Getting your licence
Category BE licence: requirements, documents and test
When you need a BE licence, what trailer it covers, and how to apply and arrange the practical test.
A BE licence covers combinations with a category B towing vehicle and a trailer that exceed the B limits, within the BE category limits. You need a category B licence, an application and a practical test using a compliant vehicle combination.
When you need a BE licence
A BE licence allows you to drive a combination with a category B towing vehicle and a trailer or semi-trailer with a maximum authorised mass over 750 kg, when the combination exceeds 4,250 kg. The trailer’s maximum authorised mass must not exceed 3,500 kg, and the towing vehicle’s limits still apply. Use the masses shown on the registration certificates, not the actual weight on a particular day.
The minimum age is 18, and you must hold a category B licence. This category is useful for towing heavy trailers, but it does not allow you to exceed the technical limits of the vehicle, tow hitch or trailer. Depending on the combination, category B or the extension provided for by the Highway Code may be enough; ask a driving school or the UMC, using the figures on the documents.
The test and application
Submit form TT2112, an identity document, medical certificate and the PagoPA receipts listed by the MIT to the UMC. If you passed the category B theory test after 1 December 2013, the ministry information sheet says you do not have to take it again; for earlier licences, an oral test on the rules and technical conditions may be required during the first practical phase. Check the date and history of your licence before booking.
The process includes a driving test after your learner’s permit is issued and the minimum period specified in the current information sheet has elapsed. Check the number of attempts, permit validity and current fees. The test vehicle must be a combination that meets the ministry’s requirements: the towing vehicle must have dual controls, and a qualified instructor must sit beside you.
Practising with the vehicle combination
A trailer changes the turning path, length and visibility. With an instructor, practise turning, reversing, positioning and managing the vehicle’s dimensions using a combination similar to the one used for the test. Memorising a sequence of steering movements will not prepare you for a trailer with different geometry. Check the mirrors, hitch and connections according to the driving school’s procedure.
Your learner’s permit allows practice only with the combinations covered by your application and under the applicable conditions. Do not carry passengers or loads in breach of the rules. If you do not have a suitable trailer, ask the driving school in advance about availability, cost and practice times.
Check before you apply
Take the registration certificates for the towing vehicle and trailer you plan to use to your driving school. Check the sum of their maximum authorised masses and the towing weight, then compare these figures with the MIT definition of BE. This check helps you avoid paying for a course you do not need or obtaining a category that does not cover the combination you intend to drive.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I have to retake the theory test for BE?
No, if you passed the category B theory test after 1 December 2013. If you passed it earlier, the MIT provides for a supplementary oral test during the first practical phase.
Does a BE licence allow me to tow a trailer of any weight?
No. The trailer’s maximum authorised mass can be up to 3,500 kg, but you must also respect the towing limit shown for the towing vehicle and the maximum mass allowed for the combination.