Trailer license

[yetis200sx]

I've been looking into getting a trailer license as i want to start drifting which means my 200 would not be a daily any more so i would have to trailer it to get it to events.

rang one place i found which is all i could find near me and they want £695 for 6 hours training and a test what a joke

can anybody shed some light on this as i dont want to have to pay an arm and a leg for a license? but i want to be legal

[voodoo_melon]

I was under the impression you can tow as long as the gross weight is under 3.5 tonnes?

[Jon]

I was under the impression you can tow as long as the gross weight is under 3.5 tonnes?

Car + trailer + car = usually more than 3.5tons

[Vigilant teSte]

Depends when you passed tour test too

[piman2k]

Ahhh man memories of the last Home Counties meet and the total confusion this issue caused

I still think you have to do the licence if you got your driving licence after 1997. No ideas about the cost tho!

[fullmetalgasket]

Also licences issued after August 1998 have rediculous restritions on them Voodoo

I've been lucky enough not to have to upgrade mine as the Westfield was so light, so can't comment on the price you've been qouted I'm afraid

[daz_s13]

I'm looking at doing this too, havn't looked too hard in to it yet to find anywhere local to me, but from what I've heard £600ish is about right for the training and test. Well worth a search on Driftworks as its a question that gets asked a fair amount on there.

[SidewaysThough]

Its about right buddy! Have you any previous towing experience?

I had to do the same test, luckily I had towed the caravan round the yard, and driven quite a lot with positioning it, so that part was easy.

I ended up finding a more private school. If I remember, it was £26 an hour, i did 4 hours with the gent, so just ove the magic ton, then booked his vehicle for two hours again @ £26 for the test. The test I think was £115, but you have to be really prepared. You have a small amount of theory to do, and also the hitching and unhitching test, making sure you know how to do it properly.

Its basically the same test, and situation you get for being an HGV driver, but its with a trailer. Unfair really. Anything I can help with, just PM me buddy, and ill see what I can do!

[woolleyman]

I did mine in dec 2009 cost me £360 including test and licence changed but ive been brought round traillers and lorrys so i had the basic knowhow of what was needed and to drive with them on. The guy i used picked me up for a 2hour lesson he assesed me and after 2 hour said to be he would book my test and he recommened me to have a lesson before my test which i did. He lives in essex but he does travel if yoru intrested try www.bensonsom.com or phone him on 07836690551 his name is stephan hicks.

Oh and if you passed your test after jan 1997 then you can tow a trailer if the max towing weight of the trailler isnt greater the 750kg.

[Magicmat]

did mine about 6 months ago,

three days, about 8-12/1pm, - £550

This included car and everything, i think a twoday course was £350, but it all depends on how much experience you have etc etc

[fullmetalgasket]

Oh and if you passed your test after jan 1997 then you can tow a trailer if the max towing weight of the trailler isnt greater the 750kg.

That's the unbraked limit - braked is higher

[Slip_n_slide]

Car + trailer + car = usually more than 3.5tons

I didn't think it was anything to do with that. I was under the impression that so long as the trailer (including load) weighs less then the towing vehicle you were okay. Therefore if you drive a van weighing 2t unladen, then the trailer is allowed to be 2t including load but no more then 5.5 tonne combined weight including load.

Oops

Edit: Me getting confused....

Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.

[Hachi Roku]

i did my test in 2008 it was £350 ish for 3 lessons and a test

[Jon]

I didn't think it was anything to do with that. I was under the impression that so long as the trailer (including load) weighs less then the towing vehicle you were okay. Therefore if you drive a van weighing 2t unladen, then the trailer is allowed to be 2t including load but no more then 5.5 tonne combined weight including load.

Oops

Edit: Me getting confused....

Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.

It's not simple

Personally, I'm alright, Jack I passed my test before 1997 so can drive and/or tow pretty much anything up to 7500kg. It's simple for me.

Anyone who passed their test after 31Dec1996 has a much more complicated set of rules.
The simplified version is that with an ordinary car driving licence, you cannot tow a drift car on a trailer.

You need at least a '+E' licence.

That's what the thread's about It's expensive, and I have read elsewhere, that for all the faf/cost/hassle involved getting your '+E' licence, you might as well pay a few pounds more and get the HGV licence.

[Magicmat]

Aye if you had a HGV with trailer,...C+C? OR C+E ? you could drive a recovery truck with a trailer ! win !

Eitherway, its very complicated and i've heard many versions of the 'truth'

But you cannot tow a car without the 'E' even if it all comes under 3.5t, cos your limited to a trailer of 750kgs...simples