Can I Tow a Caravan on My Licence?
Owning a caravan gives you a sense of freedom that you may find hard to replicate. The ability to hitch it to the car and head off on a domestic or European trip without needing to secure accommodation means you can find yourself staying practically anywhere. You can craft your trip around your timeframes and stay in multiple locations for as long as time allows. Compare this to your typical package holiday or a stay in a villa where things are much more regimented, and you can soon see why it is forecasted that by 2030, there could be 899,466 caravans and motorhomes in regular use in the UK.
However, it is not all plain caravanning. You’ll need to know if you can tow your caravan before you set out. In this blog, we take a look at what kind of caravan you can tow on your licence, so you don’t get caught out!
Does my driving licence allow me to tow my caravan?
If you hold a standard UK driving licence, you’ll be pleased to know you don’t need to shelve the holiday plans anytime soon. A regular UK driver’s licence allows you to tow a caravan, however, there are a few specifics that you may need to be aware of.
If you got your driving licence before January 1st, 1997, you can drive your car and tow a caravan as long as the combined weight does not exceed 8,250KG MAM.
What’s MAM? You ask. MAM is the Maximum Authorised Mass. It is a figure given for both your car and caravan. You’ll find a separate MAM listed in the owner’s manual or shown on the vehicle.
Should you have got your licence after Jan 1st, 1997, you’ll be able to tow a caravan that weighs up to 3,500kg MAM. This puts your licence in a category known as BE. However, this category also has its own specific rules to follow. If your BE licence has a valid from date that is before January 19th,2013, you can tow any size of trailer within the towing limits of the vehicle. Should the valid from date be on or after January 19th, you can tow a caravan up to 3,500kg within the tow limits of the vehicle.
Do I need to use specific equipment to tow a caravan with my car?
Yes. Any equipment used to tow your caravan must meet specific safety standards, be fitted correctly and be used for the purpose it is intended. Should you be using the equipment in a way that makes your vehicle potentially dangerous, you could be fined, have points added to your licence or even face a ban!
Tow bar
If you need to purchase a tow bar to attach your caravan to your car, you need to make sure it meets specific regulations. Any tow bar must be “type approved” in order for it to fulfil regulations. However, should your bar have been first used before August 1st 1998, type approved tow bars are not mandatory.
Towing mirrors
In many cases, your caravan will be wider than the rear of your car. This means that towing mirrors will be essential. They will give you a better view of the road behind you and help you keep yourself and other road users safe. Failing to use the correct mirrors could see you fined up to £1,000 and have 3 points added to your licence!
Caravan brakes
Should your caravan weigh over 750KG when loaded, the brake system must be in full working order. It will also be necessary for you to have a breakaway cable or secondary coupling in case the caravan was to separate from the car.
Registration plates
When towing your caravan, you need to make sure that the reg plates on display are the same for both the car and the caravan.
Can I tow an American caravan on my driver’s licence?
You can but, these vehicles tend to be much larger and may put you over the MAM limit. Where this is the case, you need to apply for an enhanced licence that allows a combined weight of up to 12,000KG MAM. You’d have to apply for a category C1+E and then pass a theory and practical test for it.
Should you still be within the original MAM limits, you can certainly tow an American caravan, you’ll just need to ensure it meets all legal requirements before it goes on the road.
So, towing a caravan on your car is pretty straightforward with not much stopping you from getting out on the open road. Not yet got the ideal caravan? Speak to our team at Euphoria. We organise affordable caravan finance that can be used by anyone wishing to obtain a new or used caravan. Whether you have bad credit and are struggling to source finance or have found that other direct lenders simply don’t offer a good enough level of service, we are here to help. Our simple application process and quick response mean that you can benefit from a new caravan quickly. Get a free no-obligation quote today.