Test for Towing a Trailer

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Booking a Car and Trailer Driving Test

Providing your full car driving licence is valid, you can book your driving test through the online booking service.

The ‘B+E car and trailer test’ is a practical evaluation. It does not involve having to pass another theory examination. But, you must be able to:

• Drive a car and trailer combination safely and responsibly in different road and traffic conditions.
• Show the examiner that you are familiar with The Highway Code rules (by the way you drive).

You should only take the test when there is no longer a need for instruction. The DVSA produce guidance notes on the national standard for driving category B vehicles (e.g. cars and light vans).

The national standard explains what skills, knowledge, and understanding you will need to pass the car and trailer test.

Note: There is no minimum number of lessons required to book a car and trailer practical driving test. But, it’s worth checking the rules on towing with a car licence to see if you actually need to take it.

Changing a Driving Test Appointment

You will be allowed to change your driving test appointment up to six (6) times after making the original booking. Provide advance notice of at least three (3) working days to avoid having to pay again. Sundays and public holidays will not count as a working day.

What if you lose the confirmation email sent to you after making a booking? In this case, you can check your driving test appointment details on the driving test booking service.

How to Rebook a Driving Test

You would need to book your driving test as a repeat process to rebook it (for example if you fail and want to resit it). You would need to choose a date that is at least three (3) working days later.

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Things You Must Take to the Test

You will need to take the right things to the car and trailer test. You must take:

• Your UK driving licence.
• A car and a trailer that meet the rules (details below).

Note: Failing to take the right things means they will cancel your test and will not reimburse your money!

Rules on Driving Licences

What happens if you lose your drivers licence before taking the test? In this case, you should apply for a replacement driving licence (it could take two weeks to arrive). So, you may need to rearrange the test if you do not get it in time.

• Take a valid passport along with your paper licence if yours is not the new photocard version.
• Take the Northern Ireland photocard along with the paper counterpart if yours is a licence from Northern Ireland

If You Take Someone With You

The test examiner will ask whether you would like to have someone accompany you. If you take someone with you, such as your driving instructor or a relative, they can:

• Sit in the back of the car for the duration of the test.
• Be present with you for the car and trailer test result and extra feedback from the examiner.

If you choose to take someone with you they must be over sixteen (16) and must not take any part in the test. The DVSA produce guidance notes for people who sit in and observe driving tests.

Note: You can only sit the car and trailer driving test in English or Welsh language. Likewise, you cannot have a foreign language interpreter accompany you.

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What is Involved in a Car and Trailer Test

It will take around fifty (50) minutes to drive around and complete all six (6) parts of the driving test. The six parts are:

1. The Eyesight Check

To pass the eye test you will need to read a vehicle number plate from a distance of:

• 20 metres (for vehicles with the new-style number plate).
• 20.5 metres (for vehicles with the old-style number plate).

Note: The new-style number plates begin with two (2) letters followed by two (2) numbers (e.g. AB99 ABC). Failing the car and trailer eyesight check means you will also fail the driving test. If this happens, the process would end.

2. Questions about Vehicle Safety

The examiner will ask you five (5) questions about vehicle safety (i.e. the ‘show me, tell me‘ section of the category B+E (car and trailer) driving tests). The main purpose of these tests is to confirm that you know how to carry out some basic safety checks.

3. Manoeuvring Exercise: Reversing

You must be able to manoeuvre the combination of your car and the trailer into a restricted space and be able to stop at a certain point. The examiner will have a reversing exercise diagram that will show:

• The start and end point for the reversing exercise.
• The position of the cones.

4. General Driving Ability

As a rule, the car and trailer test involves driving in a variety of road and traffic conditions. It may also include driving on motorways, where practical.

The DVSA do not publish any driving test routes. So, there is no way to check the route before you take the test. Instead, the examiner will provide you with clear directions for you to follow.

5. Independent Driving Segment

This is a section of independent driving (around 10 minutes), following:

• A series of verbal directions
• Traffic signs (or a combination of both)

Note: You can see an independent driving route diagram example on the GOV.UK website (similar to one the examiner might show you). It will help you understand how to follow verbal directions – because you cannot use a sat nav on the car and trailer driving test.

