Rich_P Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I've got a basic query (I hope!). Am I right in thinking that a trailer licence is required to hire any trailer over 750kg that is also braked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Depends when you got your license. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Humphreys Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 For you Rich yes due to when you passed your test. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciderman Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Dont take this as gospel or the truth ( i hate givin bum info on legals) But If you passed your test before Jan 97 you can tow up to the train weight permitted by the vehicle and not to exceed 3.5 t trailer weight , After Jan 97 only upto 750 kgs .You will have to add "E" entitlement on your licence for anything larger Someone hopefully will clarify the facts on here ,Failing that I still have the books somewhere from when I did my CPC but that was ages ago and any updates may of changed by now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 If you are going to hire a trailer, please hire it from a proper trailer centre and not from a general tool hire place. Ensure that the trailer is properly serviced. Once had to go rescue someone who had hired one from a general tool place and the list of things wrong with it, non working lights, brakes, wheels out of alignment etc etc. Basically trailer was not roadworthy. Regards Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 The information given is correct as far as I know........I am currently looking for a cost efficient way of sorting this issue for myself. Having to spend over £500 to get the entitlement isn't sounding too promising at the moment!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 The full rules are here, the definitions for MAM etc are here So, for example, with a standard 90 PU of 2400 KG MAM/Gross, you could tow a trailer of 1100 plated MAM to bring the train MAM to 3500 Kg. Of course that'd require finding a trailer that was plated to 1100 and not a kilo more! On the other hand, a HD 110 is already at 3500 Kg MAM, but you could still tow a 750Kg trailer (and no more) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 To hire one they will almost certainly require B+E (or higher) entitlement - to tow a trailer you dont actually need it as explained above. I regually legally tow a trailer more than 750kg because train weight is less than 3.5T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Dont take this as gospel or the truth ( i hate givin bum info on legals) But If you passed your test before Jan 97 you can tow up to the train weight permitted by the vehicle and not to exceed 3.5 t trailer weight , After Jan 97 only upto 750 kgs .You will have to add "E" entitlement on your licence for anything larger Someone hopefully will clarify the facts on here ,Failing that I still have the books somewhere from when I did my CPC but that was ages ago and any updates may of changed by now . Not sure about the actual regs but this was the situation when I and a lot of other tried to renew our licenses. The license came back without the entitlement to tow a trailer over 750Kg the sneaky buggers had removed in the hope that no one would notice. We had to register a complaint that the entitlement had be removed in order to get it reinstated. Long winded way of saying that just because your license should include the entitlement check as it may not any more! Marc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciderman Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Heres another link to have a look at , http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/law/driving_licences.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Interesting. If your towing vehicle weighs 3.5t then you can have a GTW of 4.25t. If your towing vehicle weighs less then 3.5t then your GTW is only 3.5t. Bit of a problem if your towing vehicle weighs a just a little less then 3.5t, you would struggle to find a trailer small enough to still be legal and have any use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 You can always tow a 750kg trailer, you don't need to go any smaller than that. I admit, it's not great, but it's a start! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_P Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 So judging by what I've seen on the links given earlier, I want to make sure I've got this right. I can tow a 750kg trailer under any conditions, however... If the vehicle's maximum authorised mass is lets say 1,900 kg and has an unladen weight of 1,400 kg, does this mean that I could legally tow a trailer up to 1,400 kg if I lacked the trailer licence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Yes, the 'combined MAM of 3500 Kg' part of the rule means 3500-1900 = 1600Kg And the 'trailer MAM does not exceed unladen mass' brings that 1600 down to 1400 Kg. That's the MAM of the trailer though, so you can't tow an empty car transporter, for example. Least that's how i understand it, i wish it was different! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J@mes Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 As I understand - A vehicle up to 3500KG MAM can tow a trailer of up to 750KG MAM A vehicle can tow any trailer provided the MAM of the trailer is LOWER than the UNLADEN weight of the towing vehicle and both when loaded (so thats the vehicle actual weight, weight of passengers, tools, equipment etc, the trailer weight and the weight of the trailer load) come under 3500KG. remember that if you get caught over weight or outside of the limits, you do not have the correct license to drive and therefore have no insurance! ONE way to get around this legally is to have someone who has had the B+E license for more than three years or someone who passed their test before Jan 1997 to sit beside you while you tow, and have L plates on - its what I did when I had to tow a car transporter with my other car on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Of course the big question is why did they change it, what makes them (the government) think that someone who past their test post 1997 is less capable than someone who passed before. I can think of a lot of people without the entitlement who can tow a lot better and a lot safer than those who have it. It wouldnt be so bad if it wasnt so bloody expensive to get the test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J@mes Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Something to do with europe at a guess! I will be taking my test this year hopefully, but you are right - it is expensive, the courses seem to be around £750! I didn't pay that much to learn to drive in the first place FFS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Of course the big question is why did they change it, what makes them (the government) think that someone who past their test post 1997 is less capable than someone who passed before. I can think of a lot of people without the entitlement who can tow a lot better and a lot safer than those who have it. It wouldnt be so bad if it wasnt so bloody expensive to get the test. Most likely guess, two letters E and U Marc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Of course the big question is why did they change it, what makes them (the government) think that someone who past their test post 1997 is less capable than someone who passed before. I can think of a lot of people without the entitlement who can tow a lot better and a lot safer than those who have it. It wouldnt be so bad if it wasnt so bloody expensive to get the test. How much does it cost to get the test, as a matter of interest? Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I think it’s around £200 ish My mate and Wife need to do it.....we have had quotes for a bit less but not much its in a Freelander towing a little box trailer. I only notice after my wife renewed her licence to her married name that she had been towing the 22' caravan to LR shows, in her freelander illegally opps! I was normally towing the car trailer as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McS Junior Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 It gets cheaper if you can supply the tow car and trailer (which must be over 750kg MAM). Best tip I can offer is to get the trailer with the greatest distance between the drawbar and the wheels possible - it makes the reversing serials of the test sooo much simpler. Dont get a stupid little plant trailer that flicks round and jacknifes if you look at it wrong. Ross Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Good Advice Ross my trailer has the above short coming and is a git to reverse. As Rich Cidermans Co-driver for trailer towing tips etc if memory serves me right he is a dab hand at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Not sure about the actual regs but this was the situation when I and a lot of other tried to renew our licenses.The license came back without the entitlement to tow a trailer over 750Kg the sneaky buggers had removed in the hope that no one would notice. We had to register a complaint that the entitlement had be removed in order to get it reinstated. Long winded way of saying that just because your license should include the entitlement check as it may not any more! Marc. I'm off to check mine - had the address changed just recently. Of course the big question is why did they change it, what makes them (the government) think that someone who past their test post 1997 is less capable than someone who passed before. I can think of a lot of people without the entitlement who can tow a lot better and a lot safer than those who have it. It wouldnt be so bad if it wasnt so bloody expensive to get the test. Hmm - towing a large trailer is a lot different to anything I recall being taught or tested on to get my license. You may know people who tow well, but how much stupid, dangerous towing have you seen? On the whole, it's probably a good idea (but I'm still off to check my license...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Still have my entitlement - I guess because they didn't need to change the photo card Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 So the code for the entitlement for a L/r to tow say another L/R is "BE"? I have on my licence: A,B,BE,B1,C1,C1E,D1,D1E,F,K,L.N.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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