The law around towing can be difficult to decipher, to determining whether or not you can tow a folding camper is frankly a massive pain. To clear up all the confusion, I researched the law and wrote this post to give a definitive answer to this question:
Can I tow a folding camper on my licence?
The answer depends on when you gained your licence and the weights of your folding camper and vehicle you’ll be towing it with.
If you passed before 1 January 1997, you can drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM in most cases. This means that you can comfortably tow most folding campers, as the average folding camper weight is 600kg.
If your licence was issued on or after 1 January 1997, you can:
- Drive a car or van up to 3,500kg MAM and tow a folding camper weighing up to 750kg MAM.
- Tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined MAM of the towing vehicle and trailer is no more than 3,500kg
So you can probably tow a folding camper. But you do need to be sure that you can because you can be fined up to £1,000 and get 3 points on your licence if you break this law.
In this rest of this blog post, I’ll explain what MAM is and how you can find it out for your vehicle, as well as advise on how you can upgrade your licence to tow heavier trailers. I’ve also included the weights of several popular folding campers just in case you don’t know the weight of your unit. Click a link below to jump to the section that you’re looking for.
What Is MAM?
MAM stands for maximum authorised mass. The maximum authorised mass is the weight of your vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely. Maximum authorised mass is alternatively known as GVW (gross vehicle weight) or permissible maximum weight.
So while you might know the weight of your trailer and the vehicle you’re towing it with, you also need to know the permissible maximum weight or MAM. How do you find out the maximum authorised mass of your vehicle?
How To Find Out The MAM Of Your Car
There are several ways to find out the MAM or GVW of your car:
- Check Your Owner’s Manual: The gross vehicle weight of your vehicle can usually be found in your owner’s manual. It may be written as MAM, GVW, or permissible maximum weight.
- Check The Driver Side’s Door Pillar: There will be a sticker on the driver side’s door pillar in most vehicles. This door pillar will usually give you the gross vehicle weight rating of your vehicle, which tells you the maximum weight that your vehicle can carry.
How To Find Out The MAM Of Your Folding Camper
If you gained your driving licence after 1 January 1997, it’s also very important to know the MAM of your folding camper so you don’t exceed the combination of 3,500kg MAM. There are several ways to find out the gross weight of your folding camper:
- Check The Manufacturer’s Website: Depending on how old your folding camper is, you can check the manufacturer’s website. For example, on the Pennine Outdoor Leisure website, you can find the gross weight of all the latest Pennine folding campers in the product descriptions.
- Check The Owner’s Handbook: Most folding campers come with a handbook/brochure that contains all the information that you need to know about your folding camper. This handbook will also contain the gross weight of your folding camper.
- Check The Folding Camper’s VIN Plate: You will normally find the folding camper’s VIN plate on the frame or on the chassis at the front of the unit or near the door. The VIN plate will tell you the maximum authorised mass of your folding camper.
Can I Upgrade My Licence To Tow Heavier Trailers?
If you passed your test on or since 1 January 1997 and you can’t tow your folding camper because of the limits of your licence, there are ways around the issue.
You can gain additional categories on your driving licence that allow you to tow heavier trailers. For example, you can take the B + E Test, otherwise known as the car and trailer driving test.
By taking the car and trailer driving test, you will then be able to drive a car not exceeding 3,500kg MAM while towing a trailer of any weight within the prescribed maximum towing weight. You will find this in the handbook that comes with your vehicle.
How does The Car And Trailer Driving Test Work?
If you passed your driving test on or after 1 January 1997, you might want to take the car and trailer driving test to upgrade your licence. If you’re wondering how this test works, here’s everything that you need to know.
There are six parts to the car and trailer driving test:
- Eyesight check
- ‘Show me, tell me’ vehicle safety questions
- Reversing your vehicle
- General driving ability
- Independent driving
- Uncoupling and recoupling the trailer
According to the Gov.UK website, you will have to drive around 50 minutes.
You will need to have the following:
- Your driving licence
- Your car and trailer: Remember to make sure that both of these follow the rules before the day of your test!
Folding Camper Weights
Not sure how much your folding camper weighs? Here are the weights of the most popular folding campers available.
As you can see, the lightest Pennine folding camper is the Apollo. The Pennine Apollo has a max weight of 700kg. The Apollo is a small 4-berth folding camper, but it’s the ideal size if you passed your test since 1997. The same, of course, applies to the slightly more spacious and luxurious Pennine Fiesta.
On the other hand, the heaviest Pennine folding camper is the Pathfinder. While still light compared to the vast majority of touring caravans, the Pathfinder has a max weight of 1,000kg. If you are an inexperienced tower, this is quite a weight to tow. Additionally, you would have to be careful to make sure you’re still following regulations when towing the heavier folding campers.
The lightest of the Conway range is the Challenger. The Challenger has a max weight of only 600kg, making it perfect for inexperienced towers looking to purchase their first folding camper. The Challenger is a 4-berth folding camper ideal for couples.
The heaviest of the Conway range is the Cardinal. The Cardinal has a maximum weight of 1,050kg. The Cardinal is a rather large 6-berth folding camper that rivals the Pennine flagship model Pathfinder.
The lightest of the Trigano range is the Randger 415 DL. This folding camper has a max weight of only 650kg. Again, this makes it an ideal option if you passed your driving test since 1997 and aren’t interested in taking the car and trailer test to upgrade your licence.
The heaviest of the Trigano range is the Randger 575 TC. This folding camper has a maximum weight of 950kg. The Randger is a 6-berth folding camper and has plenty of storage space you can make the most of when travelling.
