Category B – DVLA Licensing Regulations
Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM* and with up to 8 passenger seats.
*MAM (Maximum Authorized Mass) means what the vehicle, trailer or combination of both is allowed to weigh when fully laden. Please beware of this as your unladen weight may be below 3500kg but your combination MAM could be over 3500kgs so making it illegal to tow without a B+E license.
Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kg MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) OR a trailer over 750kg MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.
For example:
(i) a vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.25 tonnes could be driven by the holder of a category B entitlement. This is because the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and also the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle.
Whereas
(ii) the same vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes when coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.5 tonnes would fall within category B+E. This is because although the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer is within the 3.5 tonnes MAM limit, the MAM of the trailer is more than the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle.
Vehicle manufacturers normally recommend a maximum weight of trailer appropriate to their vehicle. Details can usually be found in the vehicle’s handbook or obtained from car dealerships. The size of trailer recommended for an average family car with an unladen weight of around 1 tonne would be well within the new category B threshold.
As for towing caravans, existing general guidance recommends that the laden weight of the caravan does not exceed 85% of the unladen weight of the car. In the majority of cases, caravans and small trailers towed by cars should be within the new category B threshold.
Note – An exemption exists that allows a full category B licence holder (other than category B1 or B1 invalid carriages) to drive a vehicle of a class included in category B + E where –
a) the trailer consists of a vehicle which is damaged or defective and is likely to represent a road safety hazard or obstruction to other road users,
b) the vehicle is driven only so far as is reasonably necessary in the circumstances to remove the hazard or obstruction, and
c) he receives no consideration for driving the vehicle.
By passing a category B test National Categories F (agricultural tractor), K (pedestrian controlled vehicle or mowing machine) and P (moped) continue to be added automatically.
Category B+E – Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM towing trailers over 750kg MAM
Category B+E allows vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM to be combined with trailers in excess of 750kg MAM. In order to gain this entitlement new category B licence holders have to pass a further practical test.
For category B+E. There is no category B+E theory test. For driver licensing purposes there are no vehicle/trailer weight ratio limits for category B+E.
These details and all information on this site were correct at time of publication. We can not be held responsible for any changes since the publication. It is everyone’s responsibility who reads the articles on this web site to ensure they are up-to date with the regulations set on the DVLA or DSA websites.