Trailer or caravan towing entitlement

This is a question that catches a lot of people out, and the answer depends on when you passed your driving test.

Drivers who passed their car test before 19 January 2013:

If you passed your Category B (car) test before 19 January 2013, you will generally have Category B+E on your licence. This means you can drive a car and trailer combination with a combined maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 8,250 kg. In practice, this covers the vast majority of car and caravan or car and trailer combinations without any additional test or qualification.

Drivers who passed their car test on or after 19 January 2013:

If you passed your test on or after that date, you can drive a car and trailer combination, but only where the combined MAM of the car and trailer does not exceed 3,500 kg. This is quite restrictive and may rule out many larger caravans or heavily loaded trailers when combined with the weight of the car.

However, there was an important change on 16 December 2021. From that date, the separate B+E trailer test was abolished. Drivers who passed their Category B test on or after 19 January 2013 were automatically granted the right to tow trailers up to 3,500 kg MAM, meaning the total combined MAM of the car and trailer can now be up to 7,000 kg (3,500 kg for the car plus 3,500 kg for the trailer). In practice, this change means most drivers can now tow a standard caravan or trailer without taking an additional test.

To be precise about what the post-December 2021 position allows: if you hold a Category B licence, you may now tow a trailer where the trailer has a MAM of up to 3,500 kg, provided the combined MAM does not exceed 7,000 kg. This is recorded as Category BE on your licence and should appear automatically when you check your driving record online through the DVLA.

What to check:

1. Look at the categories shown on your photocard licence or check your driving record online at the DVLA website.
2. Check the MAM of your car, which is shown on the vehicle's plate (usually in the door frame or engine bay) and in the V5C registration certificate.
3. Check the MAM of the trailer or caravan, which will be on its plate or in its documentation.
4. Add the two MAM figures together to confirm you are within the permitted combined weight.

Practical points:

Even if your licence permits towing, you must ensure that your car's own towing limit (set by the manufacturer) is not exceeded. The manufacturer's towing limit and the legal weight limits are separate requirements, and you must comply with both.

You should also be aware that there are different rules for Northern Ireland and for driving abroad. Some EU countries may not recognise the UK's automatic BE entitlement for licences issued after the 2021 change, so if you plan to tow a caravan or trailer in Europe, it is worth checking the specific requirements of the country you are visiting before you travel.

If you need to tow something heavier than these limits allow, you would need to look at a Category C1 or C1+E licence, which involves a separate medical and test process.