Vehicle standards for light trailers
Important vehicle standards for domestic and light trailers.
Whether you tow a trailer for work or domestic reasons, it’s important to know your legal obligations and ensure that you do not drive a vehicle or tow a trailer that your driving licence may not cover.
This content is for general information only. It does not, and is not intended to, provide legal or technical advice or to represent a legal interpretation of the matters it addresses.
The differences between a light and heavy trailer:
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A light trailer has a design gross vehicle weight (DGVW) of 3,500 kg or less.
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A heavy trailer has a design gross vehicle weight (DGVW) of more than 3,500 kg.
Light trailers
Light trailers fall into two categories:
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01 - Trailers with a maximum mass not exceeding 750 kg, e.g. small car trailers.
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02 - Trailers with a maximum mass exceeding 750 kg but not exceeding 3,500 kg, e.g. larger general duty trailers including flatbed or plant trailers, car transporters, most trailer caravans, horse boxes and livestock trailers.
Trailer videos
Our videos tell you about trailer licensing, loading and unloading, coupling and uncoupling, and more.
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Information booklets
Road Safety Advice for Drawing Light Trailers pdf | 1657 KB Load Security Information leaflet pdf | 312 KBRelated pages
Maintaining your commercial vehicles. Business operators obligations. Safety checks, special permits, self-declaration, CVRT, CVORI, vehicle test history
Maximum permitted weights and dimensions for commercial and agricultural vehicles and trailers on Irish roads.
Information and regulations for important vehicle components including lights, seat belts, glass and tyres.
Road traffic legislation for vehicles in use on Irish roads. Type approval legislation for new vehicles. Irish and EU safety and environmental standards.