just been told you need a trailer licence to tow a car on a trailer looking on my driving licence have -- A B B1 does any one know the facts on this ?

On a standard licence you can tow a trailer not exceeding a combined weight of 3.5tons but the trailer must not exceed the Weight of the towing vehicle iirc

a combined weight of 3.5tons if that the trailer and the car on the trailer is that rite ? so the tow car need to weight more that the trailer and the car on the trailer is that rite ?

or its the 3.5 ton the tow car the trailer and the car on the trailer

Example tow car is 1.5 ton, and the trailer weight and contents cannot exceed 1.4999 ton is how I interperated it.

i see so the 3500kg is the total weight of all 3 items 2 cars and trailer in my case.

Copied from dvla

Licences held from 1 January 1997

If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can:

 

drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM

tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg

For anything heavier you need to take a category B+E driving test.

Licences held before 1 January 1997

If you passed your car test before 1 January 1997 you are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM.

 

This is the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it’s being used on the road.

 

You also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kg MAM.

if i fit a tow bar to my car. my car plus the trailer plus the z i well over 3500kg so thats out the window, fooks sake,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It's shit isn't it. I was tempted to do the test but it's bloody expensive!

very shit paying to send the car they want £170 each way and that was cash to

What's hilarious is because you happened to pass your test after a certain date you can't tow, or are very restricted. If you passed before that date you can. This doesn't take into account anything other than this. Which means just because your older regardless of wether you've towed a thing in your life you can just hitch up the moon and pull it...I do agree with the tow law because there's so many idiots out there that shouldn't be towing but I think it should apply to everyone not just people who happen to have passed their test after X date.

Whats crazy is I drive 45' buses all day long, fully loaded they can weigh up to over 20 tonnes, but I cant tow over 3.5 tonnes! (I should also point out that the law says the trailer cant be more than 750kg) Its a pain in the arse, hiring a beavertail helps, but even then a 2 ton beavertail only leave room for a 1.5 ton car, so if you are wanting to stick a merc or bmw on the back, odds are you will be over the maximum 3.5 tons.

 

A lot of people dont realise this and the majority of people you see driving down the road in their huge range rover pulling a twin axel caravan are over their license limits. The police (more specifically VOSA/DVSA) are very strict on it because you are driving without the correct license, you wouldnt jump in a HGV on a car license and go for a drive, so why would tow over your allowed weight? If you have to bring a car home that you have just bought, its safer for your license to drive it home with no MOT or TAX than it is to tow it (if it would be over the 3.5 tons), its a crazy world...

Yeah that's right isn't. Even with a HGV liecense you still need a separate tow liecense for your car. Craziness.

very daft the way its worked out.

i tow bar for mt car fitted is £550 :thumbdown: cant win here

Have you tried getting any quotes for transport from Shiply or anywhere like that?

 

If you've established that you can't legally tow it there, getting someone else to transport it seems to be your only viable option...

ist all coming in about £170 each way so thats £340 plus the cost of the job just adds up to much :thumbdown:

Have you tried this website? http://www.anyvan.com/ there is a 'Cars and Vehicle' section where you post your requirements and people bid for the job...the initial price is often quite high...but tends to come right down over time.

 

I used them to collect my Z from Gateshead and deliver to SE London

Look for a Beavertail rental place.

It cost me £90 to hire one for 24 hrs. Plus diesel on top.

That was for a 500 mile round trip to collect my Zed.

how about....http://www.hodgsonrentals.co.uk/page5.html

I've got a number for a tow guy, will dig it out for u. He was cheap when I used him last year.

Choice van hire do them. Ive hired one for tomorrow for 24 hours for £89.90 plus diesel. not comfy, but they do the job!