Legislation

Easier understanding of 1997 Towing Law

The ability to tow a caravan or trailer will depend on the driving licence you hold. The category entitlement on your driving licence will determine the type of trailer you can tow.

On your driving card licence, under category, you will see B, if you do not have an E next to it this means you may not tow a caravan, horse box, or boat if you passed your driving test after 1st January 1997, this also applies to companies who are towing a trailer over the weight of 750kgs.

If you employ a driver who is required to tow a trailer or any other towable attachment, it is also a legal requirement for them to have passed the additional driving test.

Once you have undertaken our towing course you will then be able to tow the following,

• Caravans
• Trailers
• Horse boxes
• Company Machinery

For a more detailed understanding.

All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes. Described hereafter as MAM (Maximum Authorized Mass). This was previously known as gross trainweight. They also have entitlement for a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs.

If you passed your car driving test (category B) after the 1st January 1997, you are only entitled to tow a combined (car + trailer) weight of up to 4.25 tonnes MAM with a gross trailer weight of 750kgs.
However if the gross weight of your trailer is to exceed 750Kg (which is permitted) then your allowed MAM is reduced to 3.5 tonnes.

If this is the combination you choose then the gross trailer weight must not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle or the manufactures recommended max trailer weight.