Pickup truck and trailer: which licence do you need?

The required licence depends on the pickup’s category and the combination’s maximum authorised masses. Check both vehicle documents: actual weight on the day is not enough to choose the licence.

How to determine the licence for the combination

For a pickup with a trailer, first check the towing vehicle’s category, then both maximum authorised masses. B covers a category B towing vehicle with a light trailer up to 750 kg; for heavier trailers, B may be sufficient in some cases if the combination stays within the limits. If its maximum authorised mass exceeds 3,500 kg, code 96 may apply; above 4,250 kg, BE may be needed, within the category limits.

Do not use the trailer’s actual unladen weight to get around the threshold: licence requirements are based on the maximum authorised masses in the documents. On harmonised documents, check field F.2 for each vehicle and the towing data. The combination’s maximum mass may set a further technical limit. The required licence and pickup’s technical towing capacity are separate checks; you must meet both.

Example: a category B pickup with a maximum authorised mass of 2,800 kg and a trailer rated at 1,200 kg make a 4,000 kg combination for this comparison. It exceeds 3,500 kg but is within 4,250 kg, so consider code 96 if the combination and documents meet the requirements. This is not automatic authorisation: dimensions, approval and specific notes may change the result.

• Check the category and field F.2 for both towing vehicle and trailer.
• For B96, the combination exceeds 3,500 kg but does not exceed 4,250 kg, subject to the applicable conditions.
• Above 4,250 kg, BE may be needed; the category’s maximum limits still apply.
• Separately check the pickup’s towing capacity and permitted combination mass.

A four-step check

Collect the registration documents for the pickup and trailer. Identify the towing vehicle’s category, then add the maximum authorised masses to find the figure used to choose a licence. Compare it with the thresholds for B, code 96 and BE; finally check that the pickup’s documents permit that trailer and total mass. If a figure is unclear, have the combination checked before travelling.

A pickup may have different engines or a towbar fitted later; having a towbar does not prove that every trailer is allowed. Also consider load distribution and securing, and comply with axle and tyre limits.

Trailer tests become clearer after studying the categories and thresholds:Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers chapters, timed tests and review of mistakes.