Towing with a van: weight limits and trailer rules
If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997, a standard category B licence lets you tow a trailer up to 3,500kg behind a van, with the combined weight of van and trailer capped at 7,000kg. The separate B+E trailer test was withdrawn in December 2021, simplifying the rules for most drivers. Here is what that means in practice.
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What licence do I need to tow with a van?
A standard category B car licence covers towing a trailer up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM), provided the combined weight of the van and trailer does not exceed 7,000kg. This applies to anyone who passed their test on or after 1 January 1997.
Before December 2021, drivers needed a separate B+E test to tow anything above a lower combined weight. That test was withdrawn, and category B licence holders now automatically have the towing entitlement that used to require the extra test.
Drivers who passed their test after 1997 but before the December 2021 change sometimes assume they still need the old B+E test to tow legally - they do not. The entitlement was granted automatically to existing category B licence holders at the point the rule changed, with nothing further required.
Towing changes a van's handling significantly on top of the differences it already has from a car, and our guide to how driving a van differs from a car covers the everyday basics worth knowing first.
What if I passed my test before 1997?
Drivers who passed before 1 January 1997 typically already hold a grandfathered entitlement covering heavier combinations, often up to 8,250kg for the vehicle and trailer combined, without needing to sit any additional test. Check the categories listed on your physical licence to confirm what you are entitled to.
If your licence does not clearly show this, the DVLA can confirm your exact entitlements - do not assume based on the general rule alone if your licence was issued a long time ago. Renewing a photocard licence does not remove older entitlements automatically, but it is still worth double-checking rather than relying on memory of what a much older paper licence originally stated.
How is towing weight actually calculated?
Maximum authorised mass (MAM), sometimes called gross vehicle weight, is the maximum permitted weight of the van or trailer fully loaded - not its empty weight. For towing, what matters is the trailer's MAM plus the van's MAM, added together against the 7,000kg combined limit.
A loaded trailer close to its own weight limit, combined with a fully loaded van, can hit the combined ceiling faster than expected. Check both figures before assuming you are within the legal limit for a specific job.
Getting the van's own weight figures right matters just as much as the trailer's - our guide to van weight limits, GVW and payload explains how to work out what you can legally carry.
What happens if I exceed the towing limit?
Towing beyond your licence entitlement is a driving offence, and it can invalidate your insurance entirely - insurers routinely ask about towing weights when assessing a claim involving a trailer. Overloading a trailer or van is a separate offence on top of any licence breach.
Penalties scale with severity, and a serious breach involving a genuinely overloaded combination can result in significant fines and penalty points rather than a simple warning, particularly where the excess weight is judged to have created a real safety risk.
Neither offence requires an accident to be enforced. Roadside weight checks by the police or DVSA can catch an overloaded combination before anything goes wrong, with fines and points as the result.
Do I need different insurance to tow with a van?
Towing a trailer generally needs to be declared to your insurer, even if the trailer itself does not need separate insurance in most cases. Undeclared towing can affect a claim if something goes wrong while a trailer is attached.
If you are towing with a borrowed or hired van rather than your own, check that whoever's policy is on the van - or your own temporary van insurance - actually covers towing, since it is not automatically included on every policy.
What is the speed limit when towing with a van?
Lower than the van's normal limit. Towing a trailer restricts you to 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual carriageways and motorways, regardless of the posted limit for an unladen van on the same road.
This is a genuinely easy rule to overlook, since the reduced limit is not usually signposted separately - it applies automatically the moment a trailer is attached, and driving at the van's normal unladen speed while towing is a straightforward, common mistake.
What insurance checks matter most before towing?
Confirm towing is specifically included on the policy covering the van, not just assumed because the van itself is insured - some policies exclude towing by default or require it to be added as an explicit extra. This is easy to overlook on a policy taken out for the van alone, without towing in mind at the time.
Also check whether the trailer itself needs separate insurance. Many trailers do not require their own policy in the way a vehicle does, but any damage the trailer causes while attached is usually assessed as part of the towing vehicle's own liability, not treated as a separate claim.
What is worth checking before towing for the first time?
Confirm the trailer's MAM, your van's kerb weight and payload, and add them together against your licence entitlement before you load anything. Check the trailer's tyres, lights and coupling are in good condition - these are common causes of roadside stops.
Practise manoeuvring an unfamiliar trailer somewhere quiet before a real journey. Reversing, braking distance and turning circles all change significantly once a trailer is attached, and it is a different skill from driving the van alone.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tow a trailer with a van on a normal car licence?
Yes, if you passed your test on or after 1 January 1997. A standard category B licence covers towing a trailer up to 3,500kg, with the van and trailer combined capped at 7,000kg.
Do I still need a B+E licence to tow with a van?
No. The separate B+E trailer test was withdrawn in December 2021. Category B licence holders now have the towing entitlement automatically, up to the standard weight limits.
What is the maximum combined weight for a van and trailer?
7,000kg maximum authorised mass (MAM) combined, for standard category B licence holders who passed their test after 1 January 1997, with the trailer itself capped at 3,500kg.
What happens if I exceed the towing weight limit?
It is a driving offence and can invalidate your insurance. Police and DVSA can carry out roadside weight checks, and both licence breaches and trailer overloading can result in fines and penalty points.
Do I need to tell my insurer if I am towing with a van?
Generally yes. Undeclared towing can affect a claim if something goes wrong while a trailer is attached. Check with your insurer, or confirm towing is covered before towing with a temporary or borrowed van policy.
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