# Trailer Registration Plates



## Guest (Jan 24, 2008)

I just found out that all new trailers are going to be issued with a registration plate just as they do in places like Spain.
As well as articulated semi trailers, this will include trailers towed behind a car or motorhome.
I am not sure how it will work for existing trailers or if they will be exempt or how far in year terms they will go back.


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## Don Madge (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi *****,

Where did this info come from?

Don


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## Guest (Jan 24, 2008)

Don Madge said:


> Hi *****,
> 
> Where did this info come from?
> 
> Don



As you probably know, I work for the largest semi trailer manufacturer in the country and I have been told that we (the company) are to be an issuing authority!
I understand that it comes into force later this year. (for new trailers)
I will have to find out more


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## Don Madge (Jan 24, 2008)

Thanks ***** that was quick.

I did not know where you worked but it's very useful info.

So we could see trailers having their own MOT in the future, that would be very interesting.

Don


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## Guest (Jan 24, 2008)

*Bureaucracy*



Don Madge said:


> Thanks ***** that was quick.
> 
> I did not know where you worked but it's very useful info.
> 
> ...



I think it is a European thing just more bureaucracy.


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## Don (Jan 24, 2008)

Is it not something to assist anti theft thing. I have just sold a US trailer sailer, and the trailer was marked with a seriel number stamped into the frame, just as was the boat. 

Don


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2008)

*No*



Don said:


> Is it not something to assist anti theft thing. I have just sold a US trailer sailer, and the trailer was marked with a seriel number stamped into the frame, just as was the boat.
> 
> Don



In a word, No as a chassis plate will probably be fitted as well.
But nothing to do with theft.
Large semi trailers have for years had a fixed chassis plate and an identical number welded into the chassis for theft or fraud identification.
Regarding the boat thing.
When a boat was purchased on  Marine Mortgage and not HP or personal loan, a number was always etched into it and usually on the transom.
Some boat manufacturers also did or do this as a matter of course for identification as boats don't have number plates. I know that some have identification numbers/letters for various waterway permits and in other countries this is compulsory.


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## avandriver (Jan 25, 2008)

It is compulsory in this country to have your boat registered and identified for use on the inland waterways .

As for registration of trailers and possibly caravans surely this would be a good thing for safety reasons .
How many trailers have you seen on our roads that are in a poor state and are dangerous .
The only downside is the cost 


Steve


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## Don Madge (Jan 25, 2008)

***** said:


> I think it is a European thing just more bureaucracy.



Hi *****,

The European Whole Vehicle Type Approval Directive requires all vehicles, including trailers, to be issued with a unique number. 

It does not necessarily mean registration plates for trailers.

Can you imagine the cost of implementing a system where every trailer in the country has a reg number and a reg document and that could lead to MOT's 

It will be very interesting to see what you come up with at work, it might of course just cover trailers over a certain weight.

Regards

Don


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2008)

Don Madge said:


> Hi *****,
> 
> The European Whole Vehicle Type Approval Directive requires all vehicles, including trailers, to be issued with a unique number.
> 
> ...



I was told by the person who is directly responsible for its implementation at our factory that it is definitely coming in later this year for HGV trailers and that it will eventually include all trailers over about 200kg. .
It must be official as our company has been selected as an issuing authority
I will find out more later next week


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## Don Madge (Jan 25, 2008)

Thanks *****,

It would be very useful if you could get chapter & verse on the new regs but any info will help.

It will be very interesting to see what materialises when the urban myth's/rumour mongers get to work. 

Don


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2008)

The company that I work for is  Don Bur ,  www.donbur.co.uk and also www.donbur.com
You will see some of the trailers that we make and all the big names.
Not a lot left that we don't make


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## terry1956 (Jan 25, 2008)

*trailer plates*

Hi all, If its anything like the regs in france its a pain in the ass. In france all trailers under 500kg must have their own log book, plates and insurrance. Also there is a limit on the towing car which I think is ok and makes sence,can,t remember off the top of my head but I can,t tow my boat behind the car and must use the 4x4, also any triler at 750kg must be braked.
you will find this all over europe and I don,t think there are any old trailers being used over 500kg bar for the *****s. this will go for caravans as well. there is no MOT,s so its all a bit point less realy, just one more way to get money from us all.
michael


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2008)

*Waiting for information*

I am still waiting for more information, but I am told by the guy that has our company operators licence that it comes in this year.
I will post more when I have the information


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2008)

*waiting*

Not forgotten, still waiting


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## t&s (Jan 29, 2008)

