Legalities of towing on B licence

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SuperCat007

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I'm looking into buying my first towing vehicle and trailer, I thought it prudent to get a lesson or two under my belt before buying AND before taking horse out. I've spoken to a local trailer company and a couple of driving instructors all of whom have said without doubt that I CANNOT tow over 750 kg on my licence (I passed my test in 2007). I include the link to the Gov.uk website which to my eyes says I can tow up to 3500 kg combined weight of car and trailer https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/driving-licence-rules-and-what-you-can-tow . Is there any doubt about the law? Are we manipulating it because it means we can take our horses out, or are these people interpreting it wrong/misinterpreting to get business? (i.e. the driving instructor went mad at me for considering it and said I'd have to do at least 24 hours training and my B+E test which 'only' costs £1500 with him)...
 
think you may find they're misinterpeting it as pretty sure it's 750kg unbraked and 3.5 braked towing capacity. ROG is probably the best member to advise you on it.
 
HokusPokus if you read the gov site it says you can tow a trailer up to 750 kg MAM, or a combined MAM of car and trailer of 3500 kg. That's where 750 comes from.

I thought the same Spike123. Really naughty (and illegal) if they are and then charging people for a product they don't actually need. False advertising and other things which trading standards would take a dim view of.
 
you can tow up to 750kg kg trailer with any vehicle you are legally entitled to drive on a B licence.

The combined 3500kg MAM only applies to trailers over 750kg MAM Dont forget its MAM and not actual. In this case 750kg trailer is braked or unbraked it is just an arbitary figure up to which the 3500kg total does not apply ie the combination could be up to 4250kg as long as the trailer is below 750

Some of the companies that train do interpret the law incorrectly .I have put one or two right. My words to them is if they cant state the rules correctly why woul;d anybody want to train with you.
£1500 for your trailer test is he on some funny substance maybe????
 
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Ah that's interesting Poshdosh, so it's not just me who has come across these driving instructors. It's hard when you're new to something and want advice but are just shouted at, even though you'd done a hell of a lot of reading on it yourself!!

The £1500 was for 24-48 hours training and the test included. So I guess for the amount of hours it probably isn't a bad price, but WAY more than I wanted to spend. What I was looking for was a couple of hours doing hooking up, unhooking, maneuvering and some basic driving. I'm a confident driver and I've driven lots of different cars, vans and a 7.5 tonne lorry (off road), I would just like someone who knows what they're doing with me to help me move the thing around for the first time!
 
There are two entirely separate sets of regulations. the construction and use regulations and the driver and vehicle licensing regulations. You must comply with both . Under the construction and use regulations an UNBRAKED trailer may be up to 750kg . Over 750kg and up to 3500 kg,OVERRUN BRAKES are permissible.In addition you must operate the vehicle /trailer combination within the manufacturers maximum design weights. Under the DVL regulations,on a B license You may drive a vehicle /trailer combination with a Maximum alowable Mass(MAM ) of up to 3500kg.
 
Mike007 said:
There are two entirely separate sets of regulations. the construction and use regulations and the driver and vehicle licensing regulations. You must comply with both . Under the construction and use regulations an UNBRAKED trailer may be up to 750kg . Over 750kg and up to 3500 kg,OVERRUN BRAKES are permissible.In addition you must operate the vehicle /trailer combination within the manufacturers maximum design weights. Under the DVL regulations,on a B license You may drive a vehicle /trailer combination with a Maximum alowable Mass(MAM ) of up to 3500kg.
Click to expand...

Incorrect you can drive a combination up to 4250kg as long as the trailer braked or unbraked is below 750kg and the towing vehicle is below 3500kg on a B licence
 
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I would like to know the websites of the instructors who stated the 750 limit so I can educate them

Post number 2000 of the HHO TOWING CLINIC below in my signature explains the current laws/rules

If you wish to check whether your proposed vehicle and trailer set up is legal for you then please post on that thread - I have email alert for that thread
 
Thanks, you've already helped me with my proposed set up. I just wanted to get some training and was confronted with that response!

But like you said, and as far as I can see, as long as the combined weight is under 3500 kg and the trailer isn't >85% of the car mass then it is within the law.

Just have to find the car and the trailer... Car shopping is fine, I'm happy with that, but how on earth do you find a trailer second hand (ideally) and who do you get to inspect it etc etc!
 
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