I was having a conversation with my mate today and towing came into it and from what hes saying you have to have got your licence before 1997 if after that you have to take some kind of test. Is he winding me up or not?

No he isnt winding you up. Unless you passed before 1997 your license wont have the towing catagory on it. So you have to take another driving test while towing a trailer. If you go on the DSA website it will tell you all you need to know.

No he isnt winding you up. Unless you passed before 1997 your license wont have the towing catagory on it. So you have to take another driving test while towing a trailer. If you go on the DSA website it will tell you all you need to know.

Christ

Remember the leaflet that came with my full license mentioning a limit of 750kg MAM, more info here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Drive...cles/DG_4022564

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Drive...les/DG_10013073

Edited 26 February, 200818 yr by AMD_Man

What about towing another car then?

Is that classed the same as a trailer?

Confused now, am i allowed to tow a small trailor or not?

so if the AA come to assist you at the roadside and tow you to a nearby garage your breaking the law?

An exemption from the driver licensing trailer limit allows a category B licence holder to tow a broken down vehicle from a position where it would otherwise cause danger or obstruction to other road users.

Confused now, am i allowed to tow a small trailor or not?

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.

---

Category B: Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM and with up to eight passenger seats

Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.

For example:

* a vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.25 tonnes could be driven by the holder of a category B entitlement. This is because the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and also the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle

Whereas

* the same vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes when coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.5 tonnes would fall within category B+E. This is because although the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer is within the 3.5 tonnes MAM limit, the MAM of the trailer is more than the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle

* Vehicle manufacturers normally recommend a maximum weight of trailer appropriate to their vehicle. Details can usually be found in the vehicle's handbook or obtained from car dealerships. The size of the trailer recommended for an average family car with an unladen weight of around 1 tonne would be well within the new category B threshold.

Edited 26 February, 200818 yr by AMD_Man

so if the AA come to assist you at the roadside and tow you to a nearby garage your breaking the law?

I was reffering to towing a trailer rather than another car on a rope. But technically its illegal to tow cars using a rope unless its an emergency. Ie your stuck in the middle of the road!

right if you took your test after 1997 you CAN tow BUT!!!!!! and its a big BUT!!!......

right the trailer and item, car, whatever CAN'T weigh MORE than the vehicle towing with and the combined weight of trailer, item and towing car can't be more than 3.5tons.

hope that makes sense. apart from that then no your can't tow

Edited 26 February, 200818 yr by Phoenix

Unless you have passed B & E test you are limited to towing 750KG

you can tow a trailer, weighing anything up to 750kg, aslong as it does not weight more than the car that is towing it.

No, you can tow anything up to 750 kg provided the entire weight of car and trailer (and contents of both) weighs no more than 3.5t.

Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs

Basically, to tow any car on a trailer you're going to need the B+E Category!

If you passed after 1997, you are restrictted to a trailer, which is capable of a combined trailer and load weight of no more than 750kg. For the most part, this will not allow you to tow a car.

unless it a 3 wheeler :)

is there an age limit on towing?? do u have to hold you license for a certain amount of years before you can tow anything upto 750kgs??

Edited 26 February, 200818 yr by hammy88

Sounds like these restrictions came about when the theory test did back in July 1996. I still have a 7.5t lorry category on my licence because i got my test passed in June of that year :biggrin:

is there an age limit on towing?? do u have to hold you license for a certain amount of years before you can tow anything upto 750kgs??

not that i know of?

Sounds like these restrictions came about when the theory test did back in July 1996. I still have a 7.5t lorry category on my licence because i got my test passed in June of that year :biggrin:

lucky git!

is there an age limit on towing?? do u have to hold you license for a certain amount of years before you can tow anything upto 750kgs??

not that i know of?

phew, thanks

Sounds like these restrictions came about when the theory test did back in July 1996. I still have a 7.5t lorry category on my licence because i got my test passed in June of that year :biggrin:

Same here, sometimes it does pay to be a little older

Sal. x

Ha I passed mine in the beginning of December 1996! Yeah sometimes it does pay to be an old git!

Ha I passed mine in the beginning of December 1996! Yeah sometimes it does pay to be an old git!

Unlucky, probably an LGV test needed for you then if doing your own removals!

Whoa a lot of different opinions here. I had to check all this before I towed a car from Edinburgh last year. If you go on the DSA website (I think) it gives you all the relevant info, AMD_Man quoted it earlier.

With category B entitlement you can tow a trailer with a car on as long as

(a) the weight of the laden trailer does not exceed the weight of the towing vehicle; and

(b) the weight of both car and laden trailer does not exceed 3.5 tonnes.

So technically you can tow a car on a transporter on a category B. This doesn't mean you'll be pulling it with your polo though, the lighter car transporters weigh about 750kg, plus car = about 2 tonnes.

Edited 26 February, 200818 yr by mr_poloGT