LICENCES FOR TOWING A CARAVAN.

[rh010a2370]

Hi There.

I wondering if anyone can help me please, Regarding towing a caravan on the licences law.

I passed my driving test in 1999 and I have just bought a caravan, And after reading a few articles I have discovered that I may have to sit another driving test to allow me to tow my caravan, I read your article on the Legal Issues Of Towing, And the one on Drivers Licence Requirements.

I have a Citroen Xsara Picasso 1.6 HDi 90bhp Exclusive According to the owners hand book the unladen weight is 1300kg plus I have a removable tow bar fitted for which will add about 15killos to the unladen weight of my car, Giving me a total unladen weight for my car 1315kg, The caravan I just bought is a Hobby 460 UFe Now according to the owners handbook for this caravan, The maximum laden weight is 1300kg, Now as the both figures combined don't exceed 3500Kg Plus the caravans laden weight is less than my cars unladen weight, Am I legal to tow this caravan on the licence I hold at the moment.

But when I went to my local DSA Test centre and they said yes I would have to sit the Caravan & Trailer Test and gave me a leaflet that said , If you want to tow a trailer or caravan over 750kg then you will have to sit additional test that was all it said, But when you go to the DSA website it give you more information on it regarding combined weights, This is where I am getting confused.

Can anyone please help me to clear this up.

Thanks.

Robert.

 

[Lutz]

Whatever the leaflet that you have says, it's only half the story. The full list of requirements can be found on this DirectGov website.

 

[rh010a2370]

Whatever the leaflet that you have says, it's only half the story. The full list of requirements can be found on this DirectGov website.

Hi Lutz.

Thanks for the link, It look like I will be ok to drive on the licence I have without sitting another test.

Robert.

 

[Martin_E]

Two other links for you may find useful

http://www.direct.gov.uk/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/TowingAndCommercialVehiclesArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4022521&chk=UotF/k
http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Category.asp?cat=103

 

[Val & Frank]

Came across this when I was looking for information for Karen earlier. It's from the NCC web site.

STATEMENT FROM NATIONAL CARAVAN COUNCIL ON ADOPTION OF EU DIRECTIVE ON DRIVING LICENCES

The trade body for the UK caravan industry, the National Caravan Council (NCC), has broadly welcomed the final proposals just agreed in Brussels for new rules on towing touring caravans, as part of the EU Directive on driving licences. The changes will allow caravanners to tow a caravan up to 3,500kgs on an ordinary (category B) licence, and those with heavier outfits between 3,500 and 4250kgs to be able to tow after either training or testing.

Director General of the NCC, Graham Beacom explained: 'This newly adopted Directive is largely supported by the British and EU caravan industry. With caravan manufacture worth in excess of

 

[rayc]

Trebordee, the statement " I would have to sit the Caravan & Trailer Test and gave me a leaflet that said , If you want to tow a trailer or caravan over 750kg then you will have to sit additional test that was all it said", is incorrect.

In a nutshell:- If you have group B only then you can tow a trailer as long as the car kerbweight is heavier than the trailer max weight and their combined ( train weight) does not exceed 3500kg.

 

[JeremyClarksson]

I think the 750Kg limit applies to unbraked trailers