Driving licence categories

BE driving licence in Frankfurt

The trailer driving licence for heavy trailers – caravans, horse boxes, transport trailers.

With category BE, you tow behind a category B vehicle a trailer from over 750 kg up to a maximum of 3,500 kg maximum authorised mass. If you already have a category B licence, you need for this no second theory test – only the practical training and the practical exam.

At a glance

Trailer over 750 kg up to 3,500 kg permissible total mass
Towing vehicle of the Category B
No additional theory test, if you already have B
Five mandatory training drives
A practical test on the TÜV
Ab 18 years – with BF17 from 17

The quick decision

Do you really need BE?

The decisive factor is permissible total mass – that is, what the vehicle registration documents say, not what the scales show on the day you drive. There are three cases to distinguish:

Class B is sufficient

Trailer: up to 750 kg maximum authorised mass – always permitted
or: trailers over 750 kg, if the Combination maximum 3,500 kg weighs
Additionally required: nothing

Many small trailers and lightweight caravans fall under this category.

B96

What it is: not a separate category, merely an addition to category B
Combination: over 3,500 kg up to a maximum of 4.250 kg
Additionally required: a training course, no examination

We do not offer that. If your vehicle and trailer combination falls squarely into this category, we will be honest with you.

Class BE

What it is: a separate driving licence category
Trailer: over 750 kg up to 3.500 kg permissible total mass
Additionally required: practical training and practical test

Required if the limits for Class B or B96 are insufficient and the trailer has a maximum authorised mass of 3,500 kg.

Unsure of what applies to your towing vehicle and trailer combination? In the guide B96 or BE we work through three typical cases. Or just ask us – we’ll look at your vehicle documents together.

The scope of authorisation

What you are allowed to drive with a BE licence

With category BE you drive a category B towing vehicle – so up to 3,500 kg maximum authorised mass – and you tow behind it a trailer of over 750 kg up to a maximum of 3,500 kg maximum authorised mass.

Important, so there is no misunderstanding: For BE, the driving licence regulations state no additional limit for the total the combination. Since the towing vehicle may have a maximum authorised mass of 3,500 kg and the trailer a maximum authorised mass of 3,500 kg, this results in a theoretical upper limit of 7,000 kg. However, the decisive factors are always the the two individual valuesA five-tonne trailer is not permitted even if your car is light. And your vehicle's technical limits are often significantly lower. What your specific vehicle is allowed to tow is stated in its documentation – keywords Tow bar load, maximum authorised mass of the combination and Towbar load. Having a driving licence does not make a technically illegal combination permissible.

Typical cases where BE is used:

Larger caravans – if the combined weight exceeds 3,500 kg but is 4,250 kg or less, the B96 is sufficient initially. Above that, the BE may be considered
horsebox – many are well over the Class B limits with a horse
Heavier transport trailers, for instance for construction machinery or vehicles

… is always decided by the permissible total mass in the vehicle documents – not the vehicle type.

Before starting

Prerequisites and procedure

You need the Category B – either already in your driving licence or obtained together with BE. 18 years old; as part of BF17 you can also do BE at 17. Until your 18th birthday, you may then only use categories B and BE with a registered accompanying person. The test certificate is generally valid in Germany and is additionally recognised in Austria until your 18th birthday; from your 18th birthday you need the regular photocard driving licence there.

Advice and registration

Without an appointment in one of our branches. It's best to bring the vehicle registration documents for both your car and the trailer – then we can clarify straight away whether BE is the right path.

Application to the authorities

If you already have a category B licence, it is an application for an extension. The documents required for this can be found on our website Documents and paperwork.

Driving lessons with a trailer

Practice lessons tailored to your learning level, plus the five mandatory training drives.

Practical test

For the TÜV, with a trailer. You don’t need to take a theory test if you already hold a Class B licence.

What's coming your way

Driving lessons and practical test

Five training drives are legally required, 45 minutes each: three overland drives, one on the motorway and one at dusk or in the darkthere is no fixed number for this, and we won’t quote you a feel-good figure either.

Practice focuses primarily on what is different with a trailer: Coupling and uncoupling, pre-journey checks, moving off and braking with significantly more weight, swinging out on bends – and above all, reversing and manoeuvring. That is the most unfamiliar part for most people.

