Do you have a licence to tow a Caravan or Trailer legally?
If you passed your car driving test (cat B licence) prior to 1st January 1997 you will also have the entitlement to tow a trailer (cat E licence) automatically added to your licence, this means you can tow a trailer without having to take a cat E test.
If you passed your cat B test (car) on or after the 1st January 1997 then to tow a trailer LEGALLY you will have to take the trailer test (cat E)... (see Facts below).
A lot of people today do not realise that they have to take a test to tow a trailer, if you go and buy a caravan today the company that sells you that caravan is under no liability to inform you of your legal responsibility to have a licence to tow.
Facts:
Only drivers with full driving licences are allowed to tow trailers, provisional B category licence holders are not allowed to tow.
Licences issued to drivers who passed their car driving test before 1st January 1997 include categories B+E and C1+E. This gives them the entitlement to drive vehicles having a MAM of up to 7500kg and to tow a trailer, providing that the combined MAM of the the towing vehicle and the trailer does not exceed 8250kg and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle.
Drivers who passed their test on or after 1st January 1997 have category B entitlement only. This restrictes their entitlement to motor vehicles with a MAM of up to 3500kg, having not more than 8 passenger seats, with trailers having a MAM of up to 750kg. A trailer having a MAM over 750kg may be towed provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle and the combined MAM does not exceed 3500kg.If such drivers wish to tow trailers which causes these limits to be exceeded, they have to pass an additional test to show that they can competently handle a trailer.
Passing the B+E test entitles drivers to tow trailers having a MAM in excess of 750kg with vehicles having a MAM up to 3500kg
The car and trailer test (B+E) is based on the lorry driving test and lasts for approximately 1 hour.
Be aware:
Towing a trailer without the relevant licence will;
(1) Invalidate your Insurance for both your car and the trailer.
(2) Lead to a prosecution of up to (9) points on your licence.
(3) Give you a fine of up to £1000.00.
PRICES:
- 1 Hour lesson £30.00
- 5 Hour lesson £140.00
- Next 5 Hours £135.00
- Next 5 Hours £130.00
- Next 5 Hours £125.00
If you require further tuition after 20 hours the price structure goes back to either 1 hour lessons or the first block of 5 at £140.00.
Tuition will be carried out in Clearway vehicles and trailers for insurance purposes. Trailer test fee = £117.00