You can tow trailers up to a certain weight with your car driving licence. The weight you’re allowed to tow depends on when you got your licence.

You’ll need to know the weight of both the vehicle and trailer - also known as the ‘maximum authorised mass’ (MAM).

The MAM is listed in the owner’s manual and is normally shown on a plate or sticker fitted to the vehicle or trailer.

You can usually drive a vehicle and trailer with a combined weight of up to 8,250kg MAM. View your driving licence information to check.

You’re also allowed to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kg MAM.

You can tow a trailer that weighs up to 3,500kg MAM.

To tow combinations that are heavier than what’s allowed by your current licence, you need to:

1. Apply for a provisional licence for a medium-sized lorry and trailer (category C1+E).
2. Pass the lorry theory test.
3. Pass the C1+E driving test.

You need to take extra Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) tests if driving the medium-sized lorry is the main part of your job.

Once you’ve done this you can drive vehicles and trailers with a combined weight of up to 12,000kg MAM.

Most cars have a maximum weight they can tow. It’s usually listed in the handbook or specification sheet.

Alternatively the vehicle’s ‘gross train weight’ may be listed on the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate on the car. This is normally under the bonnet or inside the driver’s door.

The gross train weight is the weight of the fully-loaded car plus fully-loaded trailer and must not be exceeded.

If your VIN plate doesn’t list a train weight, you should not use your vehicle for towing.

Width and Length

The maximum trailer width for any towing vehicle is 2.55 metres.

The maximum length for a trailer towed by a vehicle weighing up to  3,500kg is 7 metres. This length does not include the A-frame.

The equipment you use with your trailer or caravan must:

• meet certain safety standards
• be used correctly

You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for using a vehicle in a dangerous condition.

Carry out safety checks to make sure you’re using the trailer and equipment legally.

If you get a tow bar for your car, it needs to be ‘type approved’. This means it meets EU regulations and is designed for your car. 

Type-approved tow bars have a label with:

• an approval number
• details of the vehicles it’s approved for

Go-Tow Ltd only supply and fit Type approved Towbars.

If your car was first used before 1 August 1998, your tow bar doesn’t need to be type-approved.

Towing mirrors

You must have an adequate view of the road behind you.

Fit suitable towing mirrors if your trailer or caravan is wider than the rear of your car.

You can be fined up to £1,000 and get 3 penalty points for towing without proper towing mirrors.

Trailer or caravan brakes

Your trailer must have a working brake system if it weighs over 750kg when it’s loaded.

Some smaller trailers also have brakes, but these are optional.

Any brakes must be in good working order.

You must use a breakaway cable or secondary coupling in case the trailer becomes detached from your car.

Number plates

You must display the same number plate on your trailer as on your towing car.

If you tow more than one trailer at a time, fix the number plate to the trailer at the back.

This article and all the information herein is taken directly from the gov.uk website, This information is not our interpretation, and is intended to deliver clear and legal information, this information is correct at the time of  uploading 04-01-2022 and should be checked for any updates by visiting the gov.uk website.