- Jun 20, 2005
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Check if you need to register a trailer before towing it abroad
You must register all trailers over 750kg to drive to or through most countries in Europe.
Latest HMG Bulletin on towing
- Thread starter Dustydog
- Start date
- Nov 16, 2015
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So only NONE commercial trailers over 3500 kg need to be registered.
- Nov 11, 2009
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This new bulletin doesn't distinguish between commercial and leisure trailers - so as worded any caravan over 750 kg needs to be registered to travel on mainland europe.
- Nov 16, 2015
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- Jun 16, 2020
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I agree. Looking at industry bulletins it only affects commercial. So this is either a new idea, a badly worded revision, or an elaborate hoax.
John
But does the new bulletin supercede that information?
As so often happens, the .gov website isn't always unambiguous.
There's a thread on another caravan forum with reference to UK caravanners being fined by German police because the 750-3500 exemption for non-commercial trailers only applies to EU registered vehicles.
.gov information means nothing to German police!
Last edited:
- Mar 14, 2005
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I concur with RogerL. As written the web pages do not differentiate between commercial and none commercial trailers, and it specifically relates to trailer over 750kg MAM. This page is dated as 25 August 2025, so it may supersede the document Hutch has copied, but as that does not show a date we cant know how recent it is.
Since Brexit there have been a number of changes to the requirements' for traveling abroad, and perhaps this is another that now applies as we're no longer a member of the EU.
The other important factor to consider is the doc Dusty has pointed to is on the Gov't Web site and some of us know that the content on the pages have been previously inaccurate. These pages are not the basis of UK law, they are over simplified interpretations of the law by civil servants, and they can lose important details when précising the actual documentation.
In one case concerning trailers if the web pages had been followed to the letter, the driver would have been driving illegally!
Since Brexit there have been a number of changes to the requirements' for traveling abroad, and perhaps this is another that now applies as we're no longer a member of the EU.
The other important factor to consider is the doc Dusty has pointed to is on the Gov't Web site and some of us know that the content on the pages have been previously inaccurate. These pages are not the basis of UK law, they are over simplified interpretations of the law by civil servants, and they can lose important details when précising the actual documentation.
In one case concerning trailers if the web pages had been followed to the letter, the driver would have been driving illegally!
- Nov 11, 2009
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You can register a caravan if you so wish. Just follow the links from the master page. Methinks much ado about nothing. French police can be rigorous so why only German police doing anything.
- Feb 13, 2024
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It was probably drafted by the same Whitehall Warrior who gave a last minute concession to US bio ethanol in the recent trade talks. Thought it would be good for the UK drinks industry. 🙈
- Nov 11, 2009
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Various changes to trailer regulations have been being introduced since 2019 for overseas towing. It would have been useful if this latest document had a short note wrt to trailers under 3500kg for non commercial use, then the link to the reference that you have provided INF 291.
I suspect the mention of German police fining someone was solely a mix up in the post Brexit heat. Be nice to know when it occurred. Or could it be on a par with gaseous anaesthetic being used by burglars🙈
- Jun 20, 2005
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You beat me Hutch.
The HMG Edict I posted was issued today. It says “all” trailers as highlighted by Roger.
Your paper is , as you say, much earlier. Presumably todays edict supercedes all previous.
Didn’t the Prof say a while back we shouldn’t trust HMG edicts😉😜
Shambles comes to mind🙀
The HMG Edict I posted was issued today. It says “all” trailers as highlighted by Roger.
Your paper is , as you say, much earlier. Presumably todays edict supercedes all previous.
Didn’t the Prof say a while back we shouldn’t trust HMG edicts😉😜
Shambles comes to mind🙀
- Mar 14, 2005
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No I haven't suggested that. Though good sense suggest it might be wise to question the words uttered or published by Government on every occasion!
I have on several occasions had reason to doubt the accuracy of the detail (or lack of ) on the Gov't website where very complex legal jargon has been "over simplified" by the website mandarins and in the process it has distorted the intent and effect of the underlying legislation.
I just followed the link to the gov.uk online process for 'register your trailer'. Happily, after progressing through a few questions about my trailer it returned with:
"You only have to create a trailer account to register non-commercial trailers that weigh over 3,500kg in gross weight.
You can still create a trailer account if you want to".
Not sure why you would want to do it if not needed. (Unless to satisfy potentially over-zealous German police....?)
"You only have to create a trailer account to register non-commercial trailers that weigh over 3,500kg in gross weight.
You can still create a trailer account if you want to".
Not sure why you would want to do it if not needed. (Unless to satisfy potentially over-zealous German police....?)
- Jun 16, 2020
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