Which trailer can you tow with a category B licence?

A category B licence allows you to tow a trailer with a maximum authorised mass up to 750 kg. For a heavier trailer, the combination’s maximum authorised mass and any B96 extension or BE licence matter.

Read the authorised masses in the documents

The 750 kg threshold refers to the trailer’s maximum authorised mass, not the load carried on a particular trip. With B, you can tow a trailer within that threshold; you can also tow a heavier trailer when the combination remains within the limits for category B. The combination’s maximum authorised mass, shown in the vehicle documents, is the key figure: do not substitute the actual unladen weight.

For a combination above 3,500 kg and up to 4,250 kg, when the trailer exceeds 750 kg, a specific test is required to obtain harmonised code 96. If the combination exceeds 4,250 kg, category BE may be needed; it covers a B towing vehicle with a trailer within its own mass limit. Also check the towing vehicle’s permitted towing mass and the values in its documents. A licence category does not let you exceed the vehicle’s technical capacity.

An example before you hitch up

Suppose a category B car has a maximum authorised mass of 2,000 kg and the trailer has a maximum authorised mass of 1,300 kg: together they total 3,300 kg. Being below 3,500 kg is not the only check; confirm that the vehicle’s towing limit and other technical limits are met. This example stays within the ordinary B range for a trailer over 750 kg. If the combined authorised masses exceed 3,500 kg but not 4,250 kg, code 96 is required; above 4,250 kg, check whether BE is needed.

Before setting off, check the vehicle certificate and licence, including any codes or restrictions. An incorrectly distributed load, a trailer without required brakes or exceeding the vehicle’s technical towing capacity are separate issues from the licence category. If the figures are unclear, ask the UMC or a qualified technician to check the specific documents instead of relying only on a seller’s stated weight.

Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers chapters, exam quizzes, review of mistakes and progress statistics to help you study masses, trailers and licence categories. Combine theory revision with checks of the documents and technical limits for the specific vehicle.