Licence categories
Can I tow a light trailer with a category C licence?
Yes: category C covers trailers up to 750 kg authorised maximum mass; above that, check CE.
With category C, you may tow a trailer whose authorised maximum mass does not exceed 750 kg. If the figure in the trailer documents is above 750 kg, C alone is not enough and CE must be checked. The threshold is based on authorised mass, not the trailer’s actual load that day.
The threshold is the authorised maximum mass
Category C allows you to drive motor vehicles above 3,500 kg, other than D1 or D vehicles, designed for no more than eight passengers besides the driver. Those vehicles may tow a trailer with authorised maximum mass up to 750 kg. Read the figure in the trailer document; it is not the empty trailer’s weight or the load it carries on a particular day.
Above 750 kg, the combination falls under category CE; C does not include that extension automatically. Before coupling a trailer, check the authorised maximum mass of both the towing vehicle and trailer, the categories shown and any licence restrictions. The correct licence does not increase the towing capacity approved by the truck manufacturer: the vehicle document and technically permitted combination must also allow it.
For example, a C truck may tow a trailer documented at 750 kg or less. If the trailer is approved for 900 kg, its being empty or weighing 600 kg today does not change the licence threshold: you need the category required for the combination, in this case CE. A trailer authorised at exactly 750 kg remains within C’s “not exceeding 750 kg” limit.
Check the documents before coupling
Read the trailer’s authorised maximum mass and check that the towing vehicle is technically permitted to tow it. Then compare the combination with your licence category. If the trailer plate or documents are illegible, do not guess from its size; request a record or ask the Motorizzazione to verify it. These checks still matter even if a colleague has driven a similar-looking combination.
Quiz Patente Ufficiale helps you review categories and theory through chapters, exam quizzes and error review. The documents for the particular towing vehicle and trailer, together with your licence category, determine the answer.
Quiz Patente Ufficiale helps you study theory with chapters, exam quizzes and error review.
Frequently asked questions
Can category C tow a trailer rated exactly 750 kg?
Yes, if 750 kg is the trailer’s authorised maximum mass and the towing vehicle is technically permitted to tow it. C includes trailers up to that value.
If the trailer is empty, can I use C even when it is rated above 750 kg?
No. The threshold is based on authorised maximum mass, not actual weight or current load. Above 750 kg, check CE.