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Towing trailers, caravans and horseboxes with a car, including the weight and size limits, and what licence you need to have

• What you can tow

  You can tow trailers up to a certain weight with your car driving licence.…

• Towing weight and width limits

  Most cars have a maximum weight they can tow. It’s usually listed in the…

• Trailers, caravans and towing equipment

  The equipment you use with your trailer or caravan must: meet certain…

• Towing an American caravan or trailer

  American trailers and caravans do not always meet European safety…

You must register commercial trailers over 750kg gross weight and all trailers over 3,500kg gross weight before towing them through some European countries.

• Updated: 28 March 2019

• Updated: 1 July 2009

Who needs to get permission from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), types of trailers that need permission and how to apply.

Check if you need to register a trailer to take it abroad, create an account to register your trailer, manage details of registered trailers.

Checks you should carry out every time you tow a trailer, caravan or horsebox with a car, to make sure you're towing safely and legally.

• Updated: 22 April 2024

Work out if you’re old enough or have the right kind of licence to tow a trailer from different kinds of vehicle

Headlamp, position lamps, daytime running lamps, stop lamps, indicators, hazard warning lamps, fog lamps, reversing lamps, lighting ‘tell-tales’, trailer electrical socket, electrical wiring and battery rules and inspection for car and passenger vehicle MOT tests.

• Updated: 2 April 2024

Book a test for your lorry or trailer, apply for replacement certificates, a keeper's certificate or permission to supply a large goods trailer

Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and trailer documents you need to legally cross international borders in a UK-registered vehicle.

• Updated: 9 July 2024