UK towing rules for caravan owners
In Great Britain, drivers who got their car licence from 1 January 1997 can tow a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM under category BE entitlement. The 3,500kg figure is not a blanket car-plus-caravan combined limit. You must also stay within the tow vehicle's plated towing limit and Gross Train Weight.
Official source
Licence rules can change. RoamWorthy checks this page against GOV.UK and distinguishes licence entitlement from the vehicle manufacturer's physical towing limits.
GOV.UK: What you can tow1. Driving licence entitlement
If you got your car licence from 1 January 1997, GOV.UK says you can tow a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM. This is category BE entitlement. You must also stay within the tow vehicle manufacturer’s towing limit and Gross Train Weight (GTW).
If you got your car licence before 1 January 1997, you can usually drive a vehicle-and-trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM. Check your individual driving licence record because entitlements can vary.
The separate car-and-trailer (B+E) test was removed in Great Britain in December 2021. Do not tell readers they need to take a B+E trailer test under the current Great Britain rules. Northern Ireland has separate guidance, so drivers there should check current nidirect rules.
2. The three vehicle-weight checks that still apply
Braked towing capacity: never exceed the maximum trailer weight approved for the exact car, engine and gearbox.
Gross Train Weight: the actual loaded car plus actual loaded trailer must stay within the GTW shown on the vehicle plate.
Caravan MTPLM: the caravan itself must not exceed its plated maximum laden mass.
3. The 85% guideline
The 85% guideline compares caravan MTPLM with tow-car kerbweight. It is a conservative stability guideline rather than a legal limit. A legal outfit can still be an uncomfortable or poor match, which is why RoamWorthy shows both legal limits and the 85% ratio.
Example: a car with a 1,600kg kerbweight gives an 85% guideline figure of 1,360kg. That does not replace the car's braked towing limit or GTW.
4. What to check before buying
- Check your driving licence record and trailer entitlement.
- Check the exact car's braked towing limit and GTW.
- Use the caravan's MTPLM, not its empty weight.
- Check noseweight and axle limits as well as headline towing capacity.
- Use the 85% ratio as a stability guide, especially if you are new to towing.
UK towing rules: common questions
If you got your car licence from 1 January 1997, GOV.
UK says you can tow a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM. This is category BE entitlement. You must also stay within the tow vehicle manufacturer’s towing limit and Gross Train Weight (GTW). If you got your car licence before 1 January 1997, you can usually drive a vehicle-and-trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM. Check your individual driving licence record because entitlements can vary.
For most current UK car licences, the trailer itself can be up to 3,500kg MAM; 3,500kg is not a blanket combined car-plus-trailer limit.
The vehicle’s own MAM, braked towing limit and Gross Train Weight still apply.
If you got your car licence from 1 January 1997, GOV.
UK says you can tow a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM. This is category BE entitlement. You must also stay within the tow vehicle manufacturer’s towing limit and Gross Train Weight (GTW). If you got your car licence before 1 January 1997, you can usually drive a vehicle-and-trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM. Check your individual driving licence record because entitlements can vary.
No.
The 85% rule is a stability guideline, not a legal towing limit. You must still stay within the tow vehicle manufacturer's braked towing limit, Gross Train Weight and the caravan's plated MTPLM.
Gross Train Weight (GTW) is the maximum permitted total weight of the tow vehicle and trailer together.
It is set by the vehicle manufacturer and shown on the vehicle's VIN plate.
For a car towing a caravan or trailer in Great Britain, the maximum is normally 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual carriageways and motorways, subject to lower posted limits.