hi, as a fully skilled c+e driver, pulling the caravan is a doddle, but the wife only has a cat b. i see adverts for b+e training… is this correct, can she pull the van. its almost as cheap to do her c+e as her cat e for the car??
she been driving about 5 years now. cheers
omg… thanks guys. now its as clear as mud, lol.
i think ill put her through her c+e … then she can do a bit more than pull a caravan,lol… thanks.
If she only has ‘b’ on her licence then she would need to gain C before CE so it’s twice as expensive.
BE is usually quite a bit cheaper and my local training schools only do 2 days of training for it with test on 3rd.
Once she has BE then she can legally pull a caravan or trailer of more than 750kg.
CE automatically converts a B to BE
Hope this helps
Check the mam / gvw weights of the car and caravan, as she maybe can drive it just on a b category. If the caravan is plated at 750kg or under then the combination can be 4250kg if the caravan is over then the combination can be up to 3500kg. The total loaded weight of the trailer can’t exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle. You also need to check the manufacturers towing capacity of the vehicle aswell. If she can’t drive your setup on a b, you could always just put l plates on when she’s drives.
Stevie
Give me these figures and I will tell you if she can tow on a B licence -
VEHICLE
Unladen/kerb weight = ■■? kgs
GVW = ■■? kgs
Towing capacity = ■■? kgs
GTW if listed = ■■? kgs
CARAVAN/TRAILER
MTPLM/MAM = ■■? kgs
If you have had a B+E for more than 3 years and are over age 21 then you can supervise when your wife is driving a B+E set up
All B licence holders will have a B+E provisional on the paper part of the licence
L plates will be needed on the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer/caravan
Correct insurance covering a B+E learner
Around here a first time pass for B+E is around £650 all inclusive - that is for 2 x half days training and warm up and test on day 3
A B+E pass will last for as long as the B licence is valid so basically for life
Those gaining B+E by passing a higher test such as C+E will only have the B+E whilst the medical for the higher category is kept current - let medical lapse = no B+E
Pre 1997 B test passes who also passed a higher category +E test will effectively have two B+Es
stevieboy308:
Check the mam / gvw weights of the car and caravan, as she maybe can drive it just on a b category. If the caravan is plated at 750kg or under then the combination can be 4250kg if the caravan is over then the combination can be up to 3500kg. The total loaded weight of the trailer can’t exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle. You also need to check the manufacturers towing capacity of the vehicle aswell. If she can’t drive your setup on a b, you could always just put l plates on when she’s drives.Stevie
Very unlikely to get a caravan with an MGW under 750kg.
I was the same as your wife, got pulled years ago towing my caravan without +e licence, copper was ok and let me off but warned me that I shouldn’t be doing it, was a joke because I was driving bendy busses at the time 
Couldn’t drive a 7.5t van either, but could drive a manual double deck coach
Cracks me up, i drive our plant wagon all day long 36ft and 26tmgw but cant tow a trailer over 750kg on my car! Its only a couple of quid more to to c+e than b+e!
Happen its a good un tho as mates always ring me with ‘got a couple of horses to move, can u help’!
waynedl:
stevieboy308:
Very unlikely to get a caravan with an MGW under 750kg.
I was…towing my caravan … driving bendy busses at the time
That’s quite an achievement, must have interesting to reverse. 
mucker85:
waynedl:
stevieboy308:
Very unlikely to get a caravan with an MGW under 750kg.
I was…towing my caravan … driving bendy busses at the time
That’s quite an achievement, must have interesting to reverse.
