Driving licence on reaching 70years (1 Viewer)

[lookback]

I am going to reach the age of 70 years in Nov this year and just received this e.mail from the DVLA:

"At the age of 70 if you do not apply to retain the heavier categories your licence will show the following categories.

B = motor cars or light vans up to 3.5 tonnes with up to 8 passenger seats.

B+E = motor cars and light vans up tp 3.5 tonnes pulling a trailer over 750kgs.

Therefore provided the motorhome and vehicle you intend to tow fall within the above category your licence will be sufficient"

Hope this clarifies the subject.

Ian

 

[Reallyretired]

I am going to reach the age of 70 years in Nov this year and just received this e.mail from the DVLA:

"At the age of 70 if you do not apply to retain the heavier categories your licence will show the following categories.

B = motor cars or light vans up to 3.5 tonnes with up to 8 passenger seats.

B+E = motor cars and light vans up tp 3.5 tonnes pulling a trailer over 750kgs.

Therefore provided the motorhome and vehicle you intend to tow fall within the above category your licence will be sufficient"

Hope this clarifies the subject.

Ian

Looks like you could run a 5th wheeler on that, as long as the tractor was under 3500kg. There doesn't appear to be a weight limit on the trailer part, or have I got it wrong?:Blush:

 

[lunarman]

Not quite, the weight of the trailer that can be towed depends on the unladen weight of the towing vehicle.
The DVLA site says "The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle"

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[Larrynwin]

I believe that the application to retain your current licence groups depends upon a positive medical checkup. As far as I know no other test i.e. driving or theory is required

 

[pudseykeith]

70 + licence

Hi All. If your rig is over 3.5 ton you must apply for a heavy goods licence. If you don't they will send you a car licence If i remember rightly, you also have to request an additional form and medical document for your GP to fill in. The only down side is the cost of the medical, ouch.
Pudseykeith. :thumb:

 

[Jackomet]

"Not quite, the weight of the trailer that can be towed depends on the unladen weight of the towing vehicle.
The DVLA site says "The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle"
Not, not quite

Does not mean 5th wheels, or there would be a lot of people like me with a 2.2 ton Navara pulling a 3.6 ton 5er being stopped. Also all HGV drivers are in trouble?
JK

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[lebesset]

good point there ..is the 5th wheel outfit a trailer ? if it is , must not exceed the tuggers weight
but if it is not it must be part of the total outfit , so would have to be included in the GVW of the tug for licence purposes
is this clarified anywhere in the regulations?
if you look at hgv artics they have not only individual weights for the component parts , including axle weights , but also a maximum for the whole oufit

is this another toad grey area ?

 

[scotjimland]

good point there ..is the 5th wheel outfit a trailer ? if it is , must not exceed the tuggers weight
but if it is not it must be part of the total outfit , so would have to be included in the GVW of the tug for licence purposes
is this clarified anywhere in the regulations?
if you look at hgv artics they have not only individual weights for the component parts , including axle weights , but also a maximum for the whole oufit

is this another toad grey area ?

No, it's not a grey area, Semi trailers or artics have different regulations.

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[lunarman]

The category I quoted was B which is what drivers who qualified after 1/1/1997 received as a right. To drive a combination with a larger trailer you need B+E for which presumably an additional test applies.

Do they take away the +E entitlement at 70?

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[lebesset]

lunarman , you keep your B+E licence , or at least I did

jim , interesting site thank you; according to this section

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a semi-trailer is a trailer , so you will have to keep within the tractor unit unladen weight for the laden weight of the trailer ; presumably that is why they don't quote a maximum weight for the trailer on the B+E licence ...it will be defined by the tractor as stated

 

[lunarman]

Does not mean 5th wheels, or there would be a lot of people like me with a 2.2 ton Navara pulling a 3.6 ton 5er being stopped. Also all HGV drivers are in trouble?
JK

AS I read it, for driver licensing purposes, as long as you have B+E you can tow a trailer heavier than the MAM of the towing vehicle.

However I believe that the total weight of the vehicle + trailer should not exceed the specified gross train weight (GTW) of the vehicle. Thus as long as the GTW of the Navara exceeds 5.8 tons then the example is within the rules and can be driven by someone with B+E classification.

Of course this is only my interpretation and might be completely wrong

 

[lebesset]

lunarman ,can I refer you to your previous quote from the dvla ?

the laden weight of the trailer cannot exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle

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[lebesset]

well , having an interest in the matter i have researched a little , and there IS no ratio limit on the trailer for licence purposes
so as long as the towing unit is less than 3,500Kg and you don't exceed it's stated GTW [ or whatever it is called now ] you can tow what you like on a B+E licence http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073

good news I would suggest

 

[lunarman]

I agree with that. The bit about the trailer not exceeding the unladen weight of the towing vehicle is appropriate for category B licences only

 

[pappajohn]

The category I quoted was B which is what drivers who qualified after 1/1/1997 received as a right. To drive a combination with a larger trailer you need B+E for which presumably an additional test applies.

Do they take away the +E entitlement at 70?

at age 70 you will lose your C1+E entitlement unless you take and pass a medical.

pre '97 test and you have C1+E as 'grandfather' rights and allows combinations up to 8250kg.

if your van is under 3500kg and you dont intend upgrading it above then dont bother with the C1+E part.

B+E will allow a 5th wheel trailer within weight limits, dont know what they are, though it could be the tugs train weight.

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[pappajohn]

well , having an interest in the matter i have researched a little , and there IS no ratio limit on the trailer for licence purposes
so as long as the towing unit is less than 3,500Kg and you don't exceed it's stated GTW [ or whatever it is called now ] you can tow what you like on a B+E licence http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073

good news I would suggest

an example would be a rangerover vogue 3.6ltr.

gross weight of 3200kg

kerb weight of 2717kg

trailer weight limit 3500kg

 

[ingram]

Hi All. If your rig is over 3.5 ton you must apply for a heavy goods licence. If you don't they will send you a car licence If i remember rightly, you also have to request an additional form and medical document for your GP to fill in. The only down side is the cost of the medical, ouch.
Pudseykeith. :thumb:

No you don't need a heavy goods licence; you just need to apply to retain your C1 entitlement; assuming that you have that already of course.

You don't have to use your GP for a medical: well I don't for the annual medical to retain my Bus Driving ( D ) Licence. It costs me about £50 from the likes of:--

http://www.driversmedicals.com/_Locations.html or:--

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Harvey

 

[lunarman]

Does not mean 5th wheels, or there would be a lot of people like me with a 2.2 ton Navara pulling a 3.6 ton 5er being stopped. Also all HGV drivers are in trouble?
JK

The attachment shows the weights for a new 2.5 navarra. The Train weight looks like it is 5805kg (PTW + Towing weight)

Assuming that you can offset the payload against the additional weight of the 5er then the maximum weight the vehicle can be is 5805 - 3600 = 2205kg The quoted kerb weight of the vehicle is 2171kg thus the payload that can be carried in the vehicle when towing is reduced to 2205 - 2171 = 34kg

If I'm right then it is just within the limits:thumb:

Edit - just looked at the Nissan site the Kerb weight is without the driver so the combination may not be within limits

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