*sounds intresting*

i hope the reg about trailer m.o.t.s will affect the farmers who use 40 foot artic trailors without any m.o.t . and are exempt from road tax ! pulling them with a tractor or should i say a truck without a sleeper cab and large wheels that wil do 50 mph , 
i also believe there should be at the very least a reversing course atached to a car licence for caravans and all trailers.
but as a hgv licence holder may be i am a bit bius,  is that how it is spelt ? i cant sus out the spell check yet .
 i live next to a caravan dealer and see the b---s ups that are made all day by people trying to reverse ,  it keeps me ammused all day when i am home  but  realy its quite frightning when you think you will meet them on the main road one day not quite knowing where they are or which way they are or should pointing.
the other day one of the visitors to the dealer next door came over to me with a good quality map in his hand and asked me to show him where he was ?  as we are in dorset  i told him he was near swindon he thanked me and went merryly on his way towards exeter! via shropshire i assume 
 need i say more


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2008)

terry&sue said:


> i hope the reg about trailer m.o.t.s will affect the farmers who use 40 foot artic trailors without any m.o.t . and are exempt from road tax ! pulling them with a tractor or should i say a truck without a sleeper cab and large wheels that wil do 50 mph ,
> i also believe there should be at the very least a reversing course atached to a car licence for caravans and all trailers.
> but as a hgv licence holder may be i am a bit bius,  is that how it is spelt ? i cant sus out the spell check yet .
> i live next to a caravan dealer and see the b---s ups that are made all day by people trying to reverse ,  it keeps me ammused all day when i am home  but  realy its quite frightning when you think you will meet them on the main road one day not quite knowing where they are or which way they are or should pointing.
> ...



I have not seen it in black & white yet so maybe the farmers will be exempt?
Regarding the caravans, well at least it gives us a damn good laugh as long as you are not going the other way when they jack knife down a hill
And regarding towing, newish drivers now need to pass a test B + E for towing over 3.5T and everybody has to start somewhere


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## terry1956 (Jan 30, 2008)

*plates*

In france all trailers over 500kg need their own plates and insurance, THIS IS NOT an MOT and trailers do not need one, mind you motorbikes don,t need mot,s here. Its all about making us pay more, nothing to do with anything else, just more useless bits of paper.
m


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## Guest (Feb 1, 2008)

*More info*

I still don,t know exactly when this will come into force, but I am told later this year.
The authorities are still deciding which way to implement it and are leaving it very late, maybe there will be a postponement
I can confirm that there is to be 4 bands
1/ up to 750kg
2/ 750kg to 3.5ton (it says mainly non commercial trailers eg caravans and boat trailers.
3/ 3.5t to 10t
4/ over 10t.
I presume that these weights are gross.
I will update when I have more information


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## Deleted member 2636 (Feb 1, 2008)

It's a shame that Caravans do not have to have an MOT. They are just covered by the old "catch all" of being in a roadworthy condition.
Presumably, with the weight limits that ***** mentions, the funny little trailers sold by Halfrauds will be exempt.


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## Guest (Feb 1, 2008)

baloothebear said:


> It's a shame that Caravans do not have to have an MOT. They are just covered by the old "catch all" of being in a roadworthy condition.
> Presumably, with the weight limits that ***** mentions, the funny little trailers sold by Halfrauds will be exempt.



No exemption's, they will be in the up to 750kg


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## guerdeval (Feb 1, 2008)

I ;think' the regs in France relate to a 750kg cut off not 500kg. Nothing required under 750kg but plate required over, also there are no 3500kg trailers they are downplated to 'I think' 2990kg. Where it gets awkward is only French registered cars can tow French trailers, you cann't tow a French trailer with a UK reg car or vice versa. Same applies to caravans,thats why there are lots of tiny French ones under 750kg, no plate required. By the way what about all the home made ones?. I have a UK reg camper and a car trailer on which I carry a French reg Smart car but I couldn't tow the French car on a A frame so I will I guess need to register the trailer in UK.