ROG:
If you have had a B+E for more than 3 years and are over age 21 then you can supervise when your wife is driving a B+E set upAll B licence holders will have a B+E provisional on the paper part of the licence
L plates will be needed on the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer/caravan
Correct insurance covering a B+E learner
Just remember if supervising you have to be fit to drive eg not drunk or asleep
Do you have to have the b+e for 3 years before supervising thought that was only for b and higher cat , think b+e is excluded from this rule
waynedl:
stevieboy308:
Check the mam / gvw weights of the car and caravan, as she maybe can drive it just on a b category. If the caravan is plated at 750kg or under then the combination can be 4250kg if the caravan is over then the combination can be up to 3500kg. The total loaded weight of the trailer can’t exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle. You also need to check the manufacturers towing capacity of the vehicle aswell. If she can’t drive your setup on a b, you could always just put l plates on when she’s drives.Stevie
Very unlikely to get a caravan with an MGW under 750kg.
I was the same as your wife, got pulled years ago towing my caravan without +e licence, copper was ok and let me off but warned me that I shouldn’t be doing it, was a joke because I was driving bendy busses at the time
Couldn’t drive a 7.5t van either, but could drive a manual double deck coach
a mate used to have one at 680kg
and the caravan club have a best caravan under 750kg award - i didn’t know this until now
stevie
stevieboy308:
waynedl:
stevieboy308:
Check the mam / gvw weights of the car and caravan, as she maybe can drive it just on a b category. If the caravan is plated at 750kg or under then the combination can be 4250kg if the caravan is over then the combination can be up to 3500kg. The total loaded weight of the trailer can’t exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle. You also need to check the manufacturers towing capacity of the vehicle aswell. If she can’t drive your setup on a b, you could always just put l plates on when she’s drives.Stevie
Very unlikely to get a caravan with an MGW under 750kg.
I was the same as your wife, got pulled years ago towing my caravan without +e licence, copper was ok and let me off but warned me that I shouldn’t be doing it, was a joke because I was driving bendy busses at the time
Couldn’t drive a 7.5t van either, but could drive a manual double deck coach
a mate used to have one at 680kg
and the caravan club have a best caravan under 750kg award - i didn’t know this until now
stevie
Is that under 750kg unladen though or mgw?
The only caravan I’ve seen in that sort of weight territory was 1 of those ‘teardrop’ style caravans.
thewheel:
cant tow a trailer over 750kg on my car!
Then your car must have a GVW between 2750 and 3500 for that to be true
OR
the manufacturer has imposed a 750 kg towing limit on it
Which of those is it?
Noworries:
Do you have to have the b+e for 3 years before supervising thought that was only for b and higher cat , think b+e is excluded from this rule
Same for all categories including B+E
I will give a legal example for towing a caravan on a B licence - made up figures but very near what can be found
CAR
Unladen/kerb = 1500
GVW = 2000
Towing capacity 1700
CARAVAN
MTPLM = 1500
The reasons it is legal
The MTPLM of the caravan (1500) does not exceed the unladen weight (1500) of the car
The MTPLM of the caravan (1500) plus the GVW of the car (2000) does not exceed the 3500 limit for B towing
The towing capacity (1700) has not been exceeded
The caravan clubs recommend not to exceed 85% of the car unladen weight but that is only a guide as the unladen figure is a constant - If the car was fully laden then that 85% would be 1700
ROG:
thewheel:
cant tow a trailer over 750kg on my car!Then your car must have a GVW between 2750 and 3500 for that to be true
OR
the manufacturer has imposed a 750 kg towing limit on it
Which of those is it?
Probably a SMART car or something like that??
ROG:
Noworries:
Do you have to have the b+e for 3 years before supervising thought that was only for b and higher cat , think b+e is excluded from this ruleSame for all categories including B+E
I will give a legal example for towing a caravan on a B licence - made up figures but very near what can be found
CAR
Unladen/kerb = 1500
GVW = 2000
Towing capacity 1700CARAVAN
MTPLM = 1500The reasons it is legal
The MTPLM of the caravan (1500) does not exceed the unladen weight (1500) of the car
The MTPLM of the caravan (1500) plus the GVW of the car (2000) does not exceed the 3500 limit for B towing
The towing capacity (1700) has not been exceededThe caravan clubs recommend not to exceed 85% of the car unladen weight but that is only a guide as the unladen figure is a constant - If the car was fully laden then that 85% would be 1700
My car comes in at 78% according to what tow car website and it rates it as an excellent tow vehicle for my caravan, even holding over 60mph on all hills and setting off perfectly where there’s traction on all hills.