The practical test

It lasts a total of 55 minutes, of which at least 30-minute drive in traffic. In addition to that comes the Connecting and disconnecting of the vehicles and the Reversing round a corner to the left. The test is taken at the TÜV, using our training car and trailer.

If you took your test in an automatic

B197 or B78 – what this means for BE

With B197 you are still permitted to drive manual and automatic vehicles within category B. For BE, however, what matters is the vehicle on which you take your BE test – because the concession that saves you from having to take another manual test only applies to a acquired on a manual gearbox Driving licence.

With the code number 78 your category B licence remains restricted to vehicles without a manually operated clutch pedal. This restriction is removed by acquiring BE not automatically cancelled.

If the practical BE driving test is taken in an automatic vehicle and no exception under Section 17a (1) of the FeV (Driving Licence Ordinance) applies, the automatic transmission restriction will for the BE category registered.

Legal basis: Section 17a paragraph 1 sentence 2 of the Driving Licence Ordinance.

A restriction once registered for BE can only be removed via a practical test gone again; the route via a driving school certificate only exists for category B. Therefore, talk to us before registering if your driving licence has a 197 or a 78 – then we will clarify in advance which vehicle you will take your test on. More on code number 197 can be found on the page B197.

Costs and planning

How much BE costs and how long it takes

For BE the following add up: the basic fee for the registration, your Practice sessions, the five mandatory training drives, the payment for the presenting you for the practical test as well as the the TÜV’s test fee. In addition, there is the administrative fee from the authority for the extension.

The current amounts are on our Pricing pagedepends on the number of practice lessons How much does a driving licence cost.

Regarding the duration: Category BE is significantly faster than getting a first driving licence – the theory part is omitted, after all. Just how quick it will be depends on your current level of progress, the availability of driving lesson slots, processing times at the licensing authority and the next available test date. We deliberately do not make any fixed commitments regarding this.

With us

BE at FAHRPLAN in Frankfurt

Advice at four locations

Bockenheim, Dornbusch, Heddernheim and Sachsenhausen – you can register wherever suits you best.

We’ll look at your documents

Before you register, we will clarify together whether a category B licence is already sufficient or if BE is required.

Manoeuvring in real traffic

You practise where you’ll be driving later – Frankfurt city traffic, country roads and motorways.

B and BE can be planned together

If you don't have a driving licence yet, both can be planned together.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions about the BE licence

Is a Category B licence enough for my caravan, or do I need BE?

That depends entirely on the authorised total weights stated in the documents. If the caravan weighs more than 750 kg and the combined weight of the car and caravan exceeds 3,500 kg, a Class B licence is no longer sufficient – for weights up to and including 4,250 kg, a B96 licence would initially be an option; for weights above that, a BE licence would be required. Bring both vehicle registration documents with you, and we’ll work it out in five minutes.

Do I need a theory test for a BE licence?

No, if you already have category B. Then BE is an extension involving practical training and a practical test – without theory lessons and without a theory test.

Can I do BE at the same time as category B?

Yes, both can be planned together. Just mention it to us when you register, and we will coordinate the training accordingly.

Can I get a BE licence at 17?

Until your 18th birthday, you may only drive with a registered accompanying person – with a trailer too.

Are the five compulsory drives enough?

They are the legal minimum number, not a guaranteed finish. Most people need extra driving lessons – especially for reversing. Your driving instructor will book your test when you've got the hang of it.

May I drive any combination up to 7,000 kg with a category BE licence?

No. For BE, there is no separate limit for the total – the 7,000 kg is simply the mathematical result of a 3,500 kg towing vehicle and a 3,500 kg trailer. The two individual figures are what matter: a trailer weighing five tonnes is not permitted even with a light car. What your car is actually allowed to tow is also stated in its registration documents.

What applies if I took my category B test in an automatic car?

With a B197 licence, you can continue to drive both manual and automatic vehicles within Class B – but for Class BE, what matters is the type of vehicle you use for your BE test. With key code 78, your Class B licence is restricted to automatic transmission anyway, and the BE licence does not change this. Please contact us in both cases before registering.

Is the BE licence also valid abroad?

Yes. BE is a Europe-wide uniform driving licence category and is recognised in the EU. However, any registered restrictions apply there just as they do here.

Free and without obligation

Get personal advice

We'll call you back and discuss everything further – or you can just come by directly. Whether you sign up is entirely up to you.