when the 3500 rules comes into play

[R0G]

Sgt Bilko said:

A question if i may?

I have post 97 license. B cat as basic entitlement.

Last year i completed the D1 training and gained the category. I need to tow a box trailer in the future, is the category for trailers just "+E", or is it linked to the method of propulsion, ie. B+E or D1+E?

Different towing rules apply for D and C category vehicles

Those rules are very simple

Any trailer over 750 kgs MAM requires the driver to have the +E on the licence

That means towing a trailer over 750 with a D1 category vehicle requires the driver to have a D1+E licence

If you wish to get the +E you could pass the D1+E test which would upgrade your B to B+E
BUT BUT BUT
You will lose the B+E if you let the D4 medical for the D1 lapse

You can get it back if you pass a D4 medical at any time

If you pass the B+E test then that will last for life - well, as long as the B licence remains valid

If you think it is unfair that the B+E will be lost if the D4 medical lapses then so do I as the B+E is not a vocational licence and a test has been passed (D1+E) which is harder than B+E
I am in current email contact with the DfT over this because it is a situation they did not consider after the 1997 licence changes

That last bit has now changed so if you get B+E on the licence then the B+E will remain valid until the B expires

Edited by R0G on Friday 8th June 21:54

[R0G]

Sgt Bilko said:

Thanks for that. So as it seems, a D1+E can be used for a lower category (B+E), but if you do a B+E test you cannot use it for a D1+E?

Also, i've not heard anything about a requal medical for D1? I only drive a 17 str minibus.

Anyone who passed a DSA PCV test must have passed a D4 medical to gain the provisional
That medical must be kept current to keep the PCV or LGV valid
For those that passed the medical before the age of 40 a new medical will be required at ages 45 50 55 etc
For those who passed the medical after the age of 40 it will be every 5 years from that age which could be at ages 43 48 53 58 etc
After age 65 the medical is required every year and that includes those with pre 97 D1s and C1s


Correct about the B+E not counting for D1+E

[R0G]

Syd knee said:

I was told that "grandfather writes" had been remooved. Which internet person do I trust.

The info is on the Gov sites and does NOT mention B+E - it only mentions pre 97 PCV D1 & D1+E & LGV C1 & C1+E categories
If they wanted it to include B+E then they would have stated such

If something is not allowed by law it will say so

[R0G]

rewc said:

The Government say "
Car licences held before 1 January 1997
All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. They also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM".
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...

That is for driving entitlement - what is being discussed is B+E supervision

[R0G]

Wh00sher said:

A question.

My understanding is that the Trailer PLATED MAM, even when empty can not exceed the towing capacity of the tow vehicle.

ie,
Trailer plated 1800kg MAM CAN be towed by a car with a towing capacity of 2000KG (assuming it isn`t loaded above the MAM of course)
Trailer plated 2500kg MAM, with no load and weighing only 500kg can NOT be towed with the car having a towing capacity of 2000KG

Is this correct or not ?

NOT

That is one of the biggest myths around towing

Towing capacity = actual weight being towed

A driver with a B+E licence can legally do this -

Towing vehicle
Unladen = 1500
GVW = 2000
Towing capacity = 1800

Trailer
Unladen 900
MAM = 3500

Providing the trailer is not loaded with more than 900 then it is legal (900 + 900 = 1800)

On commercial vehicles the rules are the same only they use GTW instead of a towing capacity

Lorry
Unladen = 10 tonnes
GVW = 26 tonnes
GTW = 40 tonnes

Trailer/drag
Unladen = 8 tonnes
MAM = 20 tonnes

Load lorry to 20 tonnes and trailer to 20 tonnes = LEGAL

[R0G]

Car and horsebox trailer that is legal to tow on a B licence

passat 2lt tdi sport
unladen = 1648kg
GVW = 2000kg
Max vehicle towing capacity = 1800kg

Cheval 1003 xxl pullman trailer
MAM of trailer = 1600kg
Empty trailer = 732kg

Get manufacturer to downplate trailer to 1500 kgs MAM and that will be legal for B licence towing

Reasons it is legal for B licence towing:-
The GVW of 2000 plus the MAM of 1500 is not more than 3500
The MAM of 1500 is not more than the unladen weight of 1648

[R0G]

Wh00sher said:

R0G said:

NOT

That is one of the biggest myths around towing

You live and learn. Thats why I asked the question, its something I`ve been told many times and have told other people. I stand corrected.

That is the idea of a site and a threadd like this - to dispell the myths and present the facts

[R0G]

OOPS - deleted

Edited by R0G on Wednesday 25th January 09:34

[R0G]

lawrencec said:

my example above was just a in theory one to the maximum of 3.5tonne licence

il put my example down i have a sprinter recovery truck and i want to use it for car delivery its 3.5t its plated maximum combine is 5500 like the the crafter above so that would leave me 2000kg to have on a trailer the brian james i have used is plated 2000kg

this combo would be pefectly legalon a b+e licence?

