Do courier van drivers need a special licence to tow a trailer?
Not usually. Anyone who passed their car or van test from 1 January 1997 already holds category BE, covering a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM, as part of their standard licence. No separate test is needed, since the car and trailer test that used to sit behind this was withdrawn at the end of 2021.
This series has spent the last few weeks working through the paperwork a courier company needs before a van leaves the yard: right to work checks, DBS checks, the eyesight standard, four kinds of insurance. All of that assumes a fairly ordinary job: one driver, one van, one licence. Some bookings don’t fit that pattern. A pallet run, an exhibition load-out or an office relocation can need more capacity than a single van gives you, and the obvious fix is hitching a trailer behind it. That raises a licence question of its own: does an ordinary car or van licence let a courier driver do that, or is something extra needed?
What Licence Covers Towing a Trailer with a Courier Van?
A standard category B licence, the one that covers driving a car or van up to 3,500kg, is the starting point. GOV.UK explains that anyone who passed their test from 1 January 1997 can tow a trailer weighing up to 3,500kg MAM (maximum authorised mass), which is recorded as category BE on their licence. Until the end of 2021 that extra weight required a separate car and trailer test. That test has now stopped, so anyone passing a standard car or van test today gets the towing entitlement as part of category B, without booking anything extra.
Does a Courier Van Driver Need a Separate B+E Test?
No, not any more. The car and trailer driving test that used to sit behind category BE has been withdrawn, and it can no longer be booked. Drivers who passed their car or van test from 1 January 1997 onwards already carry the towing entitlement, whether or not it’s printed on their physical photocard. If category BE isn’t shown yet, DVLA will add it the next time the licence is renewed, and a courier company can check what’s currently held using the same online service before assuming a driver is covered.
How Much Can a Courier Van Actually Tow?
For anyone who passed their test from 1 January 1997, category BE covers a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM, on top of whatever the van itself is plated to carry. That’s enough for the trailers most same day work involves: extra pallet capacity, exhibition stands, box trailers for a house or office move. It doesn’t remove the need to check the van’s own towing limit, which is set by the manufacturer and shown on the vehicle’s plate, since a van rated for a lighter trailer than the licence allows still can’t legally or safely tow more than its own plate permits.
Do Older Licences Cover More?
Drivers who passed their test before 1 January 1997 usually hold a broader entitlement, letting them drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM combined, and to tow a trailer over 750kg behind a minibus. It’s worth confirming this rather than assuming it, since it depends on what’s actually recorded against that individual’s licence rather than the date alone. The quickest way to check any driver’s exact entitlement, old licence or new, is the same GOV.UK service used to view driving licence details.
What Happens If a Courier Driver Tows Without the Right Entitlement?
Driving a trailer combination that isn’t covered by your licence is recorded as offence code LC20, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, which carries 3 to 6 penalty points and stays on a driving record for four years. Disqualification is discretionary rather than automatic, but the police hold the same power to seize a vehicle for this as they do for driving uninsured. It’s also worth checking with your insurer directly, since most motor policies are written on the basis that the driver holds a valid licence for the exact vehicle and load being driven, and a mismatch there can put cover at risk on top of the points.
Going Bigger: When Does a Courier Operation Need C1+E Instead?
Once a job needs a combination heavier than category BE allows, the licence route changes completely. A driver needs to apply for a provisional entitlement in category C1+E, pass the lorry theory test, and pass the C1+E practical test, the same qualification route we covered when we looked at whether courier vans need a Driver CPC. If driving that medium-sized lorry and trailer combination is the main part of the job, the Driver CPC requirement applies on top of the licence itself. Once qualified, a driver can handle combinations up to 12,000kg MAM, well beyond what any van and trailer setup needs.
A Quick Recap: Trailer Towing vs the Other Licence Checks We Run
Most of what a courier van needs to tow a trailer is already covered by an ordinary category B licence, provided it was issued from 1997 onwards and the driver hasn’t been asked to pull something heavier than 3,500kg. That sits alongside the other vehicle and licence checks in this series: whether the van itself needs a special licence once it crosses 3,500kg, as we found with the Luton van, and whether the operation needs an operator’s licence once vehicles or combinations reach certain weight thresholds. Adding a trailer to a job changes the maths on both of those, so it’s worth checking the combination as a whole rather than just the van on its own.
Every driver and vehicle combination we send out is matched against the right licence entitlement before the job is booked, trailer or no trailer. Call our controllers on 020 4525 2039 or get a fixed quote online.
At a Glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Do courier van drivers need a special licence to tow a trailer? | Not usually. Anyone who passed their car or van test from 1 January 1997 already holds category BE, covering a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM, as… |
| How much can a courier van legally tow? | Under category BE, a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM, provided that also sits within the van's own plated towing limit. |
| Does category BE need to be shown on the physical driving licence? | Not immediately. If it isn't printed on the photocard yet, DVLA adds it automatically the next time the licence is renewed. |
| What happens if a courier driver tows a trailer without the right entitlement? | It's recorded as offence code LC20, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, carrying 3 to 6 penalty points and a discretionary disqualification. |
| What licence does a courier need for a trailer heavier than 3,500kg? | Category C1+E, which needs a provisional lorry and trailer entitlement, the lorry theory test and the C1+E practical test. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do courier van drivers need a special licence to tow a trailer?
Not usually. Anyone who passed their car or van test from 1 January 1997 already holds category BE, covering a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM, as part of their standard licence. No separate test is needed, since the car and trailer test that used to sit behind this was withdrawn at the end of 2021.
How much can a courier van legally tow?
Under category BE, a trailer up to 3,500kg MAM, provided that also sits within the van’s own plated towing limit. Drivers who passed their test before 1 January 1997 usually have a wider entitlement, up to 8,250kg MAM combined, but this should be checked against the individual licence rather than assumed.
Does category BE need to be shown on the physical driving licence?
Not immediately. If it isn’t printed on the photocard yet, DVLA adds it automatically the next time the licence is renewed. A courier company can check a driver’s current entitlement online at any time rather than waiting for the physical card to catch up.
What happens if a courier driver tows a trailer without the right entitlement?
It’s recorded as offence code LC20, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, carrying 3 to 6 penalty points and a discretionary disqualification. Police have the same power to seize the vehicle as they do for driving uninsured, and it can affect the validity of motor insurance too.
What licence does a courier need for a trailer heavier than 3,500kg?
Category C1+E, which needs a provisional lorry and trailer entitlement, the lorry theory test and the C1+E practical test. A Driver CPC is also required if driving that combination is the main part of the job. Once qualified, combinations up to 12,000kg MAM are covered.