UK towing figures
The 41 limits, fees and dates this site quotes, in one place. Each was read on GOV.UK on 10 October 2026.
The same table is free to download and reuse. Every row names the page it came from and the day it was read.
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Driving licence
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Heaviest trailer on a car licence gained on or after 1 January 1997 | 3,500kg maximum authorised mass |
| Vehicle and trailer together on a car licence gained before 1 January 1997 | 8,250kg combined maximum authorised mass |
| Vehicle and trailer together after passing the C1+E test | 12,000kg combined maximum authorised mass |
| Category BE missing from a physical driving licence | DVLA adds it the next time the licence is renewed |
Main source: GOV.UK: towing with a car, what you can tow
Weight and brakes
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Heaviest trailer with no brakes | 750kg when loaded |
| Unbraked trailer compared with the car | No more than half the weight of the car |
| Car and loaded trailer together | No more than the gross train weight on the car's VIN plate |
| Car with no train weight on its VIN plate | Should not be used for towing |
Main source: GOV.UK: towing with a car, weight and width limits
Width and length
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Widest trailer, behind any vehicle | 2.55 metres |
| Longest trailer behind a vehicle of up to 3,500kg | 7 metres, not counting the A-frame |
| Longest trailer behind a vehicle of over 3,500kg | 12 metres, not counting the A-frame |
| Vehicle of over 3,500kg and its trailer together | 18 metres |
Main source: GOV.UK: towing with a car, weight and width limits
Speed limits when towing
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Built-up areas | 30mph in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, 20mph in Wales |
| Single carriageways | 50mph |
| Dual carriageways | 60mph |
| Motorways | 60mph |
| Right-hand lane of a motorway with three or more lanes | Not allowed when towing |
Main source: GOV.UK: speed limits
Equipment and tyres
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Towing mirrors | Needed when the trailer is wider than the back of the car |
| Penalty for towing without proper mirrors | A fine of up to £1,000 and 3 penalty points |
| Breakaway cable or secondary coupling | Must be used |
| Number plate on the trailer | The same number as the car towing it |
| Tow bar | Type approved for the car, unless the car was first used before 1 August 1998 |
| Tyre tread on car and trailer | At least 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the width, all the way round |
Main source: GOV.UK: towing with a car, trailers, caravans and towing equipment
Annual test (MOT) for trailers
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Trailers that need an annual test | Those over 1,020kg unladen with powered braking systems |
| Semi-trailers | Need an annual test |
| A-frame trailers and converter dollies that need an annual test | Those made on or after 1 January 1979 |
| First annual test for a trailer | Usually one year after it was first sold or supplied |
Main source: GOV.UK: get an MOT for a heavy goods vehicle, bus or trailer
Operator's licence, for towing as a business
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Licence needed when vehicle and trailer are plated | Over 3,500kg combined gross plated weight |
| Licence needed when they are not plated | Over 1,525kg combined unladen weight |
| No licence needed for the trailer when | It weighs under 1,020kg unladen and carries only your own goods |
| Application fee | £257 |
| Fee to issue the licence | £401 |
| Fee to continue it after five years | £401 |
| Fee for an interim licence | £68 |
| Usual time to a decision | 7 weeks |
Main source: GOV.UK: being a goods vehicle operator
Trailer registration, for towing abroad
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Trailers that must be registered to go to or through most of Europe | Every trailer over 750kg |
| Countries where the rule does not apply | Ireland, Cyprus, Malta and Spain |
| Trailers used only in the UK, or between the UK and Ireland | No registration needed |
| Fee to register a trailer for the first time | £26 |
| Fee for a new certificate for a new keeper | £21 |
| Fee to replace a certificate | £10 |
Main source: GOV.UK: trailer registration
Using these figures
They are the government's figures, copied without change. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Each row has its own address, so one figure can be linked to. Add # and the row's id from the download to this page's address: https://www.trailerdelivery.co.uk/uk-towing-figures#unbraked opens the limit for a trailer with no brakes.
The law can change after the day a figure was read. Check the linked page before you rely on one. To test your own car and trailer against them, use the tow checker.
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