Am I permitted to tow a trailer?

Gautama

Hi,

I've an Irish Driving Licence in three categories: B, M and W.

Am I correct in saying that if I wish to tow a trailer with my car, the entire weight of the trailer including its load must be no greater than 750kg?

And if I wish to exceed this (up to 3,500 kg), I must get a Provisional Licence in category BE?

And eventually, must I do a driving test with a trailer attached, so that I get category BE added to my existing licence?

renofan

I'm actually applying for a prov to get EB on my Licence and I'm going on what you said in your post too.

biko

Yeah, 750 fully loaded is correct.

There's info on this page, did you already see it?
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driver_licensing/learner_driving_permits_for_trailers.html

Gautama

renofan wrote: »

I'm actually applying for a prov to get EB on my Licence and I'm going on what you said in your post too.

EB is now BE, isn't it?

CiniO

Gautama wrote: »

Hi,

I've an Irish Driving Licence in three categories: B, M and W.

Am I correct in saying that if I wish to tow a trailer with my car, the entire weight of the trailer including its load must be no greater than 750kg?

Not exactly correct.
First of all it's not "entire trailer weight including the load", but GVW (gross vehicles weight) of the trailer, which in fact is entire trailer weight + possible load.
Example: Assume trailer GVW is 1000kg. Trailer itself weights 300kg. You load 200kg on it. Real weight is 500kg, but GVW is all the time 1000kg. And it's GVW that counts.

But secondly good news - you can tow a heavier trailer than 750kg GVW on your B licence. There are certain conditions though.
1. Trailer GVW must not exceed towing vehicle unladen weight.
2. Sum of trailer GVW and towing vehicle GWV must not exceed 3500kg.

Example:
You have a car weighing 1300kg, with GVW 1800kg (that generally means that you can load 500kg in your car).
If you attach a trailer of 1200kg GVW, you can tow it with this vehicle, as it's GVW (1200kg) is less than towing vehicle unladen weight (1300kg), and sum of GVWs is 3000kg (1800kg+1200kg) so it's less than a limit of 3500kg

If you want to tow a trailer that exceed those conditions, you need to get BE licence.

And if I wish to exceed this (up to 3,500 kg), I must get a Provisional Licence in category BE?

Driving permit (what you call provisional licence) is only for the purposes of learning. When having it you can't tow a trailer unless you are accompanied by person holding full BE licence. (of course you can tow lighter trailers up with conditions above when unaccompanied, as only B category is needed for them)

And eventually, must I do a driving test with a trailer attached, so that I get category BE added to my existing licence?

If you wish to tow heavier trailers than described above, then yes.
]

Gautama

biko wrote: »

Yeah, 750 fully loaded is correct.

There's info on this page, did you already see it?
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driver_licensing/learner_driving_permits_for_trailers.html

Yeah, I already saw it; just wanted to make sure I understand the procedure properly.
It's just that I'm surprised. Surprised with the driving test bit.
So during the "Celtic Tiger" years, when so many building vehicles were on the road hauling trailers, all of drivers either had a provisional licence for a trailer or had already done a test?

I sat my test almost 20 years ago, and I don't remember that much from it. But one thing I do remember: it's not about knowing how to drive, it's about knowing how to pass the test. Not looking forward to that!

CiniO

Gautama wrote: »

Yeah, I already saw it; just wanted to make sure I understand the procedure properly.
It's just that I'm surprised. Surprised with the driving test bit.
So during the "Celtic Tiger" years, when so many building vehicles were on the road hauling trailers, all of drivers either had a provisional licence for a trailer or had already done a test?

I say most of them were towing trailers legally on B licence, as trailers didn't exceed the weight limits.
Some of the probably did tow unlegally

I sat my test almost 20 years ago, and I don't remember that much from it. But one thing I do remember: it's not about knowing how to drive, it's about knowing how to pass the test. Not looking forward to that!

I agree with this bit.

Ronnie Beck

Gautama wrote: »

Hi,

I've an Irish Driving Licence in three categories: B, M and W.

Am I correct in saying that if I wish to tow a trailer with my car, the entire weight of the trailer including its load must be no greater than 750kg?

And if I wish to exceed this (up to 3,500 kg), I must get a Provisional Licence in category BE?

And eventually, must I do a driving test with a trailer attached, so that I get category BE added to my existing licence?

Your more or less right. It's more to do with what the trailer is designed to carry rather than what you put in it. For example you couldn't legally tow a 600kg trailer with 100kg load if that trailer was designed to carry 1400kg i.e. a DGVW of 2000kg. You may also tow a trailer with brakes etc. provided it's DGVW is less than the unladen weight of your car.

http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Your-Vehicle/About-your-Vehicle/Example-of-non-Dup/Trailers-/Technical-Trailer-Requirements-/

renofan

Gautama wrote: »

EB is now BE, isn't it?

Its a bloody minefield is what it is!! Nothing is straight forward in Ireland! Ya I forgot they changed the categories recently.

CiniO

renofan wrote: »

Its a bloody minefield is what it is!! Nothing is straight forward in Ireland! Ya I forgot they changed the categories recently.

EB wasn't straight forward.
BE is in line with all rest of Europe, so it seems more right.

Gautama

One more question: can a tow a twin axle trailer with category B? Or does B permit single axle only?

Actually, as we're on the topic, should I get a single or twin axle trailer? I've been googling it and all suggest the latter.

Ronnie Beck

Gautama wrote: »

single or twin axle trailer? I've been googling it and all suggest the latter.

Number of axles have nothing to do with it but a twin axle will generally Over 750kg DVGW.

If you have an ordinary Category B licence, you may:

• Tow an O2 trailer, provided that the DGVW of the trailer does not exceed the un-laden weight of the towing vehicle, and the total design gross vehicle weight of the combination does not exceed a total of 3.5 tonnes.

Twin axle trailers are very heavy to tow. Even when empty you'll feel them there. Depends on what you what to carry.