Towing and the Law

Driving licence requirements
This area is quite complicated but one thing is clear: you must have a full driving licence to be able to tow. Towing (anything) on a provisional licence is forbidden.

Licence gained before 1 January 1997
If you gained your driving licence before 1 January 1997, you are entitled to drive any vehicle and trailer combination up to 8250kg total weight, of which the towing vehicle’s maximum weight must not exceed 7500kg. When you reach 70 years of age you will need to take the D4 medical test if you wish to drive a vehicle above 3500kg in weight. If you lose your licence through disqualification then, on its return, you will be treated as though you gained it post 1 January 1997. (See below)

Licence gained after 1 January 1997
If you gained your licence on or after 1 January 1997, you are restricted to driving or towing with a car (or light commercial vehicle) with a maximum weight of 3500kg. Note this is not the actual weight as loaded, but the vehicle’s maximum allowable weight, or gross vehicle weight, as set by the manufacturers – you will find this in your car’s handbook. With such a vehicle you can tow a trailer up to just 750kg (making a total train weight of 4250kg).

Clearly this rules out most UK caravans but fortunately there is an alternative provision that allows you to tow an outfit not exceeding 3500kg total weight, provided that the maximum permissible weight of the trailer does not exceed that of the towcar. . This covers many of the outfits in our Club but some of the larger ones comfortably exceed it. For example a Land Rover Discovery Td5 tips the scales at 2150kg, so coupling this to a Conqueror 650LUX (MTPLM 1770kg) gives a train weight of 3920kg.

Post-1997 drivers wishing drive an outfit exceeding 3500kg, will need to take a further driving test. The simplest is a ‘B+E’ test which then affords the same rights as the pre-1997 car driver. The test is based on the large goods vehicle (LGV) driving test and is conducted at LGV driving test centres. The test lasts for approximately one hour. Professional tuition is highly advisable but not essential. You can get some idea of what’s involved by visiting the Motoring section of the Government website at www.directgov.co.uk

Outfit matching
The Caravan Club’s advice is that a caravan should weigh no more than 85% of the tow car’s kerbweight. Experienced tow-car drivers may take this to 100% but definitely no more. This is sound advice as exceeding the 100% figure will make the outfit tend towards instability, especially at higher speeds.

Police forces take a dim view of caravans which are heavier than their tow-cars and of course if you gained your driving licence since 1st January 1997, and do not have the B+E endorsements, then to tow a caravan heavier than your towcar is an offence. For other drivers the police use the vehicle manufacturer’s towing limit as their guide. Some vehicles have towing limits in excess of their kerbweight and a few have towing limits significantly less (some less than 85%) so do check before you commit yourself to an outfit.

The towing limit can normally be found in the vehicle’s handbook and on the the chassis VIN plate. The information may be presented in one of two ways. The clearest is when the plate gives the towing limits for both braked and unbraked trailers. Alternatively the car’s Gross Train Weight (GTW) may be given. This is the combination of the car’s Maximum Permitted weight (MPW), sometimes called Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), and the trailer’s Gross Trailer Weight (GTW). To get the towing limit simply deduct the MPW from the GTW. Your caravan’s weight can normally be found on a plate near the entrance door or alternatively in the handbook or service book.

Noseweight
By law this has to be a minimum of 4% of the trailer’s weight or at least 25kg, whichever is the higher. The Caravan Club suggest towing with a noseweight of 7% of the trailer’s weight; provided this does not exceed the maximums specified by the towcar and towbar manufacturers.

Tyres
Tyres must be capable of carrying the gross load of the trailer and have a tread depth of no less than 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre and around the entire circumference.

Passengers
It is illegal (as well as potentially dangerous) to carry passengers in a caravan. Pets may be carried but this is not recommended.

Speed limits
In the UK towed outfits may travel at up to 50 mph on single carriageway roads and up to 60 mph on dual carriageways and motorways. Towed outfits are not permitted in the outside lane of a three or more lane motorway unless other lanes are closed.

Road lights
The back of a caravan must be fitted with two red sidelights, two red stop lamps, an illuminated number plate and two triangular red reflectors plus amber indicators designed to flash between 60 and 120 times per minute. All caravans built after Sept 30th 1990 must have front reflectors and front position lights.

Carriage of gas cylinders
Gas cylinders may be carried on the caravan provided they are switched off at the valve on the cylinder and adequately secured. The trailer must carry an appropriate warning label to alert people to the fact that compressed/ flammable gases are carried.

Parking Caravans may not be parked: • anywhere that may cause an obstruction • at night on a road without lights all round • at a parking meter • unless securely braked or chocked to prevent movement Also some local authorities ban caravans from parking bays so check first if you can.

