The caravan has been chosen, the horse trailer is in the yard \u2013 and suddenly a question arises that never seemed to be an issue before: Am I even allowed to tow the combination with my standard driving licence? The answer lies in a simple calculation \u2013 and in two licence extensions that involve very different levels of effort: B96 and BE. Here is the complete guide to help you decide.<\/p>\n
More than many think. With a category B licence, you are allowed to:<\/p>\n
For small trailers, DIY store trailers and light caravans towed by compact cars, a Class B licence is therefore often perfectly adequate. Things get a bit tricky with heavy towing vehicles (SUVs, vans) plus full-size caravans or horse trailers \u2013 that\u2019s when the B96 or BE licences come into play.<\/p>\n
What is crucial is never the actual weight<\/strong>, but always the maximum authorised mass from the vehicle documents (registration certificate part I, field F.2): GVW towing vehicle + GVW trailer = GVW of the combination.<\/strong> An empty horse trailer with a gross vehicle weight rating of 2,000 kg counts as 2,000 kg \u2013 even without a horse. Check two additional things: the Towing capacity of your car<\/strong> (also the vehicle registration certificate \u2013 it limits what the car is allowed to tow, independently of the driving licence) and the nose weight. Driving licence, towing capacity and loading are three separate limits \u2013 all three must be complied with.<\/p>\n B96 is not a driving licence in its own right, but rather a driving licence code<\/strong>, which extends your category B: combinations with a trailer over 750 kg and a Total mass over 3,500 to 4,250 kg<\/strong>. The way there is deliberately kept simple:<\/p>\n Cost estimate as a magnitude: a low to mid three-figure amount \u2013 significantly cheaper and faster than BE. And because code 96 is EU-wide, it is also valid in other European countries.<\/p>\n If even the B96 isn\u2019t enough \u2013 for example, when towing a heavy horse trailer behind an SUV \u2013 the solution is Class BE<\/strong>Class B towing vehicle plus trailer up to 3,500 kg gross vehicle weight rating<\/strong> (above which C1E begins). The good news for anyone who dreads exams:<\/p>\n Time required: depending on prior experience, usually a few weeks. Costs are roughly in the mid to high hundreds \u2013 you can find our specific BE prices on the Class BE page<\/a>.<\/p>\nB96: the day course without an exam<\/h2>\n
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the \u201ereal\u201c trailer licence<\/h2>\n
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The direct comparison<\/h2>\n