All drivers who passed their car test before 1st January 1997 are entitled to tow trailers until their licence expires, & generally this means they are allowed to drive a vehicle & trailer combination of up to 8.25 tonnes MAM & also a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM (Check DVLA INFO30 for more details).
Did you take your test on or after 1st January 1997?
Is the combined (car & trailer) MAM greater than 3.5 tonnes
(3500kg)?
Does the MAM of the trailer exceed the unladen
weight of the towing vehicle?
If so, you may be illegal or you may be required to take & pass an additional towing test (B + E) in order to tow large trailers. Category B vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM & with up to 8 passenger seats may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) OR a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, & the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.
Towing Vehicle..”Kerb Weight”
The weight of the towing vehicle unladen, in running order (“EC Kerb weight” includes weight of driver, assumed at 75kgs).
Trailer..Maximum Technically Permissable Laden Mass (MTPLM), Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM), Maximum Authorised Weight (MAW)
MAM (also known as Gross Laden Weight or GLW) of the trailer is the design weight of the trailer & its load, shown on the manufacturer’s plate on the trailer. Exceeding this & towing it on a public road is an offence.
Car plus Trailer..Gross Train Weight (GTW)
Maximum weight of the laden car + laden trailer, shown on the Vin plate on the car. Exceeding this is an offence.
Plated Weight
MAM, & sometimes GTW, should be shown on the manufacturer’s plate fitted to the vehicle.
Noseweight
The weight applied down on the vehicle tow coupling by the caravan or trailer. For maximum towing stability the noseweight should be about 7% of the MAM of the caravan/trailer.
Towing any caravan or trailer so that the train weight exceeds the GTW for the vehicle is illegal.
Confused! Don’t be! We are here to help &
advise. Contact us to discuss your
own particular circumstances.
Vehicle Weights Explained
Block Bookings
All drivers who passed their car test before 1st January 1997 are entitled to tow trailers until their licence expires, & generally this means they are allowed to drive a vehicle & trailer combination of up to 8.25 tonnes MAM & also a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM (Check DVLA INFO30 for more details).
Did you take your test on or after 1st January 1997?
Is the combined (car & trailer) MAM greater than 3.5 tonnes (3500kg)?
Does the MAM of the trailer exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle?
If so, you may be illegal or you may be required to take & pass an additional towing test (B + E) in order to tow large trailers. Category B vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM & with up to 8 passenger seats may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) OR a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, & the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.
Towing Vehicle..”Kerb Weight”
The weight of the towing vehicle unladen, in running order (“EC Kerb weight” includes weight of driver, assumed at 75kgs).
Trailer..Maximum Technically Permissable Laden Mass (MTPLM), Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM), Maximum Authorised Weight (MAW)
MAM (also known as Gross Laden Weight or GLW) of the trailer is the design weight of the trailer & its load, shown on the manufacturer’s plate on the trailer. Exceeding this & towing it on a public road is an offence.
Car plus Trailer..Gross Train Weight (GTW)
Maximum weight of the laden car + laden trailer, shown on the Vin plate on the car. Exceeding this is an offence.
Plated Weight
MAM, & sometimes GTW, should be shown on the manufacturer’s plate fitted to the vehicle.
Noseweight
The weight applied down on the vehicle tow coupling by the caravan or trailer. For maximum towing stability the noseweight should be about 7% of the MAM of the caravan/trailer.
Towing any caravan or trailer so that the train weight exceeds the GTW for the vehicle is illegal.
Confused! Don’t be! We are here to help & advise. Contact us to discuss your own particular circumstances.