You can tow a trailer that weighs up to 3,500kg MAM , provided the combination stays within the car's own limits. Yes, a plant trailer can usually be towed behind a car in the UK, but only if the licence, the weights and the trailer's safety equipment all line up. Check each point before you collect a trailer from a hire firm, because the rules turn on figures that are printed on the vehicle and the trailer, not on guesswork.
What your licence allows
Your licence category decides how much you can tow. Drivers who got their licence from 1 January 1997 onwards can tow a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM, which GOV.UK describes as a category BE entitlement. If the BE entry is missing from your card, DVLA adds it the next time you renew your licence.
Older licences allow more. If you passed a car test before 1 January 1997, nidirect says you can usually drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM. If the plant trailer you are hiring is heavier than 3,500kg MAM, ask the firm for its MAM and check your entitlement against your licence information on GOV.UK before you agree to tow it.
Check the weights before you hitch up
GOV.UK uses the maximum authorised mass (MAM) as the measure for both the vehicle and the trailer, so you need both figures. The vehicle's gross train weight may be listed on the manufacturer's plate, and the manufacturer's recommended weight should not be exceeded.
Dimensions matter too. The maximum trailer width for any towing vehicle is 2.55 metres. The maximum length is 7 metres for a trailer towed by a vehicle weighing up to 3.5 tonnes (3,500kg). Where a trailer is wider than the back of the car, you may need to fit suitable towing mirrors.
Brakes, couplings and lights
Any trailer weighing over 750kg must have a working brake system. Some smaller trailers also have brakes, although these are optional. Whatever the trailer, its brakes must be in good working order.
Under rule 98 of the Highway Code, you must not tow more than your licence permits. The same rule requires a secondary coupling device, such as a safety chain, on the trailer. Heavy loads can also change the lights, since carrying a load or pulling a trailer may require you to adjust your headlights.
Checklist before you collect the trailer
- Get the trailer's MAM in writing from the hire firm, and confirm the figure with them rather than relying on the trailer's appearance.
- Check your car's towing limits in the handbook or specification sheet, or the gross train weight on the manufacturer's plate.
- Confirm the trailer is no wider than 2.55 metres and, for a car with a MAM of 3,500kg or less, no longer than 7 metres.
- If the trailer is over 750kg MAM, check the brakes work before leaving the yard.
- Check the secondary coupling and safety chain are fitted and secured.
- Check your licence entitlement on GOV.UK, especially if the trailer's MAM is above 3,500kg.
If you would rather not tow, many firms deliver. Compare plant hire in London and plant hire in Edgware, and ask about delivery and collection before you book.
Find local plant hire companies and plant dealers on GetBrent. Browse the plant hire listings on GetBrent, compare firms and machines in your area, and contact them direct to confirm trailer weights, brakes and what is included before you hire.
