A lot of people assume that once they pass their driving test, they’ve obtained the only driving licence available. However, if you wish to drive other sizes of vehicle there is a variety of different licences depending on the weight of the vehicle, that you must acquire before you can do so.
There are many different categories on a driving licence, most of which need additional training and extra tests to pass. If you have gained these extra categories then you have an ‘entitlement’ for that type of vehicle, allowing you to drive it.
Here at 2 Start, we have a wide range of different trailer training courses available, all of which will teach you the right skills and knowledge that will help you remain safe on the road.
In a lot of cases, the different courses cover towing different size trailers with different vehicles. Do you know what entitlements you have on your licence? Or what you’re able to tow?
The first step into achieving any extra categories on your driving licence is to pass your category B driving test, which will allow you to drive vehicles up to 3,500 kgs. Due to recent changes in the law, there are now no requirements to hold a “+E” entitlement in order to tow a trailer behind a car. The car can have a 3500kgs maximum gross weight and tow a trailer weighing up to a maximum of 3500kg.
C1+E
Achieving a Category C1 entitlement will allow you to drive any vehicles with a MAM between 3,500kgs and 7,500kgs, with a trailer up to 750kg.
If you want to tow a trailer over 750kgs, the next step from achieving your C1 licence is to obtain your C1+E which will allow you to drive any C1 category vehicle (7,500kg) with a trailer over 750kgs. However, the combined MAM of the vehicle and trailer can’t be over 12,000kgs.
To learn more about the Category C1 Vehicle, read The 101 on C1 7.5 Tonne.
D+E
If you hold a Category D licence this means you can drive any bus that has more than 8 passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kgs.
A category D+E licence will allow you to drive any category D vehicles with a trailer over 750kgs.
D1+E
If you take a D1 course, you will work towards passing your minibus licence, which will allow you to drive vehicles with:
- 16 passenger seats or less
- Minimum length of 5 metres
- A trailer up to 750kgs
A category D1+E licence will enable you to drive D1 category vehicles with a trailer that has a MAM of over 750kgs. Although, similar to the C1+E licence the combined MAM of the vehicle and trailer cannot be over 12,000kgs.
Categories C & C+E
Once you have got your CAT C licence, you are entitled to drive rigid vehicles over 7,500kgs with a trailer that has a MAM of up to 750kgs.
Achieving your CAT C+E licence will then allow you to tow trailers of over 750kgs behind a vehicle within category C.
Due to recent changes in the law, there is now no requirement to pass category C before moving on to achieve category C+E.
