Towing a trailer - Licence Help!!

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kelly_s1

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Hi,

I am 23 and passed my test 5 years ago, I phoned the DVLA, they advised I could tow a trailer as long as its doesn't weight more than the vehicle towing it.

My vehicle, Renault Laguna estate weighs 1395.

From the DVLA website
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

I am a bit confused, do I actually need to take a test, 1/2 the people I have asked have said i don't need to take a test, other 1/2 said I do. DVLA said i don't!!

Help please, Thanks.
 
Ok.

The max weight the combined vehicle could be is 3.5t.

AND

The MAM of the trailer must be lower than that weight of the car.

This would mean that the Maximum Authorised Mass of the trailer would need to be lower than 1395. The MAM is the unladen weight of the trailer plus the maximum payload.

Looked in Ifor Williams as an example and the Gross weight (which I believe to be the equivalent of MAM) is 1600kg just for their one horse trailer and goes up to 1900kg for the largest 2 horse trailer.

So yes you would need a licence.

Depending on what horse(s) you are putting in the trailer that the Laguna may struggle with larger horses.

Can go into more detail re MAM etc if I haven't managed to make sense!!
 
Two points to a standard B license:

1) the car MUST be heavier than the trailer

2) the combined weight of the car and trailer MUST be under 3.5tonnes.

So there are some combinations you can pull.

With your car you can legally pull a trailer up to it's own weight, so up to 1395kg. Since your 1395kg car and a 1395kg trailer would still be under the 3.5tonne limit you are legal.

HOWEVER, wheather it's legal or safe for your car (nothing to do with you license) to pull a 1395kg trailer is an entirely different matter.............

To get the most out of a standard B license you really need a 1755kg car pulling a 1745kg trailer (car weights more than trailer, both together just under 3.5t) but that's really pushing your luck and you would need to be very careful about passengers etc, never mind the legallity and safety of it from the car's point fo veiw.
 
As Kalliber says :)

I got confused for ages, but have figured it out.
I could get away with it as the car I would use weighs 1925kg. So that plus my trailer & pony (767 + 450 = 1217kg, [max towing weight of 1500kg]) would be 1925 +1217 = 3.142kg. Making the trailer lighter than the car and the combined weight being under 3.5t. People say it should include the full weight that your trailer can tow but I don't see how that is right?!!

At the end of the day, if you have to sit the test because you passed your driving test after 1997, then I think everyone should have to sit some kind of towing, or 'reversing while towing' test! I've seen so many people that have been driving for years, yet when it comes to reversing they don't seem to be able to understand the whole concept of space, or even how to turn their steering wheel properly. One woman came to our yard for a lesson and blatantly reversed near enough right into a beam because she didn't bother to check or even work out what way her trailer would go before she slammed her car into reverse!
 
It is unfortunatley the 'maximum weight of the trailer' ie Maximum Authorised Mass as opposed to what you are actually carrying.

Same for lorries - I can drive up to 3.5t MAM on my license. Does not mean I can drive a 5t MAM lorry that only happens to weigh 3t as it's got nothing in it.

Same principle applies to trailers and weights.
 
suzi said:
It is unfortunatley the 'maximum weight of the trailer' ie Maximum Authorised Mass as opposed to what you are actually carrying.

Same for lorries - I can drive up to 3.5t MAM on my license. Does not mean I can drive a 5t MAM lorry that only happens to weigh 3t as it's got nothing in it.

Same principle applies to trailers and weights.
Click to expand...

Its so confusing!! but i get it now, so I do need to take a test whatever. When i phoned the dvla, they said i could even on my B licence, bit naughty really.

Thanks for everyone's help :D
 
suzi said:
It is unfortunatley the 'maximum weight of the trailer' ie Maximum Authorised Mass as opposed to what you are actually carrying.

Same for lorries - I can drive up to 3.5t MAM on my license. Does not mean I can drive a 5t MAM lorry that only happens to weigh 3t as it's got nothing in it.

Same principle applies to trailers and weights.
Click to expand...
no because a lorry over 3.5 tons has legal maximum allowable weights shown on a goverment ministy plate which over rules the vehicles design weights, small trailers ( up to 3.500kg ) dont have to be plated and just show the design weights so you would be braking the law to drive a lorry plated higher than the class of your licence regardless of what it weighs at the time..
 
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right so if I had a trailer with a mam of 1400kg although the trailer only ways 695kg and ponio weighs 400 kg what vehicle could I use to tow it legally (and safely) I believe you can get the trailer plate mam reduced any ideas how this is done and cost? Ive been battling with this issue for ages but every person I speak to says something different!

fresh italian coffee and cake for anyone who knows the answers!!!
 
perfect11s said:
no because a lorry over 3.5 tons has legal maximum allowable weights shown on a goverment ministy plate which over rules the vehicles design weights, small trailers ( up to 3.500kg ) dont have to be plated and just show the design weights so you would be braking the law to drive a lorry plated higher than the class of your licence regardless of what it weighs at the time..
Click to expand...

I know - I said that I couldn't drive a 5t lorry yet?! Or am I getting confused?

I know a trailer doesn't have to be plated but the same principles apply when calculating what you can drive / tow. It's the MAM that counts not the actual weight. Though I obviously also couldn't overload a lorry / trailer with low MAM either as the weight would be too much.
 
perfect11s said:
no because a lorry over 3.5 tons has legal maximum allowable weights shown on a goverment ministy plate which over rules the vehicles design weights, small trailers ( up to 3.500kg ) dont have to be plated and just show the design weights so you would be braking the law to drive a lorry plated higher than the class of your licence regardless of what it weighs at the time..
Click to expand...

I agree with you BUT it does say in black and weight the 'MAM of the trailer' which is the maximum allowed mass, so if you are towing 1 pony in an ifor 505 say and have an accident if you don't hold your B+E you really are leaving yourself open for all sorts of problems, your insurance will probably say you were un-insured as you were not licensed to be towing the trailer..... Whether it's right or wrong, it is in black and white, and if you want to try to push it, and get around it etc, then be aware of the possible consequences.........
 
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