Driving licensing requirements for towing trailers
- Car licences held before 1 January 1997
- Large goods vehicle and passenger carrying vehicle licences held before 1 January 1997
- Car driving licence first obtained since 1 January 1997
- Upgrading entitlement for trailers
- Provisional trailer entitlement
- Construction and use
- Further information
The category entitlement on your driving licence will determine the type of trailer you can tow.
Maximum authorised mass (MAM)
In this article reference is made to the maximum authorised mass (MAM) of vehicles and trailers. This should be taken to mean the permissible maximum weight, also known as the gross vehicle weight.
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Car licences held before 1 January 1997
All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. They also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM.
Drivers who hold subcategory C1+E - limited to 8.25 tonnes MAM, may apply for provisional entitlement to the new subcategory C1+E, in order to take and pass the test which will increase their combined vehicle and trailer entitlement to 12 tonnes MAM. It is not necessary to gain subcategory C1 entitlement first but drivers have to meet higher medical standards, and pass both the category C theory test and the subcategory C1+E practical test.
Large goods vehicle and passenger carrying vehicle licences held before 1 January 1997
Since 1 January 1997 all drivers who hold category C or D entitlement have been limited to trailers up to 750kgs MAM; Category C+E or D+E must be held in order to tow trailers in excess of this.
Car driving licence first obtained since 1 January 1997
Drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 are required to pass an additional driving test in order to gain entitlement to all larger vehicles. In addition to the new driving tests, drivers of vehicles, which fall within subcategories C1, C1+E, D1 and D1+E also have to meet higher medical standards.
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Subcategory C1: Medium sized goods vehicles 3.5 - 7.5 tonnes MAM
Subcategory C1 vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM allowing a combination of up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. But unlike category B, the 750kgs MAM trailer weight limit is an absolute limit.
In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to meet higher medical standards and pass both theory and practical tests for subcategory C1.
Subcategory C1+E: Medium sized goods vehicles 3.5 - 7.5 tonnes MAM plus trailer over 750kgs MAM
Subcategory C1+E allows vehicles to be combined with a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the combination does not exceed 12 tonnes MAM and the laden weight of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle.
In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to pass further tests - subcategory C1 (theory and practical) followed by C1+E practical. There is no subcategory C1+E theory test. It will not be possible to go directly from category B to subcategory C1+E.
Note - Because EC Regulations limit drivers aged under 21 years to driving vehicles or combinations which weigh no more than 7.5 tonnes MAM, drivers under the age of 21 are not allowed to drive subcategory C1+E vehicles up to 12 tonnes MAM. But 18 year old drivers are allowed to take a test for subcategory C1+E which will allow trailers in excess of 750kgs MAM to be towed.
Entitlement is limited to a combination weight of 7.5 tonnes MAM until the driver reaches 21 years, at which time the balance of 12 tonnes MAM entitlement automatically becomes effective.
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Subcategory D1: Passenger carrying vehicles 9 - 16 passenger seats
Subcategory D1 vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM. There is no upper weight limit for subcategory D1 vehicles.
In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to meet higher medical standards and pass both theory and practical tests for subcategory D1.
Subcategory D1+E: Passenger carrying vehicles 9-16 passenger seats with a trailer above 750kgs MAM
Subcategory D1+E vehicles may be combined with trailers over 750kgs provided the combination does not exceed 12 tonnes MAM and the laden weight of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle. The trailer must not be used for the carriage of passengers.
In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to pass further tests - subcategory D1 (theory and practical) followed by D1+E practical. There is no subcategory D1+E theory test. It is not possible to go directly from category B to subcategory D1+E.
Category C: Large goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes MAM
Category C vehicles may be combined with trailers up to 750kgs MAM. The national limits will apply for upper weight limit threshold for category C vehicles.
In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to pass theory and practical tests for category C. (It is not necessary to gain subcategory C1 entitlement first.)
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Category C+E: Large goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes MAM towing trailer over 750kgs MAM
Category C+E vehicles may be combined with a trailer over 750kgs MAM. The national limits apply to the upper weight limit for category C+E vehicles. In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to pass further tests - category C (theory and practical) followed by C+E practical. There is no category C+E theory test. (It is not necessary to gain subcategory C1 or C1+E entitlement first).
Category D: Passenger carrying vehicle with more than 8 seats
Category D vehicles may be combined with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM. The national limits apply to the upper weight limit for category D vehicles.
In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to pass theory and practical tests for category D. (It is not necessary to gain subcategory D1 entitlement first).
Category D+E: Passenger carrying vehicle with more than 8 seats with trailer over 750kgs MAM
Category D+E vehicles may be combined with a trailer over 750kgs MAM. The national limits apply to the upper weight limit for category D+E.
In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to pass further tests - category D (theory and practical) followed by D+E practical. There is no category D+E theory test. (It is not necessary to gain subcategory D1 or D1+E entitlement first).
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Upgrading entitlement for trailers
In general, an additional driving test is required for each category or subcategory of entitlement. But there are certain exceptions to this where drivers have already passed one test which involves trailer entitlement for a larger or equivalent sized vehicle.
This means that passing a test for subcategory C1+E or D1+E upgrades category B entitlement to B+E.
A test pass for subcategory C1+E upgrades subcategory D1, if held, to D1+E. But a test pass for subcategory D1+E does not upgrade subcategory C1 to C1+E because the trailer size required for a subcategory D1+E test is smaller than that required for a subcategory C1+E test.
Passing a test for category C+E upgrades category B entitlement to B+E and also confers entitlement to subcategory C1 and C1+E and, if category D or subcategory D1 is held, these are upgraded to category D+E or subcategory D1+E.
A test passed for category D+E upgrades category B and subcategory D1 to category B+E and subcategory D1+E respectively. But it does not upgrade category C or subcategory C1 entitlements because the trailer size required for a category D+E test is smaller than that required for a category C+E or subcategory C1+E test.
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Provisional trailer entitlement
Since 1 January 1997 drivers are no longer able to sit a test in a heavy vehicle/trailer combination (eg category C+E or D+E) unless they have first passed a test and obtained a full licence in the corresponding rigid vehicle (eg category C or D).
This means that although drivers may have been driving a vehicle and trailer combination legitimately, under “L” plates, they are not permitted to sit a trailer test using such a combination until a test has been passed in a rigid vehicle and a full licence obtained for that category.
Further information on driving tests or minimum test vehicle requirements may be obtained from:
Driving Standards Agency (DSA) The Axis Building, 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 6LP |
General Enquiries please ring 0115 936 6666 To book a theory or practical test ring 0300 200 1122, or go online at http://www.direct.gov.uk |
The information in this article is not intended to be a definitive statement of law.
Construction and use
For details on the construction and use requirements regarding weights and dimensions for trailers please contact:
Transport, Technology and Standards Department for Transport, Zone 2/01, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR |
Email: tts.enquiries@dft.gsi.gov.uk |
Further information
For further information on towing trailers and caravans, please see Towing a caravan or trailer.
Page last updated: 15/05/2008