Trailer towing B and B+E licence rules explained
 

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


I have extensive knowledge on this issue and already have a trailer towing clinic HERE as well as many other sites.
I use the above to demonstrate that I have not joined this site to spam etc but simply to help others understand the rules which the Govt sites do not seem to explain very well.

Trailer MAM means the maximum weight the trailer can be when fully loaded (weight of empty trailer plus weight of load)

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

Some vehicles have a GVW, a towing capacity and a GTW. In such a case the GTW takes priority over the GVW and towing capacity when added together

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:-
Is the plated MAM of the trailer more than the UNLADEN/KERB/EMPTY weight of the towing vehicle?
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

Here is another way of looking at the B licence towing rules with examples:-

RULE 1 - The gross plated weight of the trailer (MAM) cannot exceed the vehicle kerbweight.

RULE 2 - Also, the sum of the vehicle gross plated weight (GVW) and the trailer gross plated weight (MAM) cannot exceed 3500kg.

Examples:-

Vehicle 1200kg kerbweight, 1700kg gross plated weight (GVW) = maximum trailer gross plated weight (MAM) 1200kg SEE RULE 1

Vehicle 1500kg kerbweight, 2000kg gross plated weight (GVW) = maximum trailer gross plated weight (MAM) 1500kg SEE RULES 1 & 2

Vehicle 1800kg kerbweight, 2300kg gross plated weight (GVW) = maximum trailer gross plated weight (MAM) 1200kg SEE RULE 2

The weight which can be loaded on the trailer is the trailer gross plated weight (MAM) minus the trailer unladen weight
Trailer gross plated weight (MAM) 1500 with unladen weight 900 = a maximum load of 600

The listed maximum towing capacity for a vehicle must not be exceeded - that is actual weight not plated MAM weight
Although there is not a specific law which states this there are other laws which can be used if the combination (vehicle & trailer) is deemed unsafe.

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


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.
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 independant 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


I hope this helps those who are unsure of the rules


Please post with this info if you want me to answer a specific query - weights in kgs please
(might be made easier if the info below is copied and pasted with the weights etc put after the '=' bits)

LICENCE
B or B+E

VEHICLE
Unladen/kerb =
GVW =
GTW =
Towing capacity =

TRAILER
Unladen =
MAM =

Crikey.It looks complex.

I just know that if I wanted, I could tow,say a 2000kg boat or caravan, with a Range Rover and not be lumbered with the newer 3500kg all in rule.

Regards

You WILL need a B+E licence or be under B+E learner rules for that

Reasons -

If the 2000 is the MAM of the trailer then it must not be more than the kerb weight of the RR - that means the kerb of the RR has to be at least 2000

If the kerb of the RR is 2000 then the GVW would be about 500 higher so that means the 2500 GVW of the RR plus the trailer MAM of 2000 makes 4500 which is well over 3500

Hi Rog,

Yes, I sure have the relevant licence.Passed years and years ago so well past learner stage!!

Cheers.

A point actually I have always wondered is when cars that, well take the Range Rover as a vehicle in question,I think that weighs about 2.6 tons, yet it can tow well above its kerbweight at around 3.5 tons.

Its allowed for this to tow more than its own weight, so why is this?

Regards

A very informative post from the OP - thank you.

VR,

I'm with you on the fact that it is all a little complicated these days and no wonder people get it wrong.

Why don't they really simplify it? Cat B = vehicle ONLY! Cat B+E = vehicle plust trailer with a max of 3500kg?

Just glad I've got B, B+E, C, C+E, D, D+E so don't have to worry too much, with the exception of not going over the max weights.

:star-wars-smiley-01

the v70 is the same the car can tow 1800kgs, but weighs 1700kg

Good question

The answer is because it has been designed to do just that

Sort of makes a big mockery of the caravanning 85% safety rules doesn't it?

Yes indeed.

I have always tried to tow at the 85% recommendation purely from a safety point of view.I have also towed a caravan with an 'mtplm' higher than the cars tow weight, although the actual weight of the van was below that which the car was allowed to tow.

The rules seem daft that a relatively new driver would flout the rules towing a 1300kg caravan with a Range Rover (which is a nice safe combination) yet would be ok towing the same caravan with a VW Golf, which is probably an ok combination yet nowhere near as safe as the RR combi.

Regards

But then we would be asking the Govt to make common sense laws ...