The B+E test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain why most GB car drivers no longer need a B+E test.
• You can say who in Northern Ireland may still need to pass a B+E test.
• You can describe the parts of the Northern Ireland B+E test.
• You can carry out uncoupling and recoupling in a safe, set order.
• You can say which trailer tests still exist in GB for heavier vehicles.

What you need to know and understand

• In GB, car drivers have not needed a separate test to tow a trailer or caravan since autumn 2021.
• GB drivers who passed from 1 January 1997 can tow trailers up to 3,500kg MAM, as long as the combined MAM is no more than 7,000kg.
• In Northern Ireland, drivers who passed their car test from 1 January 1997 may need a B+E test to tow combinations beyond their category B limits.
• The Northern Ireland B+E test lasts about one hour.
• It includes vehicle safety questions, an off-road reverse, a controlled stop, uncoupling and recoupling, and on-road driving.
• Northern Ireland B+E tests are held only at vocational (bus and lorry) test centres.
• In GB, uncoupling and recoupling are still tested in lorry and bus tests with a trailer, as part of the Driver CPC part 3a off-road test.

Great Britain: no separate test for car drivers

The government announced in 2021 that car drivers would no longer need another test to tow a trailer or caravan. If you passed your car test from 1 January 1997, you can now tow a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM, and DVLA adds BE to your photocard when you next renew.

If you want to tow more than your licence allows, you need C1+E. That means a provisional entitlement, the lorry theory test and the C1+E practical test, which includes off-road exercises such as uncoupling and recoupling. Although there is no B+E test, towing training is still strongly recommended.

Northern Ireland: what the DVA test covers

In Northern Ireland, you need the B+E test if your car and trailer go beyond your category B limits. The test is based on the lorry test and lasts about one hour. It is held at vocational centres such as Belfast (Balmoral), Craigavon, Londonderry (Newbuildings), Omagh and Coleraine.

• Vehicle safety questions, a mix of show me and tell me. Each wrong answer is a driving fault, up to four; getting all five wrong is a serious fault.
• An off-road reversing exercise.
• A controlled stop.
• Uncoupling and recoupling the trailer.
• Driving on the road, showing you can handle the combination safely in traffic.

Uncoupling and recoupling in a safe order

Whether for a test or real life, examiners and trainers want to see a safe, logical routine. A typical order for uncoupling is below; recoupling reverses it, finishing with a check that the coupling is locked and all lights work. Always follow the trailer maker's instructions.

1. Park on level ground and secure the car.
2. Apply the trailer's handbrake.
3. Disconnect the electrical plug and the breakaway cable or secondary coupling.
4. Lower the jockey wheel and wind it down to take the weight.
5. Release the coupling and lift the hitch clear of the tow ball.
6. Drive the car forward slowly, away from the trailer.

Common mistakes

• Paying for a GB B+E test that no longer exists for car drivers. Check gov.uk before booking anything.
• Assuming the GB change covers Northern Ireland. Check DVA rules if you live there.
• Releasing the coupling before applying the trailer handbrake. The trailer could roll.
• Forgetting to unplug the electrics or breakaway cable before driving away.
• Skipping training because no test is needed in GB.

Test yourself: The B+E test

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.