Towbars and Towing Hitches: UK Vehicle & Trailer Categories
- Brent
- Oct 5
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever shopped for a towbar or towing hitch, you’ve probably come across all those confusing letters — M, N, and O.They’re not random; they’re the UK and EU vehicle classification system, and they decide what your vehicle can legally tow, how it’s built, and what kind of hitch setup it can use.
Let’s break it down the Brent way — simple, clear, and with just the right amount of tow talk.
Category M – Passenger Vehicles
Category M covers motor-driven vehicles made for carrying people. That includes cars, minibuses, and coaches.
M1 – Standard Passenger Vehicles
These are your everyday cars and SUVs — anything with up to eight passenger seats in addition to the driver’s. If you’re fitting a towbar to one of these, you’ll need one that’s Type Approved for that specific make and model.
M2 – Medium Passenger Vehicles
Vehicles with more than eight seats but a maximum weight of 5 tonnes — think small buses or larger minibuses.
M3 – Large Passenger Vehicles
The big ones. More than eight seats and over 5 tonnes gross weight — full-size coaches and large passenger buses. These use heavy-duty towing equipment and are regulated under different construction and braking standards.
Category N – Goods Vehicles
Category N is for power-driven vehicles built to carry goods, not people. If your business uses vans, pickups, or trucks for towing trailers, this is your section.
N1 – Light Goods Vehicles
Up to 3.5 tonnes maximum weight — most pickups and light commercial vans fit here. They can typically tow trailers up to 3,500 kg (subject to manufacturer limits), making them popular for trades, plant transport, and horsebox towing.
N2 – Medium Goods Vehicles
Over 3.5 tonnes but not over 12 tonnes — your mid-range lorries and heavier recovery vehicles. Towbars and couplings here are specialist, often requiring EC Type Approval and specific test certification.
N3 – Heavy Goods Vehicles
Anything over 12 tonnes. These are the true workhorses of the road, using advanced hitches, drawbars, and air-brake couplings to move serious loads.
Category O – Trailers
Here’s where your trailers themselves are classified. Knowing which category your trailer falls into is crucial for choosing the correct towing setup and staying within legal weight limits.
O1 – Small Trailers
Single-axle trailers up to 750 kg — small unbraked box trailers or lightweight utility types.
O2 – Medium Trailers
Up to 3.5 tonnes, not in O1 — your braked trailers, horseboxes, car transporters, and small plant trailers.
O3 – Large Trailers
Over 3.5 tonnes but not more than 10 tonnes — typically commercial plant or construction trailers with air brakes.
O4 – Extra-Large Trailers
Anything over 10 tonnes.Usually found in commercial haulage, agriculture, or specialist transport setups. These require certified towing eyes, heavy-duty couplings, and serious towing power.
Towbars and Hitches: Why the Category Matters
Each vehicle and trailer category determines what type of towbar, coupling, and braking system you can legally use.
Passenger cars (M1) must have EC Type Approved towbars that match their chassis design.
Commercial vehicles (N-series) often use flange or pin-type hitches for flexibility and load control.
Trailers (O-series) must have couplings, lights, and brakes rated to their gross weight category.
Getting this wrong can invalidate insurance or result in failed inspections, so always check your VIN plate, manufacturer towing limits, and approval documents.
Brent’s Take
At Brent, we live and breathe trailers — from tiny O1s to the big O3s and O4s that move serious gear. Whether you’re towing with an M1 SUV, an N1 pickup, or managing a whole fleet of hire trailers, knowing your category and towbar type keeps everything legal, safe, and stress-free.
Need help choosing the right trailer or want to rent one that’s fully compliant? Find certified, road-ready options on Brent — so you can tow with confidence and get on with the job.
-Brent
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