If you have a B driving licence, you can drive on the road with an ordinary car. But what if you want to take something more, such as a caravan, horse trailer or a trailer for your job materials? Then you soon end up with driving licences BE and B+96. But what exactly do these driving licences entail?
If you have a driving licence B you are allowed to drive a car with a maximum weight of 3,500 kg. But what if you want to transport something heavier behind your car, such as a caravan or a trailer? Then the weight of your car and trailer comes into play, and it is important to know whether you need an additional driving licence.
How do you know the weight of your car?
You can easily look up the weight of your car! There are a few ways to do this:
- Registration certificate: The weight of your car can be found on your registration certificate (now the vehicle registration document). Look there under the heading "unladen vehicle mass" (the mass without load) and "total mass" (the maximum authorised mass including load).
- In the manual: The car manufacturer also lists the weight in the car manual. Here you can see exactly how much your car weighs without load.
- Online: Search online for the make and model of your car and you can easily find the unladen weight of your car. Websites such as RDW with a licence plate check and car insurance companies also often have the specifications of many vehicles available.
When do you or don't you need an additional driving licence?
Say you have a light car of 1,200 kg (such as a Volkswagen Polo) and you're towing a small trailer of 750 kg(for a move, for example). The total weight of car and trailer is then 1,950 kg, which is well within the limit for driving licence B.
If your car is heavier than average or you want to tow a heavy trailer, you quickly end up over 3,500 kg. For example: you have a 2,500 kg car (such as a Volvo XC90) and you are towing a large 2,000 kg caravan. The total weight of the car and caravan is then 4,500 kg, and you need driving licence BE for that.
By the way, did you know that a motorbike also allows you to carry a small trailer? Yes, you read it right! If you have a motorbike driving licence (driving licence A), you are allowed to tow a light trailer behind your motorbike in the Netherlands. The trailer may be a maximum of 1 metre high and 2 metres wide and must meet certain safety standards, such as properly functioning lights and a licence plate. This is ideal if, for example, you want to take a small luggage trailer or a light trailer with your motorbike for a weekend trip or a short holiday.
Getting the BE driving licence
So you only need the BE driving licence if you want to drive with a heavier trailer behind your car than you are allowed with a standard B licence. This driving licence is ideal for those who want to tow a large caravan, horse trailer or a heavy work trailer weighing up to 7,000 kilos, for example. During training for the trailer licence you will learn everything you need to drive a trailer safely: such as correctly coupling the trailer, manoeuvring the combination and maintaining stability on the road. It goes beyond simply pulling a trailer, as you will learn how to effectively and safely take to the road with an extra load, which is essential to avoid accidents.
The BE licence is valid forever once you get it, so you don't have to worry about renewals or refresher courses. So you can drive a trailer forever, as long as you don't have any problems with your licence, such as loss or medical reasons! A perfect reason therefore to get your driving school call and invest in this driving licence!
Driving licence B+ with code 96
The B+96 driving licence is an easy interim solution if you are just over 3,500 kg, but don't want to get the full BE licence. This is useful if, for example, you want to tow a light caravan (around 1,500 kg) behind a medium-sized car (around 2,000 kg). If the total combination is then between 3,500 kg and 4,250 kg, you won't need a BE licence, but can just get your B+96. This makes it a lot easier than the extensive BE course, especially if you don't often drive with a heavy load, but occasionally want to tow something heavier.
What if you want to carry even heavier loads?
If you have a total weight of over 7,000 kg with a car and trailer, you will enter the zone where you are no longer allowed to drive with a BE licence. In that case, you have to go to a truck driving licence (C) look to transport your load safely. This licence is specially designed for heavy vehicles, as you can drive a truck (or a truck with trailer) drives, which requires additional driving skills and knowledge to be safe on the road.
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