Towing and licences after 70
We tow a Smart car with an A Frame with our Hobby motorhome.
My husband will shortly be 70 as will I soon after. We are puzzled about what to do when renewing our licences in order to be able to continue towing the car and stay within weight limitations.
Gov. U.K. is unclear, and other websites are not much better.
Can anyone who has been in this situation please advise?
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It’s my belief that it hinges around the weight of your MH. If the all up weight of the MH is no more than 3500kg, you can drive it on the standard 'over 70' B+E licence and tow whatever that vehicle is permitted to tow. This assumes you passed your tests prior to 1 Jan 1997.
If your MH is over 3500kg, you will need to have the medical to retain the C1 element of your licence to drive the MH, and the +E to tow with it.
Do not take my word on this but do your own research and speak to DVLA. I could be wrong.
Here's the club's guidance -
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/advice-and-training/advice-for-beginners/driving-licences/
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We're in a similar boat (MH!) so to speak, a my OH will reach that age later this year. Our MH is indeed over the magic 3500 kg, and OH rang the DVLA just yesterday, as the info on their website is not all that clear, apart from having to have the medical.
So, yes, a medical by your own GP is needed, which apparently costs £133 at our surgery, ouch! The DVLA then advised that, once the forms are sent back to them (forms D2 and D4, both downloadable from the interweb, one is completed by the GP, the other by the applicant) the medical team at DVLA will check through it. If, in their opinion, more tests are needed as a result of the info on the forms, then they will inform you of that and you will then have to have those. On the other hand, if all is well according to their medical team, you will get a new licence, with category C1 on it.
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Thanks folks for your replies. Our MH is less than 3500kg but on a B+E license the towed car must be less than 750kg and ours is over 800kg, in which case the combined weight must not exceed 3500kg. From what research we’ve done I think we’ll need a C1+E to be legal. Thanks InaD, we’ll look into downloading those forms.
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I disagree. It's my understanding that the towing vehicle must be less than 3500 and you can then tow whatever is the legal limit for that vehicle.
It's people who passed their tests after 1 Jan 97 who can only tow a combined weight of 3500.
As I said, check with DVLA.
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Thanks Tinwheeler but from I’ve read when you reach the age of 70 your license reverts to the same conditions as one obtained after 1st January 97 unless you apply to retain the categories on your pre 97 license. I find all this very difficult to understand so I may be wrong but I don’t want to break the law! Here’s a link to the section on DVLA. https://www.gov.uk/towing-rules
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No, there is a difference. Check the advice from the club in the link in my earlier post.
"What happens when I turn 70?
Your driving entitlement for Category B and Category B+E (provided Category B+E was held prior to the expiry date of their driving licence). Category B+E means you can drive a motor vehicle (i.e. car, van or 4x4) not exceeding a 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass towing any weight trailer or caravan within the prescribed maximum towing weight.The maximum towing weight is specified in the technical data section of the vehicle manufacturer’s handbook. However, our recommendation on weight ratio between trailer and towing vehicle remain at 85%.
If you’re driving a vehicle with a MAM of over 3,500kg, when you reach 70 years of age and your driving licence expires, you’ll need to pass the D4 medical test and the required standard eyesight test. This legislation became effective from 1 January 1998."
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You're welcome.
I'm sure the club's advice will be right but do check for yourself.
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Hi Camperval,
If you do go for the medical to get a C1 licence, remember these points:
unless you have some serious long term medical history the medical will not be a problem, its just like an MOT. It takes about 30 mins but it’s all very basic stuff. What is more important is your eye test, which you didn’t mention. I know more who have failed to get a C1 because of their eyes than the main medical. It helps to have a friendly optometrist!
I had my annual eye test in January and that was used to fill in the eye form in June. I had my medical mid June, sent off the forms and old licence registered post and had my new shiny plastic one back in 4 days. Don’t forget to keep a copy of your old licence.
have a spare form and if either the doctor or optometrist make a mistake, start a new form. DVLA are very suspicious of amended forms.
BillC
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The D4 does not need to be completed by your particular GP. There are commercial operation that exist just to do these medicals which are required by bus and lorry drivers. They charge around £30 and it takes very little time at all.
If you wear contact lenses go equiped to take them out for the eye test bit.
Since I wish to retain my full bus and lorry entitlement I have to have one evey year now. For anyone retaining just minimum entitlement it is every three years.
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InaD ,,Hi ,with reference to the costs of a medical for your licence upgrade ,,look at "doctors on wheels" on line for your area.My recent medical using them was £53.00 .
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Thanks for that. I had read something about that before, but was under the impression that, as they don't hold any medical records, there are certain things which they have to check with your own GP about, and which in turn could delay the whole process.
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I have been trying to get my mind around this as well. When I reached 70 I relinquished my C1 licence and now have a BE licence. Going by the info from the Club in TW's link up thread it seems that if I wanted to tow a car I could, without a medical, as my motorhome has a maximum weight of 3500kgs.
David
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That’s my understanding, David, but I was urging the OP to make her own checks because the rules are both illogical and a minefield.
Perhaps Camperval will let us know her findings in due course.
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:-- Thinking of Triky auto & doctors might I ask " How's your shoulder now Pete ?? }
