New towing laws from autumn 2021
If you need to pull a trailer or caravan it’s important to know what can - and can’t - be towed by law. And things are changing…
Car and trailer tests ceased on September 20th 2021 and the rules determining what you can tow will change this autumn.
What can I tow now?
You might assume it’s straightforward but it comes down to when you passed your driving test.
You are allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to a Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) of 8,250 kg. You can also drive a minibus with a trailer over 750 kg MAM. MAM is the limit on how much the vehicle and trailer can weigh when loaded.
You can currently drive a car or van up to 3,500 kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750 kg MAM - so up to 4,250 kg in total. You can also tow a trailer over 750 kg MAM, as long as it is no more than the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, up to 3,500 kg in total. To tow anything heavier than this, you needed to have passed a car and trailer driving test.
You can currently drive a car or van up to 3,500 kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750 kg MAM - so up to 4,250 kg in total. You can also tow a trailer over 750 kg MAM, as long as the combined MAM of the trailer and the towing vehicle is no more than 3,500 kg. To tow anything heavier than this, you needed to have passed a car and trailer driving test.
What’s changing to the current towing trailing laws?
If your licence was issued before 1st January 1997, you will not be affected by the changes.
If you passed your car driving test from 1 January 1997, you’ll be allowed to tow trailers up to 3,500kg MAM when the law changes.
The DVLA will update your driving licence record to show that you’re allowed to tow trailers and you’ll get category BE added to your driving licence when you get a new photocard driving licence issued. You do not need to contact DVLA; it will be done automatically.
When is it happening?
The Government hasn’t been more precise than stating autumn 2021. You can stay informed on the Government website and e-mail alerts are available to notify you when the changes will be implemented.
What happens if I break the rules?
You can be fined up to £1,000, banned from driving and receive up to six penalty points if you tow anything heavier than your licence allows.
Currently, if your licence was issued from January 1997, you can tow heavier items if you are supervised by someone who is at least 21 years old and has had category BE on their licence for three or more years. You must display 'L' plates.
September has seen a lot of changes to our roads. In fact, not only have we seen an introduction to Clean Air Zones around our cities, but the GB signs we are all familiar with have been changed this month too. As of September 28th, when driving abroad, your vehicle must display a new UK sticker. Read our blog to discover more about this.