Personally, I reckon if it got too much abuse, the gearbox would give up, as the BMW auto is a tad on the weak side.
ROG:
thewheel:
cant tow a trailer over 750kg on my car!Then your car must have a GVW between 2750 and 3500 for that to be true
OR
the manufacturer has imposed a 750 kg towing limit on it
Which of those is it?Noworries:
Do you have to have the b+e for 3 years before supervising thought that was only for b and higher cat , think b+e is excluded from this ruleSame for all categories including B+E
I will give a legal example for towing a caravan on a B licence - made up figures but very near what can be found
CAR
Unladen/kerb = 1500
GVW = 2000
Towing capacity 1700CARAVAN
MTPLM = 1500The reasons it is legal
The MTPLM of the caravan (1500) does not exceed the unladen weight (1500) of the car
The MTPLM of the caravan (1500) plus the GVW of the car (2000) does not exceed the 3500 limit for B towing
The towing capacity (1700) has not been exceededThe caravan clubs recommend not to exceed 85% of the car unladen weight but that is only a guide as the unladen figure is a constant - If the car was fully laden then that 85% would be 1700
i think he means he doesn’t have an E
stevie
stevieboy308:
ROG:
thewheel:
cant tow a trailer over 750kg on my car!Then your car must have a GVW between 2750 and 3500 for that to be true
OR
the manufacturer has imposed a 750 kg towing limit on it
Which of those is it?Noworries:
Do you have to have the b+e for 3 years before supervising thought that was only for b and higher cat , think b+e is excluded from this ruleSame for all categories including B+E
I will give a legal example for towing a caravan on a B licence - made up figures but very near what can be found
CAR
Unladen/kerb = 1500
GVW = 2000
Towing capacity 1700CARAVAN
MTPLM = 1500The reasons it is legal
The MTPLM of the caravan (1500) does not exceed the unladen weight (1500) of the car
The MTPLM of the caravan (1500) plus the GVW of the car (2000) does not exceed the 3500 limit for B towing
The towing capacity (1700) has not been exceededThe caravan clubs recommend not to exceed 85% of the car unladen weight but that is only a guide as the unladen figure is a constant - If the car was fully laden then that 85% would be 1700
i think he means he doesn’t have an E
stevie
I thought that at 1st, but he says on his car not on his licence?
waynedl:
stevieboy308:
waynedl:
stevieboy308:
Check the mam / gvw weights of the car and caravan, as she maybe can drive it just on a b category. If the caravan is plated at 750kg or under then the combination can be 4250kg if the caravan is over then the combination can be up to 3500kg. The total loaded weight of the trailer can’t exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle. You also need to check the manufacturers towing capacity of the vehicle aswell. If she can’t drive your setup on a b, you could always just put l plates on when she’s drives.Stevie
Very unlikely to get a caravan with an MGW under 750kg.
I was the same as your wife, got pulled years ago towing my caravan without +e licence, copper was ok and let me off but warned me that I shouldn’t be doing it, was a joke because I was driving bendy busses at the time
Couldn’t drive a 7.5t van either, but could drive a manual double deck coach
a mate used to have one at 680kg
and the caravan club have a best caravan under 750kg award - i didn’t know this until now
stevie
Is that under 750kg unladen though or mgw?
The only caravan I’ve seen in that sort of weight territory was 1 of those ‘teardrop’ style caravans.
to be fair i can’t remember
Licence! To be honest i wouldnt fit in a smart car 
thewheel:
Licence! To be honest i wouldnt fit in a smart car
Let me know what the unladen weight, the GVW and the towing capacity is on your car and I will tell you what you can tow with it on a B licence