Number plates
All caravans must carry a rear number plate, illuminated at night and matching that of the towing vehicle.

Where a dedicated attachment point is provided on the towbar, it must be used. Ideally the cable should be passed through the attachment point and clipped back on itself. (Fig1). Make sure that the cable has enough slack to ensure that it will not be pulled tight when negotiating tight bends. The clip should not be directly attached to the attachment point, unless this is specifically permitted by the trailer manufacturer. This is because the clip may not be strong enough for use in this way. (Fig2) Where no designated attachment point has been provided on the towbar the cable may be looped around the neck of the towball. Use a single loop only. See Figs. 3 and 4. Where the towball is detachable guidance should be sought from the towball manufacturer, or supplier, before looping the cable around the neck of the towball.

Size limitations
Cars and 4x4’s can tow a trailer up to a maximum of 7 metres (23ft) long. This length excludes the ‘A’ frame. The maximum width of the trailer should not be more than 2.3 metres (7ft 6½in). Trailers larger than this have to have at least 4 wheels and be towed by a commercial vehicle with a GVW of at least 3,500kg (3½ tons). Some of the larger Continental caravans fall into this category.

MOT tests
Caravans do not currently have to undergo an MOT test. Nevertheless, it is important to get your caravan serviced regularly in order to ensure that it is fully roadworthy and safe to occupy. Indeed many caravan insurers stipulate that the caravan must have an annual service carried out by a competent person.

TV licences
TV’s used in caravans are covered by the owner's domestic licence provided the van is occupied by someone from the address to which the licence applies.

Towing mirrors
The law requires that, whilst driving, you should have an adequate view to the rear and along both sides of your trailer. For most of us this means fitting additional mirrors. Those mirrors should be ‘E-marked’ to show that they conform to EU regulations and must not project more than 20cm (8”) beyond the sides of the van unless your tow-car was registered after 26th Jan 2007. In this latter case the mirrors may project up to 25cm (nearly 10”).

Smoking whilst driving
Although not specifically related to towing it is worth noting that smoking whilst driving is now officially recognised as being a distraction in the Highway Code. This means it will be considered as a potentially contributing cause in possible ‘driving without due care and attention’ cases. Other distractions include eating and drinking and trying to read maps. Doing any of these things whilst towing will, of course, only add to their potential seriousness.

Caravans at home
If you are allowed to store a caravan on your land at home you may use it as an extra bedroom to accommodate non-paying guests. Also friends can bring their caravan to your house and stay in it provided they use your household facilities, e.g. kitchen or bathroom. There is no legally defined limit on the number of caravans that can be stationed in gardens before planning permission is required. However, if so many caravans were stationed in the garden of a house that they ceased to be incidental to the principal use of that land, the local planning authority could require a planning application, or take enforcement action against the unauthorised change of land use.


Definitions

Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) or Maximum Technically Permissible Mass (MTPLM) This is the EC term for the technically permissible maximum (or total) weight based on the construction and carrying capacity of a vehicle or trailer chassis, axles, coupling, suspension and tyres.

Kerb Weight has two definitions. The old one is the basic operational unladen weight of the towing vehicle including a full tank of fuel. The new one, which most manufacturers are now following, follows European Directive 95/48/EC which specifies the kerb weight as a car in ready to drive condition with the fuel tank 90% full, a driver on board weighing 68 kg and luggage of 7 kg

Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) is the total weight of the trailer (or towing vehicle) and load.

Gross Train Weight (GTW) is the maximum allowable combined weight (combined MAM) of the towing vehicle and trailer as set by the towing vehicle manufacture.

 

Useful linls

Driving tests passed before 1 January 1997 - Government website

The driving licence you need to tow a caravan or trailer - Government website

Renewing your driving licence at 70 plus - Government website

Requirements for towing trailers in Great Britain - DVLA leaflet

Drivers licence in a nutshell - Caravan Club leaflet

How to fill in your driving licence renewal form - DVLA leaflet

 

Footnote
If you renew your driving licence for any reason be sure to keep a copy of the old one before sending it to the DVLA. It seems that some licences are being re-issued with entitlements missing, especially where the renewal is done online.

We are aware of at least one driver who had to renew his licence on reaching his 70th birthday and found that the new licence specified category ‘B’ only and not ‘B+E’ as he had previously. This meant that, when towing, he was restricted to a maximum train weight (car + trailer) of 3500kg. This weight can easily be exceeded with a 4x4 and medium to large caravan. To make matters worse the DVLA destroys the previous record on renewal so, without proof, it can be difficult to get your old entitlement back. You may have to pass a further driving test. Beware that if you drive beyond the entitlement of your licence you will probably invalidate your insurance.