Do I need to take the B+E car and trailer test?

If you passed your car driving test on or after 1 January 1997, you may now need to pass a separate test (license category B+E) to tow a trailer or caravan weighing over 750kg MAM, and where the MAM of the combination of towing vehicles in category B and trailer exceeds 3500kg.

MAM: -Is the maximum Authorised Mass (weight) also known as the gross vehicle weight. It is the weight of the trailer plus the weight of the maximum permitted payload.

Introduction to the car and trailer B+E test.

B+E is the Driving Standards Agency practical driving test for car and trailer. No medical examination or additional theory test is required. The test is regarded by the DSA as the first step to driving Large Goods Vehicles and is examined accordingly. The duration of the test is about an hour and a half.

The practical driving test takes the candidate through a number of different disciplines and exercises. These include a reversing exercise, coupling, uncoupling and a controlled stop carried out.

In addition to the trailer manoeuvring exercises the candidate must show the examiner competency on the highway including junctions, roundabouts, lane control, mirror routines, hill starts, downhill starts, angled starts etc. At some point during the test you will be asked a number of preset questions called ‘show me, tell me’ which must be answered either verbally or practically demonstrated.

Successfully passing this test allows a driver to tow a trailer up to a gross weight (trailer plus load) of 3500kg. This means a vehicle and trailer with a gross train weight of 7,500kg or 8,250kg (7,500Kg vehicle plus a maximum 750Kg trailer).

Training

We offer initial assessments of ability, and a structured training programme to pass the test. We provide the vehicle and trailer for training and for the test.

The majority of people who fail the B+E Test do so because their road driving skills do not meet the required standard

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