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Towing caravans in Ireland

  • 16-08-2009 5:37pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12


    Hi,
    What are the requirements for towing caravans in Ireland?
    Minimum age, license requirements, insurance etc!


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,075 ✭✭✭db


    So long as the car + caravan do not exceed 3,500KG you normal driving license will be ok. If you are over that you need a towing license. Normal car insurance should cover you but check with your ins. co. to be sure. Make sure the car is big enough for the caravan.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12 JGKyne


    Cheers, db


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,806 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    db wrote: »
    So long as the car + caravan do not exceed 3,500KG you normal driving license will be ok. If you are over that you need a towing license. Normal car insurance should cover you but check with your ins. co. to be sure. Make sure the car is big enough for the caravan.

    Do caravans require a 3rd party insurance policy of their own now? I know HGV trailers and some large car trailers do.

    You cannot exceed 80km/h when towing. And as db says make sure the tow vehicle is rated to tow the caravan. It's also advisable to buy mirror extenders if the caravan blocks your normal wing mirrors.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,233 ✭✭✭TigerTim


    Just watch the combined weight. My brother has been towing a caravan for 20 years but this year he got some hassle from the Gardai as they reckoned his Nissan Jeep & caravan were over 3500kg. He got away with it but on weighing it himself later, it turns out that he is over weight. Will now need to do the test to get the "over 3500kg towing" bit.

    T.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 brian..


    A caravan is classed as a trailer so as long as the weight of the trailer is no more than 750kg fully ladened a b license is the correct license.

    90% of caravan owner's are unknownly towing illegaly.If you intend to tow a trailer of anykind you have to by law tell your ins. co. some will charge a small amount extra some will not charge.


    The 85% rule that being your van should be within 85% of your towcar weight ie; car = 1000kg van= 850kg.

    catorgry B full licence can tow a trailer:ie:caravan,horsebox. that is no more than 750kg .
    for bigger you will have to do a driving test for a different cat.



    Trailers

    Cars and trailers


    If you hold a Full category B licence, you may tow a trailer only if:
    • the design gross vehicle weight of the trailer is 750kg or less, or
    • the unladen (empty) weight of your towing vehicle is at least the same as the trailer's design gross vehicle weight, and the combined design gross vehicle weight of the vehicle and trailer is no more than 3,500kg.
    When using a car to tow a heavier trailer, you must hold a category EB licence.
    Heavier vehicles and trailers

    You must hold a Category EC, EC1, ED or ED1 Licence if you want to tow a heavier trailer. These are the licences that entitle you to drive the combinations of the towing vehicles and the trailer (see page 12).
    this is the link of which info comes from. http://www.rotr.ie/your-licence-and-vehicle/driving-licences-and-vehicle-categories/provisional-driving-licence.html#trailers


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,075 ✭✭✭db


    brian.. wrote: »
    A caravan is classed as a trailer so as long as the weight of the trailer is no more than 750kg fully ladened a b license is the correct license.

    90% of caravan owner's are unknownly towing illegaly.If you intend to tow a trailer of anykind you have to by law tell your ins. co. some will charge a small amount extra some will not charge.


    The 85% rule that being your van should be within 85% of your towcar weight ie; car = 1000kg van= 850kg.

    catorgry B full licence can tow a trailer:ie:caravan,horsebox. that is no more than 750kg .
    for bigger you will have to do a driving test for a different cat.



    Trailers

    Cars and trailers


    If you hold a Full category B licence, you may tow a trailer only if:
    • the design gross vehicle weight of the trailer is 750kg or less, or
    • the unladen (empty) weight of your towing vehicle is at least the same as the trailer's design gross vehicle weight, and the combined design gross vehicle weight of the vehicle and trailer is no more than 3,500kg.
    When using a car to tow a heavier trailer, you must hold a category EB licence.
    Heavier vehicles and trailers

    You must hold a Category EC, EC1, ED or ED1 Licence if you want to tow a heavier trailer. These are the licences that entitle you to drive the combinations of the towing vehicles and the trailer (see page 12).
    this is the link of which info comes from. http://www.rotr.ie/your-licence-and-vehicle/driving-licences-and-vehicle-categories/provisional-driving-licence.html#trailers

    Brian, The key word above is or. The maximum trailer weight you can tow is 1750kg if your tow vehicle is exactly 1750kg. As the weight of the tow vehicle increases, the maximum allowed weight of the trailer decreases to a maximum combined weight of 3500kg. In my case, the weight of my tow vehicle is 1900kg and my caravan max weight is 1420kg so this is a legal combination.

