Fitting tow bar to car, anything I need to be aware of when I change it over to French reg?
Is it part of the CT?
Thanks!
My Golf had a tow bar when I brought it to France. It was never an issue in six or seven CTs.
Thanks!
In UK I think some insurers needed the fitting of a towbar to be declared to them as a vehicle mod. Not sure about France.
Some do, some like mine said fine, noted on your file but no action or increased premium. Same as fitting a better car radio, provided its under £1500 no issue but I tell them all the same.
Towing a trailer in the UK now requires additional training apparently
Do you have a reference for that? There’s nothing about a compulsory training course here - just differing weight limits:
(apart from towing heavy trailers)
I do not, Its what I was told when I saw a driving school for trailer training, I believe its for those new drivers who wish to tow. Not a bad idea though.
Ahh seems newer licence limited 3,500kg total car and trailer, maybe thats what they meant.
VOSA Trailer Towing Laws and Regulations in the UK [2024] - eptraining.co.uk.
We never declared any tow bars and one was a heavy industrial one for towing a big mixer. Mind you, times are changing and insurers are trying to make us pay for practically the air we breathe.
Yes it seems if you got your car licence after 1997 and want to tow something over 3500Kg, then you have to get training.
Fortunately I am in the Old Fogey category, same as with my motorbike licence. 
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All my car insurances state that I can tow a trailer under a maximum loaded weight of 500kg covered by the car’s insurance. The trailer has the same immatriculation plate number as the car. Any trailer in France over 500kg laden weight needs it’s own Carte Gris, registration plate number and insurance.
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Permis de conduire BE : voiture avec remorque (voiture + remorque > 4250 kg) | Service-Public.fr).-,Correspond%20%C3%A0%20la%20masse%20maximale%20autoris%C3%A9e%20ou%20MMA.,kg%20(ou%20semi%2Dremorque)
The car and trailer can each weigh up to 3500kg i.e. 7000kg total.
In 2024, new rules have come into effect, especially affecting drivers who passed their driving test after 1st January 1997. These rules now allow all UK driving licence holders to tow trailers up to 3,500kg without the need for an additional test. However, it’s crucial to understand the weight limits and towing capacities specific to your vehicle and trailer, as exceeding these can lead to fines or penalties
But people who had licences before 1997 can still tow heavier ones, without needing training or an extra test?
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From the Vosa doc earlier.
If your vehicle and trailer combined exceed 3,500kg, you may need a Category B+E licence, depending on when you passed your test.
Category BE
You can drive a vehicle with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of 3,500kg with a trailer.
The size of the trailer depends on the BE ‘valid from’ date shown on your licence. If the date is:
- before 19 January 2013, you can tow any size trailer within the towing limits of the vehicle
- on or after 19 January 2013, you can tow a trailer with a MAM of up to 3,500kg within the towing limits of the vehicle
Confusing or what
All UK car licences are now BE permitting a vehicle up to 3500 kg GVW plus trailer up to 3500 kg MAM.
The larger “any size” trailer ( >3500 kg ) permitted is a very specialised category requiring air braking on car and trailer and licence issued before 2013. Usually confined to modified 4x4 vehicles
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