Car Trailer Regulations?

Qprmeath

I have a full clean driving license since 1990. What are the rules now regarding myself driving with a car trailer? I think I need to do a test but maybe someone on here could put the rules in plain English for me.

_Brian

Qprmeath wrote: »

I have a full clean driving license since 1990. What are the rules now regarding myself driving with a car trailer? I think I need to do a test but maybe someone on here could put the rules in plain English for me.

On a regular licence you can drive a car and trailer combination where the GDVW(gross design vehicle weight) of the two together is 3500kgs or less. In reality it seems to cover a car and single axle style trailer.

To go above that, i.e a builder style 8*4 twin axle or a cattle trailer you will need the additional trailer licence, number of axles doesn't matter I'm just referring to the trailer style.

I thought anyone with a licence granted before 1991 could avail of an amnesty on the trailer license and be automatically granted it.. but I think you missed on that as the time expired last year.

EDIT: I just checked and I think that amnesty was for those holding the B licence prior to Nov 13th 1989 so wouldn't apply to you anyway.

granturismo

RSA Rules of the Road state on page 14;

You can use a car (B) license

1. if the weight of the trailer and its load is less than 750Kg

or the

2. If the combined MAM of the vehicle and trailer (weight of vehicle, passengers & and other items in the car and the load in the trailer) is less than 3,500kg


If the combined weight of the vehicle, trailer and loads is between 3500 kg and 7000 Kg you need a BE licence. If the trailer and its load it greater than 750Kg you need a BE licence.

_Brian

granturismo wrote: »

RSA Rules of the Road state on page 14;

You can use a car (B) license

1. if the weight of the trailer and its load is less than 750Kg

or the

2. If the combined MAM of the vehicle and trailer (weight of vehicle, passengers & and other items in the car and the load in the trailer) is less than 3,500kg


If the combined weight of the vehicle, trailer and loads is between 3500 kg and 7000 Kg you need a BE licence. If the trailer and its load it greater than 750Kg you need a BE licence.

Just a small correction to the end there where you say if the trailer and load exceeds 750kg a BE is required. A BE isn't required until the combined DGVW exceeds 3500kg.
I can tow a trailer with a DGVW of 1500kg Behind a towcar with a DGVW of 2000kg on a b Liscence.

djmc

Just to add it may help you can check the DGVW of your car it's stamped on a plate under the bonnet usually at the side of the car.
A trailer will have a plate with DGVW also if it's anyway modern both added together have to be under 3500kg
The two top numbers on the car plate are the ones you need
The highest number is the max weight that the car + trailer can tow no matter what license you have
(Basically to stop some ejit putting 4 cows in a box and hitching it onto a smart car mini fiesta etc.)
The lower number is the DGVW of the car
Subtract that number from 3500 and you will have the max trailer weight DGVW that you can tow with your b licence.
The trailer plate DGVW has to be under the number you get.
Hope that simplifiers it a bit.
The axles haven't much to do with it as some twin axle trailers you could possibly carry over a ton weight and other stronger rated twin axle trailers of the same size you couldn't tow empty because of the plate that's on them.
It about what weight they are designed to tow rather than the weight you are actually towing.

arctictree

I have a SWB landcruiser and pull some sheep in a 4x8 trailer double axel trailer with sides. Would my B licence cover me?

_Brian

My guess is no.
I'd imagine the cruiser has a DGVW so high that you'd be limited to 750kg DGVW of the trailer which I think yours would exceed.

Qprmeath

Thanks everyone. I have a Vw Caddy and an 8 x 4 Ifor Williams flat trailer. Mostly use it for ride on mower or maybe a ton of fertiliser or coal so I might be ok.

granturismo

_Brian wrote: »

Just a small correction to the end there where you say if the trailer and load exceeds 750kg a BE is required. A BE isn't required until the combined DGVW exceeds 3500kg.
I can tow a trailer with a DGVW of 1500kg Behind a towcar with a DGVW of 2000kg on a b Liscence.

