New rules for towing a trailer with a car from 16 December 2021

The rules about towing a trailer or caravan with a car changed.

What changed on 16 December 2021

If you passed your car test from 1 January 1997, you’re now allowed to tow trailers up to 3,500kg MAM.

Check your car’s handbook to find out its gross train weight (GTW). This is the total allowable weight of the car plus the trailer plus the load.

DVLA will update your driving licence record to show that you’re allowed to tow trailers. You do not need to contact DVLA for this to happen. It will be done automatically. You’ll get category BE added to your driving licence when you next apply to get a new driving licence.

If you passed your car driving test before 1 January 1997, you are not affected by the change.

Driving a car and trailer for the first time

Although you may no longer have to take a practical test of ability to tow a trailer, would you know what to do?

It’s best to take training from a driving instructor if you want to start driving a car and trailer. The ‘National standards for driving cars and light vans’ tells you what you need to know to tow a trailer or caravan.

Following the National Standards, we will provide you with the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding to keep you safe legal and compliant and how they should be used.

You will learn how to be able to understand when to prepare yourself and the vehicle combination for a journey; what you must be able to do and understand to guide and control the vehicle; what you must be able to do and understand to follow the Highway Code; what you must be able to do and understand to drive safely and responsibly in traffic and what you must be able to do and understand to review your driving, change your behaviour and demonstrate developed skills, knowledge and understanding.

Call us today for more information and to arrange your training.

McPherson Training, here for you.