Car and trailer practical driving test
If you passed your car driving test on or after 1 January 1997
and you now want to tow a caravan or certain trailers, you may
have to take a specific practical test.
Car licences obtained before 1 January 1997
If you passed a car test before 1 January 1997 you keep your
existing entitlement to tow trailers until your licence expires.
This means you’re generally entitled to drive a vehicle and
trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes maximum authorised mass
(MAM). You also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer
over 750kgs MAM.
Car licences obtained on or after 1 January 1997
If you passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 you’re limited
to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes maximum authorised mass towing
a trailer up to 750kgs, or a vehicle and trailer combination
up to 3.5 tonnes MAM providing the MAM of the trailer doesn’t
exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle. You will need
to pass an additional driving test in B+E if you wish to tow
a caravan or trailer combination which exceeds these weight
limits.
The car and trailer practical driving test
The car and trailer test (B+E) is based on the lorry driving
test and lasts for approximately one hour. Please note that
B+E tests are conducted at vocational (bus and lorry) driving
test centres.
The towing test (B+E) includes vehicle safety questions, an
off-road reverse manoeuvre, a controlled stop, uncoupling and
coupling of the trailer and driving on the road.
You won’t be expected to carry out the following exercises:
• Emergency stop on the public road
• Reversing round a corner
• Reverse parking
• Turning in the road
Vehicle safety questions
These are basic safety checks that you should carry out to ensure
the vehicle is safe for use. Although some checks may involve
opening the bonnet to identify where fluid levels would be checked,
you won’t be asked to touch a hot engine or physically check
fluid levels.
As vehicle technology advances, more and more vehicles are being
equipped with electronic diagnostic systems, which inform the
driver of the state of the engine fluid levels and tyre pressures.
It will be acceptable for you to refer to the vehicle information
system (if fitted) when answering questions on fluid levels
or tyre pressures.
You will be asked five questions, that will be a combination
of ’show me’ and ’tell me’. A driving fault will be recorded
for each incorrect answer to a maximum of four driving faults.
If you answer all five questions incorrectly, a serious fault
will be recorded.
For a list of the questions you can be asked on your driving
test, please click on the vehicle safety questions link below.
Download ’vehicle safety questions for
car and trailer tests’ (PDF, 10K)
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