Just interested as to where you are getting this information. According to page 14 of the Rules of the Road, a BE licence is needed once the weight of the trailer exceeds 750Kg or the combined weight of vehicle and trailer is between 3500 and 7000 Kg.

Qprmeath

granturismo wrote: »

Just interested as to where you are getting this information. According to page 14 of the Rules of the Road, a BE licence is needed once the weight of the trailer exceeds 750Kg or the combined weight of vehicle and trailer is between 3500 and 7000 Kg.

Anyone know who's right? My trailer load might occasionally exceed 750kg but my combined weight wouldn't be over 3500kg

Kristopherus

arctictree wrote: »

I have a SWB landcruiser and pull some sheep in a 4x8 trailer double axel trailer with sides. Would my B licence cover me?

You should have a E+C1 licence in old money.

mayota

Qprmeath wrote: »

Anyone know who's right? My trailer load might occasionally exceed 750kg but my combined weight wouldn't be over 3500kg

Brian is right.

granturismo

mayota wrote: »

Brian is right.

Why? A link would be helpful.

_Brian

Think of it this way. They are essentially discounting any trailer below 750kg as negligible.

So I can drive a vehicle with a DGVW of say 3000kg and tow a trailer of 750kg DGVW. But if the trailer is over 750kg I must abide by the 3500kg combined DGVW of both.

I can't provide a link but hammered it out with the RSA a few years ago to ensure I knew the story.

Also someone above mentioned about how loaded the trailer is. The law is based on the DGVW, what It's designed to carry, if the design weight is too high and your stopped with the trailer empty then your in trouble.

Now, I find most guards poorly informed on this. I spoke to two in our local station when I was trying to figure it out and they really hadnt a breeze. They went on and on about number of axles which is irrelevant to the matter.

djmc

https://www.ndls.ie/cars-and-trailers.html#what-trailers-does-my-category-b-licence-cover

Brian is right it has been discussed a lot in the past in detail if you do a search on boards .

mayota

granturismo wrote: »

Why? A link would be helpful.

Point 2 in your post #3 above.

granturismo

mayota wrote: »

Point 2 in your post #3 above.

I quoted page 14 of the rules of the road. The two conditions are not mutually exclusive. Having 'or' between them means that if one condition is met, a BE licence is required.

The NDLS website has but 'and/or' between the two conditions, 'and' suggests that a BE licence is not required unless both conditions are met.

djmc

granturismo wrote: »

Just interested as to where you are getting this information. According to page 14 of the Rules of the Road, a BE licence is needed once the weight of the trailer exceeds 750Kg or the combined weight of vehicle and trailer is between 3500 and 7000 Kg.

It just doesn't mention weights between 750 and 3500 because that depends on the DGVW of the car and trailer and needs to be worked out.

alps

Daughter has full B licence, looking to get the trailer one.
Does anyone know the process...

Apply for a provisional trailer license? Do you inform and adjust existing car insurance? Does she need a fully qualified trailer licence driver with her when she is towing?

Any advise appreciated...Would get me off the road a bit...

granturismo

alps wrote: »

Daughter has full B licence, looking to get the trailer one.
Does anyone know the process...Apply for a provisional trailer license?

I got mine 2 years ago. Apply for the provisional BE, sit the theory exam, do the test. I didnt need to have proof of lessons with a qualified instructor but that might have changed. I got some lessons to get rid of bad driving habits and practice reversing around corners on the test routes used.

alps wrote: »

Do you inform and adjust existing car insurance?

Yes, but our premium didnt increase, but I guess I'm a good bit older than your daughter. I'm named as a second driver on my wife's policy.

alps wrote: »

Does she need a fully qualified trailer licence driver with her when she is towing?

The instructor I had, said yes. I'd guess that implementation of that rule will vary from garda to garda. She's supposed to have L plates on the car front and back and the trailer. I took mine down when out on my own - my interpretation of the rules was that my empty trailer didnt meet the BE licence requirements.

QUOTE=alps;98858768]Any advise appreciated...Would get me off the road a bit...[/QUOTE]

Know what you mean, I have to wait another 3 years at least.