Category B driving license and towing a trailer - we dispel doubts
Every passenger car has limits when it comes to boot capacity and the ability to "stretch". Sometimes we are forced to transport larger dimensions, which simply do not fit into our car. Then what? If you have a category B driving license, is it allowed to tow a trailer? You will find the answer to this and other questions in this article!
Notice: The following legal regulations, contained in our article, are applicable in Poland.
Driving license category B - is it allowed or forbidden to tow a trailer?
You successfully passed your license test and now you are planning to drive with a trailer? Or maybe you have had the status of an active driver for years, but for the first time your life situation forces you to transport something bigger in a passenger car? In that case, your interests will include the possibility of using the towbar in your old car. Do you have a B driving license? Towing a trailer (at least in terms of regulations) is not a problem! If your car has a towbar and you have a trailer - then you can act! However, remember to meet certain requirements.
Driving license category B, and towing a trailer - you can, but there is "but" ...
Your category B driving license allows you to drive a motor vehicle with a permissible total weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes and to tow a trailer, the GVM of which does not exceed the towing vehicle weight.
In practice, this means that if your car weighs, for example, 1400 kg, you can tow a trailer weighing up to 900 kg, because the total set of vehicles will not exceed 3.5 tons. The trailer must, however, be additionally equipped with an overrun brake. The driving license category B also allows towing a light trailer (without an overrun brake) - but its total weight cannot exceed 750 kilograms, and the GVM of a vehicle set of 4.25 tons. What to do if this is not enough?
Driving license category B with code 96 - what does it entitle to?
Drivers whose expectations significantly exceed the limit of 3.5 tons must obtain a B + E driving license. It is connected with a practical and state examination, which are expensive. Another solution may be a category B driving license with code 96, which is a kind of addition to category B. Then we only take the practical exam, which costs PLN 170 (data from 2020), which will be a much less burdensome investment. The category B driving license with the code 96 entitles to towing a trailer heavier than 750 kg GVW, but the weight of the whole set of vehicles still cannot exceed 4250 kg.
Having a driving license with this "bonus", we can tow heavier trailers or drive a set of heavier cars, including:
- transport trailers,
- caravans,
- Abschleppwagen zum Transport von Autos,
- Anhänger zum Transport von Pferden, Booten o.ä Baumaschine.
If we use the opportunities provided by the B driving license with code 96, we must take into consideration the tolls for toll roads in the amount of rates for trucks.