UK Towing Laws Explained | Tow safely and stay legal
- Brent
- Sep 1
- 2 min read
Key Points
Unbraked trailers: max 750kg or half your car’s kerb weight.
Braked trailers: stay within your vehicle’s towing limit.
Since 2021, car licence holders can tow up to 3,500kg.
Unbraked Trailers
Unbraked trailers are the small ones you’ll often see for garden waste, tip runs, or moving a lightweight load. The rule is simple: if it doesn’t have its own braking system, the maximum weight is 750kg gross or half your car’s kerb weight — whichever figure is less.
That “whichever is less” bit catches people out. Say your car’s kerb weight is 1,200kg. Half of that is 600kg. Even though the law says 750kg max, you’d actually be limited to 600kg. Always check the car’s handbook and VIN plate to be sure, because the police won’t take your mate’s guess as an excuse.
Braked Trailers
Braked trailers are the bigger lads — car transporters, plant trailers, horse boxes. They come with their own braking system to help stop safely, but that doesn’t mean “tow whatever you like.” You still have to stay inside your vehicle’s official towing limit.
This figure is stamped on your VIN plate, usually under the bonnet or inside the driver’s door frame. Ignore the guesswork, ignore what someone down the pub reckons — the VIN plate is the law. If you go over the limit, you’re not just risking a fine, you’re also voiding your insurance. And if things go wrong, that’s your wallet taking the biggest hit.
Licence Rules
Before December 2021, towing rules in the UK were a bit of a maze. Some drivers had to take a Category BE test to pull heavier trailers, while others had it “grandfathered” into their licence. Thankfully, the government scrapped that mess.
Now, anyone with a full car licence (Category B) can tow a trailer up to 3,500kg gross weight. That’s enough for most everyday jobs — from horse boxes to plant trailers. If you’re going heavier than that, you’re moving into commercial vehicle categories (C1 or HGV), which comes with stricter training and testing.
Speed & Safety
Speed rules are another easy one to forget. With a trailer, the national speed limits drop:
60mph max on motorways and dual carriageways.
50mph max on single carriageways.
No sneaky overtakes in the outside lane of a motorway either — towing vehicles are banned from lane three (or lane four on some smart motorways).
On top of that, you need to be road legal. That means:
Towing mirrors if you can’t see past the trailer.
Working brake lights and indicators.
A trailer number plate that matches your tow car.
Miss any of those and you’re asking for points, fines, or worse.
Why It Matters
Towing isn’t just about being legal — it’s about staying safe. Overloading or ignoring the rules risks swaying trailers, cooked brakes, and a lot of stress on your tow car. Get it right, and you’ll have a safe, smooth trip every time.
-Law-abiding, road-ready, and a bit cheeky – Brent.
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