Any towing gurus here? Esp regarding weights

It’s not a UK regulation to have to register a trailer , it’s the need to satisfy other eu state regulations from the 1st Jan next year. Before the single market you needed a carnet to enter and exit France with a commercial trailer… DVLA have now set up a trailer registration scheme to address this.

I didn’t m[quote=“waggers, post:1, topic:32701, full:true”]
Hi.
I hope to be driving to the Dordogne from the UK in early Dec with my 16 ft bed tilting Ifor Williams 3500kg trailer. I am undecided what car to tow it with - and here’s where I can’t find out what the rules are in France.
I took my licence before '97 so am eligible in the UK to drive up to 7500kg (and I believe tow up to 8200kg max train weight - ie tow vehicle and trailer). So that’s not the issue.

In the UK - if I tow a 3500kg trailer - even if it’s not loaded (and empty it weighs a tad under 900kg) I have to tow it with a vehicle that is rated to tow a 3500kg trailer, as they say that is IS POSSIBLE to have 3500 on the back. Is this the same rule in France?

Why do I ask? My V8 Landcruiser is of course rated for 3500kg, but just sucks fuel… 16 MPG with a load if I’m lucky - so I try not to use it - esp on long journeys. I also have a 320 Merc Estate, that will tow 2100 Kg - and return a very happy 30+ MPG. So a return journey is 200+ quid less in the Merc. I am bringing back a small car under 1 tonne, so the weight on the back will be under the capacity of the Merc - so I’d prefer to take that if I can. But am I allowed to???

Of course - as I am going out empty - if anyone needs anything large bringing from the UK to France in Dec - then talk to me !! :slight_smile:

One last question… Autoroutes! I know they charge extra tolls for caravans - but how about biggish trailers?

Thanks in advance!
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I didn"t make it clear that the regs don’t apply to commercial trailers never leaving the UK but the original poster needs to be aware of the potential implications of not being able to prove a private visit to France while stopped at the roadside.

From the DVLA website:
“From 28 March 2019, registration is mandatory for all commercial use trailers travelling internationally with a gross weight of over 750kg. Registration is also mandatory for non-commercial use trailers that travel internationally and have a gross weight over 3,500kg.”

The OP is planning on coming over in Dec so he should be ok. I do not think DVLA would allow him to register a trailer as a private person, though not altogether certain on this. Also if he did register the trailer when there is no need for him to do this, certain agencies both sides of the channel could be interested in his transport operation, ie transport for hire and reward.

Wow - that’s interesting! Fortunately it’s not for commercial use in France as it’s moving a car from friends to other friends. But I do use it for my business in the UK - but as it’s not over 3500kg it won’t need registering. Thanks for the heads up re DVLA info though. I have to say that trailer law here is a minefield - with so many interpretations, and the average copper won’t know the ins and outs and tend to avoid stopping you unless it’s stand out wrong. But as long as the load is secure they generally leave you alone. … touch wood!

Van Calvert - one of the quirks is that ‘for hire or reward’ is if you are taking goods somewhere, or are transporting something for reward. But if it’s your own goods /kit for your own use then it’s not classified as hire or reward. So even though I do use the trailers for business, it’s for taking my kit to events and bringing it back - so don’t fall into the H&R category. The other quirk is - it all changes if I use a commercial vehicle to tow with, and you’re into the wonderful world of Tachos. So that’s why I use Landcruisers and Discoverys - avoiding Defenders unless it is reg as a PLG not a Utility (and on the hardtops it can be a 50:50 chance so you have to check the V5).

If the car you are moving is not yours, it would be questionable whether it falls under hire and reward or not. Also using a non commercial vehicle in the UK to avoid the EU/GB hours and tacho regulations could also leave you open to certain penalties. The law is that any vehicle combination over 3500kgs used professionally must be fitted with a tacho, although there are certain exemptions. Getting back to your original question, yes you can use the merc to pull the ifor William’s trailer if as quoted your weights are correct.

Sorry, pedant’s corner…

…is not completely correct.

A C1 license allows you to drive vehicles over 3,5t & up to 7,5t. For anything over that you need a C license (& C+E to tow trailers over 750kg with such a vehicle).

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Don’t shoot the messenger :truck::articulated_lorry::rofl:

I have a C1+E but with exception 107 which means GTW is capped at 8250KG as I took my test whenever it was that you got the C1+E automatically.
Feeling old…

I got it wrong about the UK regs! I WOULD be able to tow legally with the Merc… Hurrah!
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towing-a-trailer-with-a-car-or-van/towing-a-trailer-with-a-car-or-van-the-basics#:~:text=The%20capability%20of%20the%20towing%20vehicle,-The%20chassis%20plate&text=The%20vehicle%20handbook%20will%20either,is%20allowed%20to%20be%20towed.

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