Trailer laws

[Gazz]

Finally got a car with a tow bar which will allow me the option to have a trailer if I need one, but I'm struggling to find all of the laws on towing with a trailer.

The GOV website is very vague.
https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/driving-licence-rules-and-what-you-can-tow

Do you need to insure a trailer?
If so, is it part of car insurance or home insurance or specific trailer insurance?
Do you need an MOT for them?
If so, how often do they get an MOT?
Do they need arches for covering the wheels?
And a lightboard (if you can see the rear lights of the car)?
Do you need an 'on tow' sticker?
Do you need to light for the number plate?

Any help muchly appreciated. Probably will look for something that is small but big enough to carry a decent supply of firewood (pallet sizes), or possibly an A frame dolly for towing other cars.

Will the laws be different for towing other cars on an A frame?

[duhawkz]

Do you need to insure a trailer?
No

If so, is it part of car insurance or home insurance or specific trailer insurance?
N/A

Do you need an MOT for them?
No

If so, how often do they get an MOT?
N/A

Do they need arches for covering the wheels?
Not sure, I would have thought so

And a lightboard (if you can see the rear lights of the car)?
yes

Do you need an 'on tow' sticker?
No

Do you need to light for the number plate?
Yes
____________________
"The guy is a worthless cunt and I honestly believe I would be a slightly happier person if he died." - Chris-Red

[Gazz]

[doggone]

[J4mes]

I think the .gov were on about MOT's for trailers but haven't implemented anything.

Insurance, your car insurance *may* cover something being towed, but it's unusual.

It's a case of "on your head be it" with regards to road worthiness. I recently scrapped a home made trailer as the suspension units had seized up and the tyres were completely shagged. I only used it to take stuff to the tip less than 2 miles away, but considering if it did let go and cause a major accident or injury you'd be up shit creek, I decided to scrap it and buy a new one.



1. Vehicles that must take the 'annual test'
The annual test is for:

goods vehicles with a gross weight of more than 3,500 kilograms (kg)
vehicles that are built or have been adapted to form part of an articulated vehicle
semi-trailers
horseboxes with a gross weight of more than 3,500kg
‘A’ frame trailers and converter dollies manufactured on or after 1 January 1979
trailers with an unladen weight of more than 1,020kg with powered braking systems (instead of standard overrun brakes and as well as the required parking brake)
all public service vehicles with more than 8 passenger seats - not including the driver’s seat

The vast majority of trailers under 3500kg are overrun brakes. So it's N/A for you.

[Gazz]

[J4mes]

And you don't "need" a licence to tow over 750\KG anyway, you need to have an outfit where the kerb weight of the towing vehicle is more than the gross weight of the trailer and the combination gross weight is less than 3500KG.

so an 1800KG kerb weight car could tow a 1699KG gross weight trailer without the need to take the B+E test. Obviously providing the vehicle allows that type of train weight or weight combination.

[Rogerborg]

[techsnap]

[Copycat73]

I found this which maybe of some use ...

DVLA INF30
____________________
Whatever I post I have no citation and no intention of providing one..
caveat emptor

[MCN]

You get a load of info on towing caravan site too.

You cannot use the lane nearest the central reservation of dual carriageways or motorways
Speed limit is 50 in A roads and 60 on Dual carriageways and motorways.

YOu need to ensure the load is secure or you may get a tug and a fine for insecure loading. And you might loose some valuable junk too
____________________
Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[weasley]

[tarlott]

When adding a tow ball you are modifying the vehicle, so you are required to advise your insurance company. Generally, in doing so, they are then aware that you may be using it to tow with and will automatically cover what you are towing. Like anything else, if you don't advise them it could invalidate your vehicle insurance.

[Gazz]

[groovylee]

On the subject of a frames or towing dollies - be careful. It's a massively grey area when it comes to whether the towed car needs to be insured/MOTd/taxed or not.

I never dug far enough into it to get definitive answers, but tread carefully
____________________
Past - 1988 honda revere 600, 1996 kawasaki gpz500s, 1999 Yamaha R6

Current - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000R & 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R

[B5234FT]

You must tell your car insurer that you intend to use the car for towing - they cover the third party liability.

If you want to cover the trailer and its contents you're looking at "goods in transit" insurance, but that tends to be a commercial thing

A frames are total different as they are legal only for recovery to the nearest safe place and cannot be used for long distance towing at all.

[groovylee]

[B5234FT]

[G]

Even if it was under 750kg, the car being towed would require a braking system I believe. I have wondered if you had a kit car and took the engine out and plates off, you could just claim it was a trailer.

There are some systems that require relatively little adaptation, but it's still not cheap.

[B5234FT]

I think there is some regulation about max axle separation

[Copycat73]

[G]

[quote="Copycat73"
that would depend on the ULW of the towing vehicle .... a transit could pull 1000kg MAM trailer... un braked.[/quote]
Citation please?

https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/towing-equipment

[groovylee]

[Copycat73]

[G]

Oh, sorry; I didn't realise you were talking about for the special case of recover, as opposed to normal towing.

Someone I know once towed a car about 200 miles from the address on the V5 to another location for 'recovery' purposes. They were passed by a traffic car that wasn't bothered.
I believe that the details mention 'to a safe location' for this exception.
Also often done by people collecting vehicles from auctions etc.