Towing in the United Kingdom

Size

Towing a vehicle under 3500kg Gwt

Maximum length (excluding coupling and drawbar)                7 metres

Maximum width                                                               2.3 metres

Weight

Check the manufacturers recommended towing limit for your vehicle.  This should be in the handbook and on the VIN plate on the chasis. 

Trailers have a manufacture’s recommended pay load,  trailers that have a gross weight allowance of over 750kg must be braked.  Check your load doesn’t exceed the trailers specification.

Loading

Your load must be securely tied down. 

Lighting for Trailers

Trailers rear lighting must have two red sidelights, two red stop lights, a numberplate light, two triangular red reflectors and amber indicators which flash between 60 and 120 times per minute.   Wide trailers (exceeding 1.3m wide) must have one fog lamp.  Front reflectors are required for trailers less than 1.6m wide and front position lights for trailers wider than 1.6m.

Number Plates

Trailers are required to have legal number-plates manufactured by a licensed number-plate manufacturer.

Trailer Brake Requirements

Trailers should be fitted with 50mm ball coupling to ISO and BSI standards.

Unbraked trailers must have a secondary coupling which is fitted when being towed.  The coupling will be tight enough to hold the ball coupling hitting the ground if it becomes uncoupled.

Braked trailers must be fitted with hydraulically damped coupling and auto reverse brakes to give braking efficiencies required by EEC Directive 71/320.   All wheels must be braked.

Braked trailers must be fitted with a parking brake that operates on at least two road wheels on the same axle.

An emergency breakaway cable must be fitted to the parking brake linkage and the other end clipped or fixed round some fixture on the towing vehicle so that, in the event of the trailer becoming detached from the towing vehicle, the cable will apply the parking brake automatically, before snapping itself. It is not recommended to loop the cable round the towball. (But do so if there is no alternative attachment point.) It is a separate offence not to use the breakaway cable provided.

Speed

The maximum speed limit for trailers is 60mph on motorways and dual carriageways, otherwise 50mph unless a lower road speed limit is in operation.   Trailers are not permitted in the outside lane of Motorways.

Drivers Licence

Holders of driving licences issued before July 1996 and providing that they have Group A or if after 1990, category B, are entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to a maximum train weight of 8.25 tons.

However holders of car licences issued after July 1996 will only be able to drive a vehicle and trailer combination of up to 3500kg assuming that the trailer and its load are lighter than the towing vehicle.  ie. a 2000kg vehicle with a 1500kg trailer.  To tow a larger trailer wighing up to 3500kg a B + E licence must be obtained.

Tachograph

If you are towing for commercial reasons and the combined potential weight of your vehicle and your trailer exceeds 3500kg you should have a tachograph fitted to your vehicle.

Towing vehicle

Having ensured that the towing vehicle is suitable size for the trailer, ensure that the towing bracket is of an approved type and is properly secured.  A 50mm diameter towing ball is mormally required to British Standard BS AU113L 1979 or ISO Standard 1103, this will have a flat top which is stamped ISO 50.

If the towing jaw is used it must comply with the requirements of BS AU 24 1964

The vehicle coupling must be at a height which will permit the trailer to stand level when on level ground and the towing vehicle should be fitted with a standard 7 pin electrical socket type 12N wired standard as follows: