towing driving licence help

B

blushin_bex

Beckyand Monty
Feb 20, 2007
125
0
0
South Glos
I think I will need to ring the DVLA to get this answered but thought you guys might know!!

I passed my driving test after 1997 therefore will need to take additional test to tow or drive a lorry. My employer is putting me through my C1 licence and my theory is booked for next week, I had assumed that C1 would allow me to tow but from reading more it seems it only allows me to drive 750 kg(?) which my horse and trailer would prob be over. Do any of you know what test I would need to take to upgrade my C1 and how much it will cost etc? I think I will need a C1 + E s this right?

Many Thanks if you can help!!

Becky
 
C1 + E allows you to drive an articulated lorry and so with your ordinary car licence a car and trailer. C1 only exteds your licence to a rigid lorry under 7.5 tons. We were advised to go for the full C test to drive a rigid lorry of any size as it is the same test and cost as the C1
 
Thats a good link, its all Changed now, I’m glad I passed before 1997.

Good luck with your test and training, it sounds like a very confusing area as I did think you only had to take trailer test, and this was based on the HGV (LGV).
But things change so its best to listen to the pros and not me on this one, lol


Cate Ged said:
Think you will still have to sit the B+E test to allow you to tow a combination mam of more than 3500kg. There are so many different tests to sit to to different things it all gets rather confusing :(

here is a link though under cars with/withouttrailers hope this helps :)

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547
Click to expand...
 
C1+E is not for artics(tractor unit and trailer). The artic cat is C+E.
C1+E would allow you to drive a vehicle i.e Luton box van and trailer up to 750kg (8250kg) as you took your test prior to 1.11997.

If you only wanted to pull a horse trailer then I'd recommend the B+E, that's for car and a trailer. However as you've already got a test booked for the C1 you will be required to sit another test with a trailer to gain your cat C1+E.
But once you have gained that it will automaticaly give you cat B+E (towing a trailer from your car)
 
mudcakes79 said:
C1+E is not for artics(tractor unit and trailer). The artic cat is C+E.
C1+E would allow you to drive a vehicle i.e Luton box van and trailer up to 750kg (8250kg) as you took your test prior to 1.11997.

If you only wanted to pull a horse trailer then I'd recommend the B+E, that's for car and a trailer. However as you've already got a test booked for the C1 you will be required to sit another test with a trailer to gain your cat C1+E.
But once you have gained that it will automaticaly give you cat B+E (towing a trailer from your car)
Click to expand...

Mudcakes is right, my other halfs brother is a driving instructor and mudcakes is a HGV driver as well as an ex driving instructor.
So at least you know you can rely on her for driving tips lol
 
i'm so glad i passed my test yonks ago and don't have to worry about these things, but good luck
 
It's all Greek to me these days! When I took my motorbike test all I did was drive round and around the block and I was followed on foot by the examiner!
 
Nikknakk said:
Isnt it above 21's who can take their towing test? correct me if im wrong! Is it expensive to do?
Click to expand...

Nope it's 18yrs, although there's a restriction on weight due to the OP taking her Cat B prior to early '97.

It's 21yrs for Cat C (Class 2) and above. Although there is a Young Drivers scheme available.
 
karsteine said:
Mudcakes is right, my other halfs brother is a driving instructor and mudcakes is a HGV driver as well as an ex driving instructor.
So at least you know you can rely on her for driving tips lol
Click to expand...

Awwww you make me blush!!:D;)
 
I find this all confusing! So if you pass your test after 1997 to tow a trailer with horses you need to take an additional test when your 21 or over? or have i just missed the point completely? All these letters and things confuse me :)
 
Nikknakk said:
I find this all confusing! So if you pass your test after 1997 to tow a trailer with horses you need to take an additional test when your 21 or over? or have i just missed the point completely? All these letters and things confuse me :)
Click to expand...

No - you have to be 18yrs and over to take the test to tow a trailer or caravan from your car as long as the overall weight doesn't exceed 8250kg.

So in simple terms if you've got your car licence (Cat B) and you want to tow a horse trailer or small caravan then you'd have to take a test.with a car and trailer i.e horse trailer this then upgrades your car license from car + trailer thus this entitles you to Cat B+E.

It is a very confusing thing to get your head round. I'm lucky as I took my first car test just as the dinosaurs died out and when they changed the law whoever already had certain catorgies didn't have to take additional tests it's what we call the, 'Grandfather Rights'. You got your car license and that entitled you to drive up small lorries 750kg and you could even tow and huge caravan. But the DVLA and DSA must have got a bit tight for cash and wiped out that entitlement and now everyone has to pay and sit theories and practical tests to get extra entiltlement on their license which isn't always a bad thing.
 
You need to take the test if the mam of the car that you will be towing from and the maximum la online though to make sure that you are legal.den weight of the trailer is above 3500kg, most caravans pulled by an ordinary car would be below this so would be ok, best to check it out

Category B – Vehicles up to
3.5 tonnes MAM and with up
to 8 passenger seats.
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.

See http://www.dvla.gov.uk/media/pdf/leaflets/inf30.pdf fore more info :)
 
Thankyou very much for replying everyone esp Mudcakes- think I have got it clear now!!

It would have been easiest to take a b+e test to allow me to tow, however I am sitting my C1 Licence so it is best to upgrade this to C1 + E and this will allow me to tow and drive a horse box up to 3500kg? Or is it a smaller weight? I know my C1 Licence is costing work a lot :) and was hoping this would allow me to tow (damn!) do you know how much it will be to upgrade my C1 Licence to C1 + E? And do I have to apply for this licence and medical again etc?

Sorry to be a pain it is so confusing though!!

Becky
 
Subcategory C1+E – Large sized goods vehicles 3.5 – 7.5 tonnes MAM plus trailer over 750kg MAM
Subcategory C1+E allows vehicles to be combined with a trailer over 750kg MAM provided the combination does not exceed 12 tonnes MAM and the laden weight of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle.In order to gain this entitlement category B licence holders have to pass further tests – subcategory C1 (theory and practical) followed by C1+E practical. There is no subcategory C1+E theory test.
It will not be possible to go directly from category B to subcategory C1+E. From sorce quoted in last post.

This is what doing your C1+E will allow you to drive, you will not need another medical or another theory test (I think) but you will need to sit your C1 first then sit your C1 +E, not sure of the costs, I know it costs between 750-1200 to sit your class 1 or 2 HGV (each) however I don't think that is as much as that for the C1+E test more like 500-650? ish do a search for training companies in your area.

Good luck with it all :)
 
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