Trailer lessons, B+E test

Let All About Driving help you get your trailer Licence.

The B+E test is conducted at a DVSA large goods vehicle driving test centre with an off road manoeuvring area. 

The test lasts about 90 minutes. A VERY HIGH standard of driving is required to pass this type of test.

At the start of the test you are required to carry out an eye sight test. A few questions relating to the safety and loading of the trailer will then be asked. You then drive the  car and trailer onto the manoeuvring area and complete the reversing exercise accurately and safely.

You will then drive in varying roads and traffic conditions including motorways where possible, complete uphill, downhill, angled starts and demonstrate a high standard of driving throughout.

Back at the test centre you will then unhitch the vehicle from the trailer, you are then required to re-couple the trailer safely.

All About Driving charge £35.00 per hour for training and the use of the Volvo V40 D4 and trailer.

You can use your own vehicle and use the All About  Driving trailer and the charge then goes down to £30.00 per hour.

Can you tow a trailer legally ?

• If you passed your car test before January 1st 1997 you are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM (maximum authorised mass). MAM is the maximum permitted laden weight.

• If you passed your car test after 19th January 1997 you are restricted to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM towing a trailer up to 750 kgs MAM, or a vehicle trailer combination up to 3.5 tonnes MAM providing the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle.

 If you wish to tow a trailer that exceeds these weight limits, you will need to pass an additional driving test to gain B+E licence entitlement.

You can already tow trailers up to 750kg.

You can also tow heavier trailers if combined weight of trailer and vehicle isn’t more than 3,500kg.

If you have the category BE towing with a car entitlement you can tow trailers up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM).

Caravan Owners

If your vehicle and Caravan (and luggage / passengers etc) weigh over 3500kgs then you will need a B+E licence entitlement too.

Consider this example – Land Rover Freelander approx weight 2100kgs + Caravan 1400kgs + 4 people in your car = 3900 kgs

The possible Penalties for Towing Without a Valid Licence - 

•9 Penalty Points (3 For the missing Licence entitlement and 6 for no Insurance – owing to fact you are driving without a licence)
•A Maximum fine of approx £5000

Is it worth the risk?

Even if you believe you are entitled to tow legally our advice is to get some “trailer training” if you have little or no experience, before you consider towing anything. Our “introduction to towing” courses are informative and enjoyable. It will give you the chance to gain some basic skills that you can demonstrate when using your own trailer without the fear of looking stupid.

Trailer lessons covering all of tameside. 

Trailer lessons in Hyde,  Ashton under Lyne,  Stalybridge,  Dukinfield.  All about driving school