Photo: Helena Jankovičová Kováčová / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
Since 16 December 2021, anyone in Great Britain who has passed a car (category B) test can tow a trailer or caravan up to 3,500 kg maximum authorised mass (MAM) without taking a separate car and trailer test. So the test you are preparing for now is the only one most drivers will ever need to tow. That makes the towing rules worth learning properly: they come up in theory test questions on vehicle loading and speed limits, and you will be expected to know them the day you pass. This guide covers what a car test pass lets you tow, the weights, the towing speed limits and the Highway Code rules.
Key facts to remember
- Car test passed from 1 January 1997: you can tow a trailer up to 3,500 kg MAM (category BE). No extra test since 16 December 2021.
- Car test passed before 1 January 1997: you can usually drive a vehicle and trailer with a combined MAM of up to 8,250 kg.
- BE not on your photocard? DVLA updates your record automatically and adds BE to the card when you next renew.
- Towing speed limits: 50 mph on single carriageways, 60 mph on dual carriageways and motorways (Rule 124).
- Motorways with three or more lanes: do not use the right-hand lane when towing.
What your car test pass lets you tow
| When you passed your car test | What you can tow |
|---|---|
| Before 1 January 1997 | Usually a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250 kg MAM (shown as C1E (107) on the licence). Also a minibus with a trailer over 750 kg. |
| On or after 1 January 1997 | Category BE: a car up to 3,500 kg MAM with a trailer up to 3,500 kg MAM. You gained this automatically from 16 December 2021. |
| Need more? | Combinations heavier than your licence allows need a further test, category C1+E: a provisional licence, the lorry theory test and the C1+E driving test. That covers combinations up to 12,000 kg MAM. |
GOV.UK’s licence categories page now describes this as part of category B: a trailer up to 3,500 kg MAM, with the combined MAM of car and trailer not over 7,000 kg. More on categories: UK driving licence categories.
Northern Ireland: a separate test may still apply
The 2021 change applies in Great Britain. nidirect still describes a separate B+E test for drivers in Northern Ireland. Check the current rules with DVA before towing on an NI licence.
Weights you need to understand: MAM and train weight
- MAM (maximum authorised mass): the most a vehicle or trailer can weigh when fully loaded. It is in the owner’s manual and usually on a plate or sticker on the vehicle or trailer.
- Gross train weight: the most the fully loaded car and fully loaded trailer can weigh together. It is in the handbook or on the VIN plate (often under the bonnet or inside the driver’s door).
- If the VIN plate gives no train weight, the car should not be used for towing.
- Do not exceed the car maker’s recommended towing weight, even if your licence would allow more.
Trailer size limits
| Limit | Figure (towing vehicle up to 3,500 kg MAM) |
|---|---|
| Maximum trailer width | 2.55 metres |
| Maximum trailer length | 7 metres, not counting the A-frame |
Towing speed limits (Rule 124): a common theory test topic
| Road | Car alone | Car towing a caravan or trailer |
|---|---|---|
| Built-up area (England and Scotland) | 30 mph | 30 mph |
| Built-up area (Wales) | 20 mph | 20 mph |
| Single carriageway | 60 mph | 50 mph |
| Dual carriageway | 70 mph | 60 mph |
| Motorway | 70 mph | 60 mph |
These are maximums where no lower limit is signed. Learn both columns: questions about the lower limits for vehicles towing trailers are a classic theory test trap.
Loading and checks before you set off (Rule 98)
- Do not tow more than your licence allows.
- Check the car and trailer are roadworthy, including tyres, trailer brakes and trailer lights.
- Do not overload. Spread the load evenly, with heavy items over the axles and a downward load on the tow ball, to reduce swaying.
- Secure the load so nothing sticks out dangerously.
- Fit towing mirrors if the trailer or load is wider than the car or blocks your view behind.
- Fit a secondary coupling, such as a safety chain.
- Adjust your headlights if the load changes their aim.
Towing on the road after you pass
- Stopping distances can increase significantly. Leave more space.
- On a motorway with three or more lanes, do not use the right-hand lane.
- If the trailer starts to snake or swerve, ease off the accelerator and slow down gently. Do not brake harshly.
- Towing a broken-down car on a rope is potentially dangerous. Rule 98 suggests a solid tow bar or professional recovery instead, and warns that a towed vehicle takes longer to build up speed when rejoining the road.
- Check weight, width and length limit signs on your route: see less common UK road signs.
Training is not compulsory for car and trailer, but GOV.UK points to providers through the Safe Towing Scheme, the National Register of LGV Instructors and Skills for Logistics.
Common questions
Do I need a B+E test to tow a caravan?
Not in Great Britain since 16 December 2021. If you have passed your car test, you can tow a trailer up to 3,500 kg MAM.
Why is BE not on my licence?
DVLA updated driving records automatically. The BE category will appear on your photocard when you next renew it.
What is the speed limit when towing on a motorway?
60 mph, and you must not use the right-hand lane of a motorway with three or more lanes.
Can I tow with any car?
Only if the car is rated to tow. If the VIN plate shows no train weight, the car should not tow, and you must stay within the maker’s towing limits.
Is towing part of the car practical test?
No. The car practical test does not include towing, and no separate car and trailer test is needed in Great Britain since 16 December 2021. The rules can still come up in the theory test.
Can learner drivers tow a trailer?
GOV.UK’s towing pages describe what full licence holders can tow and do not set out a learner entitlement. Check with DVLA before a learner tows anything.
Does towing affect my insurance?
Ask your insurer before you tow. See car insurance after passing.
Looking for lessons or an instructor? Our sister site Compare Driving Instructors covers lesson prices and choosing an instructor.
Related: UK speed limits and vehicle loading (theory test). Back to the main guide: Learning to Drive in Great Britain.
Sources
- GOV.UK, “Towing with a car: What you can tow” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Towing with a car: Towing weight and width limits” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “New rules for towing a trailer or caravan with a car from 16 December 2021” (gov.uk)
- DVLA, “INF30: Requirements for towing trailers in Great Britain” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Driving licence categories” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Speed limits” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Rules for drivers and motorcyclists (89 to 102)” and “General rules, techniques and advice for all drivers and riders (103 to 158)” (gov.uk)
- nidirect, “Driving licence to tow a caravan or trailer” (nidirect.gov.uk)