Vehicle
Unladen = dunno
GVW = 3500
GTW = 5500
Towing capacity 3500

Trailer
Unladen = 500
MAM = 2000
MAX load for trailer = 1500

You cannot load 2000 onto the trailer because that would exceed the 2000 MAM - it would be 2500 and illegal
MAM means the max weight the trailer and its load can weigh

The total ACTUAL weight that the vehicle and trailer can weigh is max 5500 because that is the GTW

You could have a much bigger MAM trailer - up to 3500 if you wanted to because the GTW does not mean that the totals of the vehicle GVW and the trailer MAM cannot exceed 5500

With a vehicle plated at 3500 GVW and a trailer plated at 3500 MAM you can distribute the load how you want to as long as these weights are not exceeded
vehicle GVW
trailer MAM
GTW
towing capacity

[R0G]

LICENCES

The vehicle GVW determines what type of licence is required - 3500 or less = B licence

The total weight or permitted weight of the combination does not determine the licence

A +E on the licence is required depending on what is being towed and the towing rules for that licence

B licence towing rules are different from C and D towing rules

[R0G]

Lets take an example of a beavertail pickup 3500 GVW and a 3500 MAM trailer with these made up specs

Vehicle - beavertail type for a vehicle to be carried on
Unladen = 1900
GVW = 3500
GTW = 6000
Towing capacity 3500
MAX load for vehicle = 1600

Trailer for a vehicle to be carried on
Unladen = 1000
MAM = 3500
MAX load for trailer = 2500

Now there are two vehicles which need to be loaded
One weighs 1700
Other weighs 1400

1400 gets put on vehicle so that now weighs 3300
1700 gets put on trailer so that now weighs 2700
Total weight is now 6000

Cannot put 1700 on vehicle because that would be 3600 which is over the 3500 limit

[R0G]

saaby93 said:

Good thread ROG. Only thing missing from the first paragraph for unitiated (yet) was I had to look up MAM
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...
If I have it right it' Maximum Authorised Mass'. Is it specified by the trailer manufacturer and is why you can ask them to respecify a trailer downwards in order to meet the legal requirements for the vehicle, your licence etc?

You do have that correct

For B licence towing there is often a need to downplate

There is NEVER a need to downplate for B+E licences when towing

I put this in the first post of this thread -

R0G said:

GVW - the max weight the vehicle can weigh when fully loaded

Edited by R0G on Wednesday 25th January 14:19

[R0G]

I take on board what you're saying but there is also the balance between too much info and keeping it as simple as possible

[R0G]

Vytalis said:

Great thread.

Can I check this scenario please:

3.5t GVW van with GTW of 7t
990kg unladen box trailer with maximum laden weight of 3.5t

Can someone with a car licence pre-1997 drive the above train?

Am I also right in saying that the above setup doesn't need an Operator's Licence (trailer less than 1020kg unladen)?

Thanks in advance.

B+E licence required so pre 97 ok

No O licence (OOPS) at the moment by they are looking into changing that 1020 rule
SORRY, the poster above stated that has already been changed in Dec 2011 and as I am not an authority on this then I'll go by their answer

Edited by R0G on Friday 27th January 08:15

Edited by R0G on Friday 27th January 08:34

[R0G]

I thought this example of towing a Ford Fiesta on a car transporter trailer with a NISSAN X-TRAIL 2.2 5R for a B licence holder (no B+E) might be useful to some.... all weights in KGs

NISSAN X-TRAIL 2.2 5R 2004 (04 plate)
Kerb weight = 1515
GVW = 2000
Towing capacity = 1500

http://trailers.co.uk/Product/Car_Transporters/TW_...
TRAILER
Unladen = 350
MAM = 1500
Payload = 1150

Focus kerb weight (actual weight) = 1050

[R0G]

TOWING ON 'A' FRAMES

Not a subject I have any great knowledge of but what I have found might be of use to a few

http://forums.pepipoo.com/lofiversion/index.php/t6...

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/general-advic...
Towing on an A-frame

An A-frame or recovery dolly can only be used legally to recover a vehicle which has broken down.

If you tow a car that hasn't broken down using an A-frame or dolly then the law treats the combination as a trailer which must meet the appropriate braking and lighting rules.

Trailers below 750kg don't have to be fitted with braking systems, but if a braking system is fitted to a trailer of any weight – as is clearly the case for a car – then the braking system must operate correctly. This is not possible for normal systems fitted to cars, particularly the brake servo, which would not be working unless the engine was running.

Trailer regulations also require the fitting and use of a secondary coupling system to ensure that the trailer is stopped automatically if the main coupling separates while the trailer is in motion or, in the case of trailers, up to a maximum mass of 1,500kg that the drawbar is prevented from touching the ground and the trailer has some residual steering.

To comply with lighting regulations while being towed, the car (in its capacity as a trailer) would need triangular red reflectors and the number plate of the towing vehicle.

[R0G]

SUPERVISING A B+E LEARNER
In April 2010 new rules were introduced for those supervising certain learner drivers but they only affected those supervising VOCATIONAL categories such as C1 C1+E D1 & D1+E where the supervising driver had those categories given to them for free when they passed a pre 1997 car test.
They do not affect those with a pre 1997 B+E licence who wish to supervise a B+E learner.
All B licence holders have B+E provisional on the paper part of their licence and can tow an empty or loaded trailer on all roads including motorways.
The usual rules apply when a learner is driving -
The supervising driver must be aged over 21
The supervising driver must have held a B+E licence for at least 3 years
L plates must be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer
Correct insurance for a B+E learner

Many will find that passing the once in a lifetime B+E test is their best option so here is some info on that test:-

The B+E test
No medical or theory test required
Read a number plate from a certain distance
VIDEO - Show Me Tell Me Questions - usually 5
The next three can be in any order:-
VIDEO - Reversing Exercise (old measurements) - done in test centre grounds if test conducted from practical test centre - some tests are now being done from training school grounds
VIDEO - Uncouple/couple up - done in test centre grounds if test conducted from practical test centre - some tests are now being done from training school grounds
One hour road drive - includes the independent drive and is done virtually the same as the basic car test

DISCLAIMER - I have no connection to any companies which may be featured in those videos