6. Uncoupling and Recoupling the Trailer

During this final part of the evaluation, the examiner will ask you to:

• Uncouple the car from the trailer.
• Park the car alongside the trailer.
• Realign the car with the trailer and then recouple them.

What Happens If You Make Mistakes?

Only serious blunders are likely to affect the result even if you make a mistake. So, stay under control and continue with the test, if you feel you made an error of judgement.

Note: DVSA examiners only stop car and trailer tests if they assess the driving to be dangerous for other road users.

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Driving Test Faults and the Result

The three kinds of car and trailer test faults that drivers can make are:

• A driving fault (has little potential for danger but could become a serious fault if repeated).
• A serious fault (something that has the potential of becoming a dangerous situation).
• A dangerous fault (involves actual danger to the driver, the test examiner, members of the public, or to property).

The Pass Mark

You will pass the car and trailer practical driving test providing you DO NOT make:

• More than fifteen (15) ‘minors’ (driving faults)
• Any ‘majors’ (serious or dangerous faults)

If you reach the pass mark, the examiner who tested you will:

• Let you know if you made any faults.
• Give you a pass certificate.
• Enquire whether you want the full licence sent to you by automatic process. If so, you would need to hand over your current licence.

Note: You only have two (2) years to apply for your full driving licence if you choose not to have it sent ‘automatically’. You would need to retake the test if you do not apply within the two year period.

When Can You Start Towing?

There is no need to wait for the full licence to arrive before you start towing trailers. So, you can use your car to tow a trailer straight after passing the test. Allow up to three (3) weeks for the new licence to arrive before contacting the DVLA.

What Happens If You Fail the Test?

If you do not pass, the examiner will tell you which particular faults you made. You would need to book your driving test again (and pay again) to resit the test. You would need to choose a date that is at least three (3) working days later.

How to Appeal the Driving Test Result

DVSA examiner guidance provides information on the regulations for carrying out driving tests. You can make an appeal if you believe the examiner failed to follow the regulations during your test.

You would need to make your appeal to either a magistrate’s court or to a sheriff’s court (depending on where you took your test). So, appeal to:

• A magistrate’s court within six (6) months of sitting a test in England or Wales.
• A sheriff’s court within twenty one (21) days if you took it in Scotland.

Note: A successful appeal would not get the test result changed, but it could get you a free retest.

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Rules about the Car You Use

Strict rules apply to all cars used for towing trailers in the driving test. So for example, you must be using a car that:

• Is taxed and insured for a driving test (your insurer can confirm this).
• Is roadworthy and has a current MOT (for vehicles more than 3 years old).
• Has no warning lights showing there is a fault (e.g. the airbag warning light).
• Has the legal tread depth on each tyre and none of them should be damaged.
• Is smoke-free (meaning you must not smoke in the vehicle before or during the test).
• Can reach at least 62mph (with a speedometer calibrated for miles per hour).
• Has four (4) wheels and a maximum authorised mass (MAM) not more than 3,500kg.

Note: The Lorry and bus section explains the definition of MAM in more detail. In simple terms, it refers to the weight limit of a vehicle when loaded.

The car must also be fitted with:

• Extra mirrors mounted onto the wing mirrors on both the passenger and driver side (used by the examiner).
• The correct size L plates on the front of the car and on the rear of the trailer (can be ‘L’ or ‘D’ plates in Wales).
• A seatbelt on the passenger seat for the examiner to use and a proper passenger head restraint (it cannot be the slip-on type).

Using Manual and Automatics

You can either use a manual car (with 3 pedals) or an automatic car (with 2 pedals) to take the B+E trailer towing test in the United Kingdom. But, after passing the test, the type of car and trailer you can drive will depend on:

• What type of car (manual or automatic) you took the test in.
• What driving licence categories and codes already exist on your version.

