Trailer Towing Laws

Restrictions for Towing

Category B car driving licence holders who passed their driving test after 1st January 1997, have trailer towing restrictions placed upon them. The websites www.dsa.gov.uk & www.direct.gov.uk clearly details these restrictions.

Who does the law effect?

Drivers, who passed their car test after 1st January 1997, will only have a Category B and not Category B+E on their driving licence. Without this category on your licence you are severely restricted on the type of trailer you can tow.

Let us try and explain the restrictions to you

Firstly you should always check the drivers’ handbook for the make and model of the vehicle to ascertain what the towing weight limits of your vehicle are. You should always check the type plate on your trailer to determine its maximum load carrying capacity. The un-laden weight of the trailer will have to be deducted from the gross weight carrying capability to determine a safe loading capacity.

Several weights can be mentioned which can be confusing. Maximum Gross Weight (MGW) or gross weight (GW) or Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM). All these terms refer to the combined weight of either the towing vehicles maximum permitted weight or the trailer and weight of the load it can carry. Kerbside weight (un-laden weight) refers to either the towing vehicle or trailer when unloaded.

The restrictions that apply to Category B licence holders are as follows;

The MAM of the trailer must not exceed the un-laden weight of the towing vehicle and the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle must not exceed 3500kg, if the MAM of the trailer is more than 750kg

If the MAM of the trailer is 750kg or less, then the combined MAM of the towing vehicle and trailer must not exceed 4250kg, and the MAM of the towing vehicle must not exceed 3500kg.

A vehicle with an un-laden weight of 1259kg and a MAM of 2000kg towing trailer with a MAM of 1000kg could be driven by a category B driving licence holder. This is because the combined MAM of the vehicle and trailer does not exceed 3500kg, and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the un-laden weight of the towing vehicle.

However

The same vehicle towing a trailer of an increased MAM of 1350kg can not be driven by a category B driver licence holder. Although the combined weight of the towing vehicle and the now heavier trailer does not exceed 3500kg, the MAM of the trailer now exceeds the un-laden weight of the towing vehicle.

What are the consequences?

Most companies will try and shock you in to doing your trailer course by telling you that you will recieve 9 points for being caught towing a trailer without a licence. We have liased with the police to establish how severe the consquences could be if you were caught towing a trailer without a licence. The actual truth is you will get points and the offences involved carry the penalty of 9 points, 3 for driving without a licence, and 6 for driving without insurance as if you havnt got the licence it will invalidate your insurance! You will however only recieve 6 points as both offences occur on the same day resulting in the greater taking presidence. For a newly qualified driver this could still result in them losing their licence.

There are also other penalities involved including the vehicle will be impounded incurring a 105 pound release fee and 15 per day storage fee after the first day. The trailer will also be impounded resulting in an additional 105 pound release fee with 15 pound per day storage after the first day. You will also be asked to attend court where the judge will also impose a fine.

All this also has its own follow on effects, the increase in insurance due to the addition points, the effect on your job as many now require a clean licence and so forth.

If your involved in an accident that it is felt could have been avoided, the consequences could be much more severe especially if there is a third party injured or killed as a result of you towing a trailer without the appropriate training or licence.

The message the poilce would like to pass on is if you need a licence, get the licence, dont take the gamble as your not only gambling with your life, your gambling with the passengers and other road users as well!