Can I tow my caravan on my licence?

Not bloody simple is it?!

Right I own a 1999 Defender 110 Station wagon TD5 which my research tells me is just under 2000kg (please correct me if that's wrong)
I also own a caravan which is 850kg
Totalling 2850kg (smrt me)

However I have a post 1997 licence which only allows me a class B:
"You can drive vehicles up to 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) with up to 8 passenger seats (with a trailer up to 750kg).

You can also tow heavier trailers if the total weight of vehicle and trailer isn’t more than 3,500kg."

I'm right in thinking I've no problem here right?

Also, if I load up the landy and the van with holiday gubbins, and PC plod stops me for a check, will they just go by the vehicle and van spec plates to judge weights? Or will they make me go to a weigh bridge, and will I get a slapped wrist if the total including contents is more than 3,500kg?

I thought that we could now tow the equivalent of the dry weight of the towing vehicle, or 750kg, whichever is more.

no you cant its the total weight have a look at the dvla.gov.uk web site for mote info

biketeacherdave said:

no you cant its the total weight have a look at the dvla.gov.uk web site for mote info

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Damn, you are right. Bah!

Think you should still be ok towing a caravan

It always used to be done on maximum weights for both tow car and trailer, so it was irrelevant whether the trailer was empty or stacked with bricks. I know they simplified the wording in 2013 with the licensing changes though. It seems to be that as long as the actual combined weight is less than 3500kg, you are good to tow with a category B. Also if the trailer is 750kg or less, you can tow it with a vehicle weighing up to 3500kg.

So in your case, if the caravan weighs 850kg, 3500-850=2650kg which is the maximum weight of the towing vehicle to stay within your license.

Licences issued from 19 January 2013
From 19 January 2013, drivers passing a category B (car and small vehicle) test can tow:

small trailers weighing no more than 750kg
tow a trailer over 750kg as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM)
If you want to tow a trailer weighing more than 750kg, when the combined weight of the towing vehicle and trailer is more than 3,500kg, you’ll have to pass a further test and get B+E entitlement on your licence.

You’ll then be able to tow trailers up to 3,500kg.

Licences held from 1 January 1997
If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can:

drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg
For anything heavier you need to take a category B+E driving test.

Does the number of trailer axles come into it or is it just weight ?

Just weight

And if it's not plated it goes on the tyre max weights

You prob already know this but towing a trailer over 750kg also needs to be braked. Also don't forget any trailer needs to have a brake away cable.

Mcclegend said:

Also don't forget any trailer needs to have a brake away cable.

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Unless it's an unbraked trailer, in which case you don't want the trailer to break away if it comes uncoupled- use a length of chain to keep the two together.

It is a bit stupid really. So I would be better towing with the Freelander than my 90, which is obviously not as suited.

Essentially yes, you can tow a heavier trailer with your freelander. As long as the total train weight isn't over 3500kg.

Still not clear on my part though, is it just the combined listed weights of the truck/van, or the physical weights once they are full with my wife's crap?

I would imagine that it is the physical weights.

You have a fair amount of leeway though, I doubt 2 people, luggage and fluids in the vehicle will add up to 650kg.

It's the Maximum Allowable Mass, not the actual weight. Also bear in mind that there is a maximum weight that the vehicle is allowed to tow - though that won't be a problem with a 90

Oldfogey said:

It's the Maximum Allowable Mass, not the actual weight. Also bear in mind that there is a maximum weight that the vehicle is allowed to tow - though that won't be a problem with a 90

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So what is the difference between MAM and actual weight? Is MAM the on paper weight? If so what happens if you are towing something without a specified weight?

james6546 said:

So what is the difference between MAM and actual weight? Is MAM the on paper weight? If so what happens if you are towing something without a specified weight?

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MAM is the total legal weight that trade (for example) can weigh, so if your caravan is plated at 850 then no matter how much stuff you put in the back you are legally not allowed to make it weigh more than 850 otherwise you would be overloading the caravan so if you decide to put a pallet of bricks in the caravan and get pulled by VOSA or da popo you won't get done for being outside of your driving license conditions, you'll get done for an overloaded caravan. Same works the other way, if a 3.5 ton empty car trailer was towed and its mass at that time was only 800 kg then you would still be outside of your license conditions because the trailer is plated and capable of taking 3500.

james6546 said:

If so what happens if you are towing something without a specified weight?

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then it goes on the max weight the tyres can do, my little box trailer weighs 75kg empty, the tyres are rated to 630kg

as for breakaway etc under 750 you want a chain crossed under the hitch so the trailer cant touch the floor, over 750 and you need a breakaway attached to another point to make the brakes come on, chain is optional I think over 750

Ok, sorry to have stolen someone elses thread, but I think I understand now

here is some extra info and a calculation I did



my passat has an unladen weight of 1.586t

add a 1.4t mam trailer which is less than the unladen cars weight

the car has a mam of 1.950t

makes a mam total of 3.35t so thats under 3.5t

so thats all good to go for an after 97 licence

to add to that vw spec a 1.5t tow limit for the car (remember you cant exceed this limit either)

also the 1.4t mam trailer weighs 350kgs empty so thats 1050kgs of load that can go on it a 106gti is 950kgs