Can I tow a trailer with Non-UK plate car?

itaa

Im visiting my family here for a few months in uk, however I have an need to tow a trailer to move some stuff.
Obviously i dont have trailer with me, but have trailer hitch and you can get trailers here in uk for dirt cheap.
Since the trailers here dont have separate number plate from car I was wondering If I can hook an UK bought trailer to my non-UK ( european Car) and legally drive it?
Back in my country for trailers we have separate(different) license plates(different from main car) So was wondering If I can do this legally?

paddedjohn

As long as your licence lets you tow a trailer and you make sure the trailer has a number plate matching the towing vehicle you will be ok.

marlot

Legally - if you're driving a non-UK registered vehicle, the trailer also needs to conform to the rules in your country.

Caravanners have had the reverse problem when their towcar breaks down in france. ALthough you can hire a french registered tow car, it isn't legal to tow an unlicensed (UK) caravan.

It is possible that your car/trailer combination is not covered by your insurance. So if you have an accident it could be very expensive.

But as long as you don't have an accident, the chance of you being stopped by the police is low, I'd have thought. The penalty for not displaying a number plate is low, but the penalty for no insurance is rather higher.

So ... If I were in your position I would check with my insurance company that they were happy to insure me, then do it.

adouglasmhor

Is there some reason you can't bring a spare car number plate with you to fix on the trailer you intend to use?

ballyblack

non-UK ( european Car)

Is there some reason you can't bring a spare car number plate with you to fix on the trailer you intend to use?

maybe its a problem getting a rear copy of the plate??

maybe the plate is issued in that country?

What do you do on the Continent?

paddedjohn

On the continent the trailers are registered separately with their own plate.

Iceweasel

And the reason that trailers are dirt cheap in the UK is -

We don't have to register them,

We don't have to insure them separately,

We don't have to test them annually,

We don't seem to care very much.

Get a blank rear number plate and a thick black felt pen and make your own.

As long as you have made a fair attempt and the trailer has mudguards and decent tyres, plus a safety cable/chain you will have no bother.

Depending on how good your technical English is have a look at the DVLA pages for towing a trailer - check your licence carefully.

As said also check your insurance.

I've had bother with UK trailers in Europe - just a routine check - no problem other than I had no official registration paperwork for the trailer.

Foreign traffic police just cannot believe how lax we are with trailer regs in the UK.

This is yet another UK peculiarity 'exemption' from EU rules that will be coming to an end at some point.

itaa

Thank u guys for the answers!
Will get the spare number plate made, Was really just wondering if I was able to do this legally!

adouglasmhor

paddedjohn wrote: »

On the continent the trailers are registered separately with their own plate.

Yeah but he's not driving on the continent he's driving here.

marlot

adouglasmhor wrote: »

Yeah but he's not driving on the continent he's driving here.

But with a foreign registered car, it needs to conform to the registration requirements of the country its registered in.

Under french law, you cannot tow an unregistered trailer. But an exemption is made for british who are travelling through - because the trailer is legal under british law it is allowed.

But it is hard for the OP to make his car+trailer combination legal. It's not a UK vehicle, so he can't claim our exemption on trailer registration (and use the same number plate as the car).

As I saif above. as long as his insurance company are OK with it, I would risk it.

iolanthe07

It's the same with towing a car on an A frame behind a motorcaraven. This is illegal in Spain (and France?) but, because it is legal here, under EU regulations they have to allow it for British registered motorcaravans on the continent. The trouble is that not many Spanish traffic police know this.......