Towing Legislation

Class system:

A thorough knowledge of licence legislation will be your first requirement if you want to tow safely and legally

Drivers who passed a car test before 1st January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM (maximum authorised mass). They can also drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kg MAM.

Drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 must pass an additional driving test to gain entitlement to category B+E (see key panel) and all larger vehicles. In addition to the new tests, drivers of vehicles falling in subcategories Cl, CHE, Dl and DHE must also meet higher medical standards.

Category B:

This covers 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 750kg MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM but only in the 3500 + 750kg combination). A trailer over 750kg MAM may be towed provided the MAM of the trailer does not: (a) exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, (b) the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes GTM (gross train mass).

For example, a vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of two 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.

The same vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of two tonnes when coupled with a trailer having 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 still within the 3.5 tonnes GTM limit, the MAM of the trailer is more than the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle. Any combination over 3.5 tonnes GTM requires B+E.

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

Ensuring you have the correct licence categories is essential if you intend to tow. To tow a trailer over 750kg MAM with a 4x4 of up to 3.5 tonnes you will need category B+E entitlement

Category B+E:

This covers vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM towing trailers over 750kg MAM.

Category B+E allows vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM to be combined with trailers in excess of 750kg MAM. To gain this entitlement new category B licence holders have to pass a further practical test for category B+E. There is no category B+E theory test, nor are there vehicle/trailer weight ratio limits for category B+E, these being determined by the towing capacity or GTM stipulated by the towing vehicle manufacturer.

So, the driver passing the Category B test since 1997 cannot - without the +E entitlement - venture far into the world of towing with a 4X4. They may tow a 750kg MAM trailer, or heavier but limited to the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and an overall 3500kg GTM. On a large LWB 4x4 this would limit the trailer MAM to less than 500kg as the 4X4'S MAM is around 3000kg.

However, the SUV with a theoretical MAM of 2000kg, could still tow a boat or medium sized caravan at up to 1500kg MAM. This would be within the 3500kg GTM limit and the MAM of the trailer would not exceed the SUV's unladen mass of 1500kg.

For combinations heavier than this the B+E entitlement must be gained.

Towing a weight greater than that allowed by the vehicle manufacturer is not only illegal but can be highly dangerous

The Tachograph Requirement:

Trailer and vehicle weights fall into two categories: permissible and actual. All the legislation we have looked at here relates to actuals - the vehicle's towing allowance, train mass and nose weights all relate to what the combination actually weighs. You may tow a part-laden trailer, which has an actual mass of 2000kg where a vehicle's towing capacity and MTM allows this, even if the trailer's MAM is 3500kg. It is the actuals that matter. However, in legislation relating to tachographs, it is the permissibles that matter.
Tachographs relate to the commercial operation of vehicles or vehicle/trailer combinations, which have a MAM exceeding 3500kg, no matter what the actual combined mass in operation. Therefore a 4X4 commercial such as a Defender hard-top or a 4X4 pick-up towing a trailer for commercial reasons with a MTM exceeding 3500kg would need to be operating a tachograph even if both vehicle and trailer were unladen and weighing less than 3500kg combined. However, it must be for commercial purposes. Tow your own boat at the weekend and you don't need a tachograph, but if you deliver boats for payment, you do.

Towing Weight Factors :

You must never tow a trailer with an actual weight greater than that allowed by the vehicle manufacturer, nor exceed the nose weight limit for the vehicle, or trailer's coupling. However, like most things vehicular, and all that involve European legislation, it isn't that simple.
We need to look at the key weights for the vehicle and trailer combination, since all have a bearing upon its legality and safety. They are:
(1) Vehicle kerb mass, payload and nose weight allowance
(2) Vehicle MAM or gross vehicle weight
(3) Vehicle towing capacity
(4) Vehicle MTM or gross train weight
(5) Trailer-laden weight (actual), MAM, payload and nose weight allowance

Trailer Designations:

Category 01 = Trailer up to 750kg MAM. Does not require brakes
Category 02 = Trailer of 750kg - 3500kg MAM. Must be braked
MAM = maximum authorized mass or GVM (gross vehicle mass) or laden weight
MTM = maximum train mass (or GTM/W = gross train mass/weight)
Nose weight = Mass imposed by trailer vertically onto vehicle coupling, also called imposed vertical load in many vehicle handbooks.

Driver Licence Category Designations:

A = Motorcycle (with sub-categories for lower output machines)
B = Vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes MAM and eight passenger seats
C1 = Goods vehicle 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes MAM
D1 = Passenger-carrying vehicle nine to 16 passenger seats (not for hire or reward)
C1 = Large goods vehicle over 7.5 tonnes (+E) when articulated
D = Passenger vehicle with over 16 passenger seats
E = Additional entitlement for towing trailers.

Making Sense Of It :

First we'll deal with the fundamental aspect - legality. Here we look at actual weights, although some legislation, for tachographs, applies to permissible weights (see panel).

Our first concern is to the towing capacity of the vehicle. This is the absolute maximum. Let's assume a towing limit of 3000kg for our hypothetical 4x4 which itself has a kerb mass - including driver and fuel of 2000kg, a MAM of 2500kg and a MTM of 5000kg.

If the vehicle is unladen at 2000kg it can legally tow its trailer limit of 3000kg without exceeding the MTM of 5000kg. However, if it is fully laden at its MAM of 2500kg it can only tow 2500kg to stay within the MTM. Mistakes are often made by simply assuming that the MTM is the sum of the vehicle MAM and trailer MAM. Many large 4X4s can tow their full allowance even when fully laden, but some cannot. Make sure you know which category yours falls into. By the same token it could be the case that the towing allowance is 2500kg in a MTM of 5000kg to permit the vehicle to realise its full towing capacity, even when it's laden. The 2500kg towing allowance then becomes the limit. When the vehicle is unladen at 2000kg it is not permitted to tow a trailer of 3000kg making up the difference, to run at the MTM of 5000kg. The vehicle's MAM and its combined GTM will be shown on the VIN (chassis) plate.

Top Ten Towing Tips

ENJOY YOUR TOWING EXPERIENCE WITH OUR VITAL CHECKLIST

1. Never exceed any weight limits for the vehicle, trailer or combination
2. Ensure vehicle, trailer and tyres are in good mechanical condition
3. Ensure you have good visibility - use towing mirrors for caravans and wide trailers
4. Secure loads well
5. Practice reversing manoeuvres
6. Check trailer lights before each trip
7. Balance vehicle and trailer correctly for nose weight
8. Use low ratio (if you have it) for difficult hill starts
9. Use engine braking on long descents
10. Plan manoeuvres well ahead and signal correctly

Go to: 4 x 4 Towing Weights table