    The 85% rule is only a recommendation by the caravan clubs in the UK as a guideline for maintaining a stable outfit. It is worth keeping in mind when choosing a caravan or tow vehicle.

    I had a long discussion about this with the RSA who confirmed my interpretation of the regulations.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19 ekwi


    Do I need a category EB licence to tow a horsebox with horse in it, ie. does that mean I am over the 750kg trailer limit?
    If I do need the licence, how do I go about it because I have asked in two separate licencing offices who were highly confused when I asked them about towing licences and procedures etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 337 ✭✭Betsy Og


    ekwi wrote: »
    Do I need a category EB licence to tow a horsebox with horse in it, ie. does that mean I am over the 750kg trailer limit?
    If I do need the licence, how do I go about it because I have asked in two separate licencing offices who were highly confused when I asked them about towing licences and procedures etc.

    there was a big discussion on this on the iccc.ie forum (public access forum) a few months back. "EB licence & towing legalities"

    I've had my EB provisional with a few months so will apply for the text soon (6 months wait). Also needed to do theory test as hadnt been one when I got my full licence 15 years ago - tis all a bit cumbersome/nonsensical but better safe than sorry.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    db wrote: »
    Brian, The key word above is or. The maximum trailer weight you can tow is 1750kg if your tow vehicle is exactly 1750kg. As the weight of the tow vehicle increases, the maximum allowed weight of the trailer decreases to a maximum combined weight of 3500kg. In my case, the weight of my tow vehicle is 1900kg and my caravan max weight is 1420kg so this is a legal combination.

    The 85% rule is only a recommendation by the caravan clubs in the UK as a guideline for maintaining a stable outfit. It is worth keeping in mind when choosing a caravan or tow vehicle.

    I had a long discussion about this with the RSA who confirmed my interpretation of the regulations.

    ekwi and others,

    The answer is in db's reply to brian's post in which he (brian) did not taken into account the 'or' word


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,075 ✭✭✭db


    This is just my interpretation having read the regulation as posted by Brian above and discussed it in detail with a person from the licensing section of the RSA. It is up to each tow-car driver to establish themselves whether they have the correct license.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    db wrote: »
    This is just my interpretation having read the regulation as posted by Brian above and discussed it in detail with a person from the licensing section of the RSA. It is up to each tow-car driver to establish themselves whether they have the correct license.

    You're right, it's plain english.

    See HERE for the definitive position from an organisation which knows what it is talking about.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,075 ✭✭✭db


    niloc1951 wrote: »
    You're right, it's plain english.

    See HERE for the definitive position from an organisation which knows what it is talking about.

    Very straightforward and sensible isn't it? Unfortunately that is for the UK.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    db wrote: »
    Very straightforward and sensible isn't it? Unfortunately that is for the UK.

    And also the RoI and the rest of the EU.
    Remember good ould harmonisation, we're all in the same boat on this one.
    As you said yourself, in reference to trailers/caravans over 750kg, those with a simple B licence are governed by the second option in the regulation following the 'or'.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 macarthur


    Does anyone know if these are the same as the UK ie, for a caravan over 7 metres long, the towing vehicle must have a gvw in excess of 3.5tonnes?

    Regards


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    macarthur wrote: »
    Does anyone know if these are the same as the UK ie, for a caravan over 7 metres long, the towing vehicle must have a gvw in excess of 3.5tonnes?Regards

    Maybe, but I think it's a bit irrelevant because all the manufacturers of caravans for the leisure industry keep their products within the 7 meter max length, which btw is excluding the tow bar (A frame).
    So the regulation, if there is one here, should not come into play unless you get a 'showman's' caravan, see below ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 macarthur


    Thanks Niloc 1951 but I don't think that's quite accurate - the bigger German manufactured caravans are longer than 7metres, excluding the drawbar, and it's one of these monsters I'm after!

    Regards


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    Maybe it's only a UK regulation but if it were me I would check with those who should know (RSA, Dept of Transport) here before buying.

    I have seen lots of large German caravans behind white vans ;) and large SUV's during my travels, but never seen them towed by HGV's (>3,500kg) so perhaps as I said it's only a UK thing.
    Or maybe, the ones I saw were all </= 7m long.