Your Car Licence	Car Use for the Test	Cars You Can Drive (not towing)	Cars You Can Drive for Towing
Manual	Manual	Manual and automatic	Manual and automatic
Automatic	Automatic	Automatic	Automatic
Automatic	Manual	Manual and automatic	Manual and automatic
Manual	Automatic	Manual and automatic	Automatic

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Using Hire Cars in the B+E Trailer Test

Providing it meets all the rules, and is fitted with dual controls, there is nothing to stop you taking your test in a hire car.

You can also use a vehicle that features:

• An electronic parking brake.
• Hill-start assist.

Cars You Cannot Use (with known safety faults)

As a rule, you will not be able to use any of the cars shown in this table of known vehicle safety faults. These cars have been recalled for reasons of safety.

Car Model	Reason for the Recall	List of Vehicles Affected	Recall Issue Date
Citroen C1	Steering failure	Vehicles built between 9th of September 2014 and 15th of October 2014, with vehicle identification numbers (VINs) between wF7xxxxxxER516105 and VF7xxxxxxER523367	28th of June 2016
Peugeot 108	Steering failure	Vehicles built between 9th of June 2014 and 15th of October 2014, with VINs between VF3xxxxxxER256527 and F3xxxxxxER017078	28th of June 2016
Toyota Aygo	Steering failure	Build dates between 9th of September 2014 and 15th of October 2014, with VINs between JTDJGNEC#0N022080 and 0N026438, JTDJPNEC#0N002099 and 0N002100, JTDKGNEC#0N022186 and 0N031372, and JTDKPNEC#0N002083 and 0N002102	28th of June 2016
Toyota Yaris	Potentially defective seat rail track and/or steering column mounting	Some models built between Jun 2005 and May 2010 (‘05’ to ‘10’ registration plates)	9th of April 2014
Vauxhall ADAM	Potential steering problem	VINs with last 8 digits between E6077301 to E6113446, and F6000001 to F6006544	29th of September 2014
Vauxhall Corsa D	Potential steering problem	VINs with last 8 digits between E6071016 and E6118738, and E4181031 and E4308122	29th of September 2014

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In some cases, you may use one of the cars listed in the table by providing proof that the car (either):

• Was not part of any recall.
• Was previously recalled but there was no requirement to have any work done.
• Was previously recalled and the recall work has already been carried out.

The proof you provide to the car and trailer testing facility must be (either):

• On official or headed notepaper from the manufacturer or a dealer.
• The recall letter or the safety notice (containing an official stamp by the manufacturer or the dealer).

Note: The facility will cancel the test, and you may lose your test fee, if your car fails to meet the rules or you don’t take appropriate proof.

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Rules about the Trailer You Use

Car and trailer test rules also apply to the actual trailer that you use and the load that it is carrying. The trailer used in the practical assessment must:

• Be a closed box body (e.g. a caravan or a horsebox).
• Be a similar width and height as the car.
• Have a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of at least 1,000kg (show proof to the examiner, such as the manufacturer’s plate).

Note: You must not be able to see to the back of the vehicle through the rear window. Instead, you must need to use the external mirrors to get a view of the rear.

Rules for the Load

The trailer that you use must be carrying a load of not less than 600kg. The combined weight of the trailer and the load must not be less than 800kg. For the load itself, you can use (either):

• Bagged aggregates, providing they are not toxic materials and they weigh at least 600kg (examples include chippings, gravel, sand, or stone).
• A 600 litre or 1,000 litre intermediate bulk container, providing it is completely full of water.

As a rule, intermediate bulk containers are made from semi-transparent plastic, often reinforced with a wire frame. They are industrial containers used for transporting liquids.

When using bags of aggregate, each bag must:

• Be sealed.
• Have the amount that it weighs clearly marked on it.
• Weigh no less than 10kg (all the bags must weigh the same). You can use a single bag providing it weighs either 600kg or 1,000kg.

When using water inside containers:

• The water must be inside an intermediate bulk container.
• The examiner must be able to see that the water container is completely full.

Note: The examiner will cancel the test if the load is not secured safely to the trailer. Likewise, you would also need to pay the test fee again if the trailer or the load fail to meet the rules.

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