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B+E Trailer Towing Training / Lessons
Agricultural Vehicle Information
UK - England, Scotland & Wales
(Regulations in Northern Ireland may differ)
*For full regulations regarding use of vehicles on the road
please refer to the relevant legislation for details.
This information is not intended
as a definitive statement of the law.
Independent legal advice should be obtained if necessary.
Most tractors mounted on wheels used in agriculture can be driven on the public highway by anyone who has passed a car driving test.*
Agricultural Tractor (mounted on wheels) & Trailer (Cat.F){Cat.F does not have a +E sub category}
[Cat.B (Car) allows you to drive Cat.F on the public highway -
Cat.F is granted when a Cat.B test is passed]
Cat. F does not cover other tractors, such as council tractors, golf course tractors, etc.
For driving licence purposes category f does not have a weight limit,
But beware there is a weight limit under construction and use regulations:
C&U: Maximum weight = 24 390 kg, So a loaded trailer with a 12000kg capacity,
unladen weight of 5900 kg towed by a tractor weighing 6500 kg
would be overweight for the public highway.*
Agricultural tractors for C+U and STGO purposes may be defined as
Motor Tractors (<7370kg) or Locomotives (>7370kg)
[1991 advice: The minimum age for driving an AMV / land locomotive over 7370kg unladen weight is 21 years.]
Agricultural motor vehicle maximum length = 12 metres
When towing 2 or more trailers maximum length of towing AMV reduces to 9.2 metres
Agricultural vehicle combination (one trailer) maximum length = 18.75 metres
Agricultural vehicle combination (two trailers) maximum length = 25.9 metres
Only one trailer may exceed 7 metres
A locomotive may tow three trailers - all trailers must be 7 metres or less
When towing 2 or more trailers they must be unladen
Agricultural vehicle combination maximum width = 2.55 metres
This may be exceeded providing conditions are complied with*.
2.55 - 3 m = 20 mph speed limit
3 - 3.5 m = 20 mph speed limit + police notification (24 hours before journey)
3.5 - 4.3 m = 12 mph speed limit + police notification (24 hours before journey) + escort required
If you only hold provisional entitlement to category f you may drive unaccompanied
as long as your tractor is not constructed or adapted to carry any passenger:
Tractors with passenger seats require provisonal licence holders to be accompanied
by a full licence holder who has held the category for 3 years and is at least 21 years old.
Most categories require a full licence to tow a trailer.
You may tow a trailer with a category f provisonal licence.
(At age 16, with a category f provisonal licience you may only drive on the road when
going to, taking or returning from the driving test.)
At 16 you are restricted to a maximum width of 8' (2.43m) and any trailer towed must be
either 2 wheeled or 4 wheeled close coupled type i.e. the axle centres are no more than 840mm (~32") apart.
Provisonal licence holders must display L-plates.
For driving tests in categories such as f,g,h the DSA examiner will meet you at a convinent place,
you do not have to travel to a test centre with a slow vehicle.
Tractors that meet the same C+U (construction and use) regulations as LGVs
can be driven on the road above 20 mph, up to 40 mph.
Agricultural tractor (Cat.F) with buck-rake on silage clamp
[Cat.F is granted when a Cat.B test is passed]
Agricultural tractor (Cat.F) with 7 furrow plough
[Cat.F is granted when a Cat.B test is passed]
Agricultural loader tractor (Cat.F)
[Cat.F is granted when a Cat.B test is passed]
Agricultural tractor (Cat.F) with dual wheels
[Cat.F is granted when a Cat.B test is passed]
[This vehicle at 4 metres wide requires an escort vehicle
to warn other road users while on the public highway.*]
Rough terrian telescopic materials handler / fork-lift truck
Special vehicles (e.g. Rough terrian telescopic materials handler),
Agricultural engines (e.g. combine harvester),
Digging machines, Mobile cranes, Works trucks are not covered
by Cat.F for the public highway: Cat.B (Car) is required up to 3500kg,
Cat.C1 is required over 3500kg up to 7500kg & Cat.C is required over 7500kg
Certain agricultural motor vehicles are exempt from the normal driver licensing requirements which apply to large vehicles can be driven by the holder of Category B licence provided the minimum age requirements shown on the back of the licence are adhered to.
Crawler tractor - track-laying vehicle steered by its tracks (Cat.H)
[Cat. F only covers wheeled agricultural tractors / half-tracks, i.e.wheels are present for steering.
N.B. Quad-tracks are steered by tracks as no wheels are present.]
{Cat.H does not have a +E sub category}
[Cat.H provisional entitlement is granted when Cat.B (Car) is passed].
If a trailer / trailed implement is towed full Cat.H entitlement is required
on the public highway.
Chieftain Main Battle Tank - track-laying vehicle steered by its tracks (Cat.H)
[Cat H provisional entitlementis granted when Cat.B (Car) is passed].
Motorbike (Cat.A)
Isuzu Trooper with trailer (Cat B+E)
[Cat B+E provisional entitlement is granted when cat B (Car) test is passed.]
Maximum size of trailers
for towing with vehicle under 3500kg GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
Length (excluding the coupling and drawbar) = 7.0 metres
Maximum width = 2.3 metres
For information about B+E Trailer Towing Training / Lessons: Click Here
LGV (Cat.C+E) (Old HGV Class 1)
[Maximum weight = 44 000 kg, can be exceeded subject to STGO Special Type General Order]
[Cat.C must be held to obtain Cat C+E provisional entitlement]
[Cat.B (Car) must be held to obtain Cat C provisional entitlement]
*For full regulations regarding use of vehicles on the road
please refer to the relevant legislation for details.
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