    BTW remember that whatever its size, the weight must not exceed that of the towing vehicle.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,739 ✭✭✭oceanman


    Betsy Og wrote: »
    there was a big discussion on this on the iccc.ie forum (public access forum) a few months back. "EB licence & towing legalities"

    I've had my EB provisional with a few months so will apply for the text soon (6 months wait). Also needed to do theory test as hadnt been one when I got my full licence 15 years ago - tis all a bit cumbersome/nonsensical but better safe than sorry.
    its a bit more than that, its a money making racket!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭Vote 4 Pedro


    You need the "EB" on your Drivers license if you want to tow a twin axle Caravan, Trailer, Horse box etc. regardless of the weight.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    You need the "EB" on your Drivers license if you want to tow a twin axle Caravan, Trailer, Horse box etc. regardless of the weight.

    I can find no reference to above in any legislative documents, would appreciate it if you would post a link to the source of your info.

    I did however see somewhere a while back that a 4X4 or HGV (vehicle > 3,500kg GVW) is, or will be, required to tow a multi-axle trailer but I have been unable to find any legal references to it.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭Vote 4 Pedro


    niloc1951 wrote: »
    I can find no reference to above in any legislative documents, would appreciate it if you would post a link to the source of your info.

    I did however see somewhere a while back that a 4X4 or HGV (vehicle > 3,500kg GVW) is, or will be, required to tow a multi-axle trailer but I have been unable to find any legal references to it.

    I had a problem with this because i had a UK license and when exchanging it for a Irish license i got it back without the "EB" on it.
    So i asked the licensing office in the town hall about towing a trailer and they informed me that i was not entitled to tow a twin axel trailer, I had "EB" on my UK license but i had no proof of this because the license had been sent back to the UK by the people in the licensing office so i went to the gards to ask and they informed me in no uncertain terms that i would have to retake my test with a twin axel trailer,
    and pass the test before i was legally allowed to tow my trailer.
    I have been towing for years and i was furious about the situation so i appealed to the town hall about it and after some time and many visits i got them to confirm with the DVLC in the UK that i was indeed qualified to tow my twin axel trailer.
    During this couple of weeks i talked to the Gards in Mill street Galway about it on three different occasions (to talk to different gards) all they all told me the same thing. To tow a twin axel trailer you need "EB" on your license.
    I was very happy to get it all sorted as it's very expensive to take the compulsory lessons and then the test.
    I found it very difficult to find any details online but having been through all this i'm sure about it unless all the gards and the people in the licensing office are wrong.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    .................. i'm sure about it unless all the gards and the people in the licensing office are wrong.

    fortunately, this is not beyond the bounds of possibility. Reference roadworthiness testing and speed limit debacle for motor caravans.


  • Registered Users Posts: 688 ✭✭✭bugsntinas


    I had a problem with this because i had a UK license and when exchanging it for a Irish license i got it back without the "EB" on it.
    So i asked the licensing office in the town hall about towing a trailer and they informed me that i was not entitled to tow a twin axel trailer, I had "EB" on my UK license but i had no proof of this because the license had been sent back to the UK by the people in the licensing office so i went to the gards to ask and they informed me in no uncertain terms that i would have to retake my test with a twin axel trailer,
    and pass the test before i was legally allowed to tow my trailer.
    I have been towing for years and i was furious about the situation so i appealed to the town hall about it and after some time and many visits i got them to confirm with the DVLC in the UK that i was indeed qualified to tow my twin axel trailer.
    During this couple of weeks i talked to the Gards in Mill street Galway about it on three different occasions (to talk to different gards) all they all told me the same thing. To tow a twin axel trailer you need "EB" on your license.
    I was very happy to get it all sorted as it's very expensive to take the compulsory lessons and then the test.
    I found it very difficult to find any details online but having been through all this i'm sure about it unless all the gards and the people in the licensing office are wrong.

    another good reason not to change over licenses.i could do without hassle like that after 27 years of driving.i checked with the dvla and you don't need to change them over anyway.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭Vote 4 Pedro


    bugsntinas wrote: »
    another good reason not to change over licenses.i could do without hassle like that after 27 years of driving.i checked with the dvla and you don't need to change them over anyway.

    I had to exchange as it was 8 years out of date, I tried to get another UK license but could not get it sorted.


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