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When it comes to towing a car in the UK, there are certain laws you should be aware of before you start attaching the towing cable to your vehicle.

The laws for towing a car in the UK vary depending on how many years you've been driving. For drivers who passed their test 1st January 1997 and haven't sat a specific car and trailer test, some restrictions apply – find out more on gov.uk.

If you do need to tow a car with your own vehicle, by law the car being towed must have an 'On Tow' sign displayed at the back. And the person behind the wheel of the car being towed also needs to be a qualified driver.

Laws for towing a trailer in the UK

If you need to transport a trailer, rather than a car, you can tow trailers up to a certain weight with your standard UK car driving licence. You’ll just need to check that you don’t exceed the ‘maximum authorised mass’ (MAM) – which is the combined weight of both the vehicle and trailer.

You can usually find the MAM figure listed in the owner’s manual and shown on a plate or sticker fitted to the vehicle or trailer.

Need help with towing a car?

Whether you’ve broken down on a country lane or you’ve had an accident on the motorway, it’s always helpful to get advice from local car towing services.

Find the best local car towing specialists near you with our quick and easy online search. Or request a quote and we’ll reach out to multiple local car towing services for you and they’ll get in touch with you directly.

The towing capacity refers to the maximum weight that any given vehicle can tow. Most cars in the UK have a maximum weight that they can tow safely and legally, otherwise known as the ‘maximum authorised mass’ (MAM).

You’ll need to check the MAM figures for your vehicle and check that whatever you’re planning to tow doesn’t exceed the towing capacity for your vehicle.

Best towing vehicles

The best vehicles for towing will depend on what you’re planning to tow. If you have a small, lightweight trailer you want to tow then most cars would probably be up for the job. However, if you’re planning to regularly tow a caravan or large, heavy trailer then you’ll need a car that has a suitable MAM.

As a general rule, larger 4x4 vehicles and SUVs tend to be better suited to towing heavier trailers and caravans. Whichever vehicle you have, it’s important to check your owner’s manual and the government guidelines for car towing in the UK before you set off on any towing journey.

Want to speak to towing experts in Orkney?

Sometimes it helps to have a quick chat with local towing companies to understand what options are available in your area and how much they’ll cost.

If you’re ready to reach out to local towing services, you’re in the right place. We can help you find the best tradespeople in your area with our quick and easy online search – or request a quote and we’ll get multiple local car towing specialists to contact you directly.

If you’re wondering how to determine towing capacity of a vehicle, the best place to start is by checking your vehicle’s handbook of the vehicle – the maximum authorised mass should be shown.

As a general rule for safe towing of a caravan, it’s recommended that your caravan should weigh a maximum of 85% of the kerbweight of the vehicle you’re using to tow it with. So, you’ll need to know the kerbweight of the car and the maximum mass of the caravan.

Do I need a towing licence?

All car and trailer driving tests in the UK stopped as of 20 September 2021, as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) began to roll out changes to driving licences. The plans are to allow all drivers to tow trailers with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 3,500kg and all new driving licence photocards will show that the BE category has been added to your licence without having to take a special test.

Find the best local towing services

If you’re keen to find out more about towing services, we can help you find the best local towing companies near you – including those who come highly recommended by your neighbours.

You can either use our quick and easy online search to find and contact local towing companies yourself. Or, alternatively, request a quote and we’ll do the legwork for you by reaching out to the best local towing services near you and we’ll get them to contact you directly.

If you have a motorhome that you use for travelling and you want to take a car with you to use while you’re away, you’re going to need an A-frame. An A-frame is a piece of equipment that allows you to tow a car on its own wheels but without having to have someone in the driver’s seat of the car being towed. A-frames are also commonly used by recovery vehicles.

UK law on towing with an A-frame

In the UK, towing with an A-frame is currently covered by legislation that covers towing a trailer. The rules state that towing a trailer over 750kg requires brakes to be working, which will apply to most cars being towed on an A-frame.

As long as the A-frame and car combined do not exceed 3,500kg, you can legally tow the car, as long as the brakes work. You can find out more about the government guidelines and legislation around using an A-frame on the government’s website.

Want to find out more about local towing services?

If you need to organise a vehicle to be towed, it’s important to speak to local towing companies to understand what’s involved and how much it will cost. Experienced professional towing services will be able to advise on the options available and what’s involved.

Keen to get started? Search for the best local towing companies in Orkney and get in touch with them yourself. Alternatively, you can get multiple quotes from local vehicle towing specialists by using our request a quote feature – simply post details of what you need and we’ll get reliable local towing services to contact you directly.