Can I tow a caravan with a C+E licence?
By
Elaine Knight
In this article, we will answer the following question: Can I tow a caravan with a C+E licence? We will explain what type of licence category you need for towing different caravans.
Can I tow a caravan with a C+E licence?
With a C+E licence, you can tow a caravan with a MAM up to 12000 kgs (or 26 455 lbs). In short, if the set of vehicles that you want to drive consists of a tractor vehicle authorized by the C1 permit + a trailer or semi-trailer of more than 750 kilograms of GVW provided that the set does not exceed 12,000 kilograms, you will need a C+E licence.
If the caravan you are driving weighs less than 750 kg, you can tow it with any licence, except A or A1 (as these are for motorcycles). Please see the table below for more information on what type of licence you need for towing a caravan.
List of licence to tow a trailer
| Type of vehicle | Type of licence needed |
| Vehicle (up to 3500 kg) + a caravan of up to 750 kg Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) | Licence category B |
| Vehicle (up to 3500 kg) + a caravan with a GVM more than 750 kg, without the combination of both vehicles exceeding 4250 kg | Licence category B |
| Vehicle (up to 3500 kg) + a caravan with a GVM more than 750 kg, but both vehicles weigh between 4,250 and 7,000 kg | Licence category B+E |
| Vehicle (3500 kg+) + a caravan with a GVM more than 750kg | Licence category C+E |
| Vehicle (3500 kg+) + a caravan with a GVM more than 750kg, without the set exceeding 12,000 kilograms | Licence category D+E |
| Vehicle of those authorized by permit D1 + a trailer or semi-trailer of more than 750 kilograms of GVW | Licence category D+E |
Please see some examples below:
| MAM of the towing vehicle | MAM of the trailer | MAM of the set | Licence required to drive |
| 3,500 Kg | 750 Kg | 4,250 Kg | B |
| 2,100 Kg | 1,400 Kg | 3,500 Kg | B |
| 2,750 K | 1,500 Kg | 4,250 Kg | B+E |
| 2,300 Kg | 1,400 Kg | 3,700 Kg | B+E |
| 2,350 Kg | 2,000 Kg | 4,350 Kg | B+E |
| 3,700 Kg | 2,000 KG | 5, 700 Kg | C +E |
How to get the C+E licence?
The trailer driving license (B + E, C + E or D + E), like the rest of the driving licenses, will pass a theoretical and a practical exam. The practical exam in this type of permits will be divided into two parts: practical manoeuvring exam and practical driving exam.
In the case of the theoretical exam, the body that manages road policy and access to driving licenses in your state, allows it to be done independently, that is, without a road training school to manage it.
Thus, in this case, the student must prepare independently with the materials available or adapted courses. Once ready, they will pay their exam fees and request an appointment and time to take the test.
Other questions you may be interested in
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Driving licenses to tow a caravan or trailer: explained
This is the license that you will have to obtain depending on the set of vehicles you want to drive:
B permit: If the set of vehicles that we want to drive consists of a tractor vehicle authorized by the B permit + a trailer or semi-trailer of more than 750 kilograms of GVW, provided that the set does not exceed 3,500 kilograms. It is the license that we will use, for example, to drive light caravans.
B + E permit: If the set of vehicles that we want to drive consists of a tractor vehicle authorized by the B + permit, a trailer or semi-trailer of more than 750 kilograms of GVW, provided that the set does not exceed 7000 kilograms.
C + E permit: If the set of vehicles that we want to drive consists of a tractor vehicle authorized by the C1 permit + a trailer or semi-trailer of more than 750 kilograms of GVW provided that the set does not exceed 12,000 kilograms.
D1 + E permit: If the set of vehicles that we want to drive consists of a tractor vehicle authorized by the D1 permit + a trailer or semi-trailer of more than 750 kilograms of GVW provided that the set does not exceed 12,000 kilograms.
D + E permit: If the set of vehicles we want to drive is made up of a tractor vehicle authorized by the D + permit, a trailer or semi-trailer of more than 750 GVW provided that the set does not exceed 12,000 kilograms.
How much weight can I tow if I have a B license?
If we only have a type B driving license, we must bear in mind that we can only drive a tractor vehicle of those authorized by this type of permit and that pulls a trailer with a Maximum Authorized Mass of less than 750 kilograms as long as both are not allowed.
If, on the contrary, we want to tow a trailer of 750 kilograms of MAM or higher with our tourism, we will need the B + E permit that authorizes to tow a trailer of up to 3,500 kilograms of MAM.
How much does it cost to get a category E driving license?
The cost to get a category E on your driving licence will vary according to the city, the driving school, the number of practices that we need, and the vehicle that you are going to drive (B + E, C + E, D + E…).
Does the trailer I tow have to be insured?
Should a trailer be insured? The answer is it depends on your Maximum Authorized Mass. Trailers with a MAM greater than 750 kilograms must be insured and registered on a mandatory basis.
On the other hand, light trailers with a MAM less than 750 kilograms will not need to be registered or insured with specific insurance for them, although it will be advisable to notify the insurance company of the towing vehicle of your intention to tow a light trailer with it so that it is included on your policy.
The bottom line
We hope that this short guide will be of use whenever you have questions like: What type of licence do I need to tow a caravan? Or How much weight I can tow with a B/C+E category licence?
Please let us know if you have any questions or comments on the content, and make sure you visit the FAQs questions, as you will find more useful information there.
FAQ on Can I tow a caravan with a C+E licence?
What is the E licence?
The E category license allows you to drive a vehicle weighing up to 3,500 kg with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg. The only condition is that the sum of the two vehicles’ weight together does not exceed 7,000 kg or less than 4-200 kg.
What weight can a car tow?
Generally, a car shouldn’t tow more than 3,500 kg: if the car is towing a trailer whose maximum authorized mass (MAM) is greater than 750 kg, the maximum permitted trailer + car weight will be 3,500 kg.
What is caravan MAM?
A caravan MAM – Maximum Authorized Mass – is the vehicle’s total weight with the maximum load inside. That is the sum of the payload plus the tare of the caravan.
How much weight can you drive with the B license?
With the B license, you can tow a trailer that does not exceed 750 kg of maximum authorized mass. The set, including the vehicle and the trailer, must not exceed 3,500 kg of maximum authorized mass, which is what the driving license B establishes.
References
- Driving licence to tow a caravan or trailer | nidirect
- What driving licence do I need to tow a caravan or trailer?
- Will I need a special license to tow a travel trailer in FL? – Road Trips …