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## Guest (Feb 1, 2008)

It is a harmonization of European transport laws & rules, predominantly aimed at the HGV,s, but it will include every trailer, including little box trailers under 750kg.
At the moment for example a Spanish truck can pull a French trailer and visa versa.
As I said, no exemptions, sorry


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## terry1956 (Feb 1, 2008)

*In answer*

Hi all, I am sure that it was 500kg in france and not 750kg, maybe wrong.But anyway it leaves me with a french car unable to tow my trailers due to them being uk makes,
Indespension who sale the hallmark rollercoaster boat trailers want £125 pounds for a cert, which in their own words, MAY do the job of getting a french plate. As to the home made trailers, I would think that if they are over 750kg then they would be need to be taken off the road.
Can anyone please tell me the point of this, as there is no mot or test, whats the point.
G when is this coming into force, do you know for sure.
m


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## terry1956 (Feb 1, 2008)

*In answer*

Hi again, yes it is 500kg in french, but 750kg in germany and the rest.
michael


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## Guest (Feb 1, 2008)

Hi Terry.
From what I have read it is intended to come into force later this year, but they are leaving it pretty damn late to do this!
It will cover all trailers and the company that I work for will be an issuing authority for HGV trailers.
They have not decided yet if retailers or manufacturers will register small private trailers, including caravans and boat trailers.
There is talk of owners of existing trailers sending details off to somewhere to register them. Don't know where or who to yet.
It seems that it is a little in the air, so maybe there will be a postponement, but up to now they intend to implement it later this year


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## terry1956 (Feb 1, 2008)

*in answer,*

Hi G, I don,t know if this will be a good or bad thing for me, having sold all my UK regt cars, I found out I could not tow my boat behind the french 4x4 because I can,t get a french plate due to not having a cert for the carte grise, ie log book.
Also I was going to get a smart car and trailer outfit, getting a bit to old for the quad, but as french trailers are in general small well overpriced things, thats a none starter.
So I wonder if we go the same way as the rest of europe would I BE ABLE to tow my boat trailer using its UK plates and log book insurrane etc.
Who no,s.
More red tape from the boys in the EU, 
terry


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## Guest (Feb 10, 2008)

*French trailer registration*




terry1956 said:


> Hi G, I don,t know if this will be a good or bad thing for me, having sold all my UK regt cars, I found out I could not tow my boat behind the french 4x4 because I can,t get a french plate due to not having a cert for the carte grise, ie log book.
> Also I was going to get a smart car and trailer outfit, getting a bit to old for the quad, but as french trailers are in general small well overpriced things, thats a none starter.
> So I wonder if we go the same way as the rest of europe would I BE ABLE to tow my boat trailer using its UK plates and log book insurrane etc.
> Who no,s.
> ...



Hi T.
I was on a c/l this weekend and there was a English guy with a right hand drive car but with a French reg and he had a English caravan with a French reg. (different number of course)
I asked him how he had done it and this is how.
He lives in France and took the caravan for a French MOT. It failed for silly things like fog light on the wrong side and no chassis number permanently etched or welded into the frame.
He had these jobs done and a MOT was issued for the life of the caravan and no need to present it again.
He told me that to find out what is required before the mot is not easy, but it seems that if you do those couple of jobs, it may well go through first time.
So any trailer can be pulled by a French car as long as you get it French registered.
He also took all of the caravan documentation including full specification details.
He had heard lots of horror stories about the need to change to European electrics, but that was ill founded.
I would think as you that when we start to register trailers here in the UK that you will be able to tow a English trailer with a French reg car or any other permutation

Hope this helps


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## terry1956 (Feb 15, 2008)

*In answer*

Hi G, don,t know about caravans, but my boat trailer is hard work, There is no MOT for a caravan or trailer in france, The powers that be need to check it over, maybe this is what he had in mind. The thing is that I can not get any paperwork in french for the trailer, so it would cost a lot to get it all sorted and lots of time, It took 6 weeks to sort out the hymer and that was one bit of paper and no tests, I have picked up an old jeep to use this year, as it runs on lpg it will not cost the earth to use and the insurance is only £75 pa, tax will be for 6 months a year. I have been into the french paperwork two times and it just takes so long, I want to use the boat this year and even if I can make the trailer french I will never be able to make an USA power boat, my keeping it all on UK plates its the best way.
I don,t know what will happen when all this red tape comes to the UK, As I just see it as a money making plan, just can,t see the point of log books etc and number plates, for trailers and things yet no road tests so whats the point.
any update when this will hit the UK. Terry


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## walkers (Apr 23, 2008)

***** said:


> Hi Terry.
> From what I have read it is intended to come into force later this year, but they are leaving it pretty damn late to do this!
> It will cover all trailers and the company that I work for will be an issuing authority for HGV trailers.
> They have not decided yet if retailers or manufacturers will register small private trailers, including caravans and boat trailers.
> ...


any more info on this topic? the only place i've heard mention of this is on here and if its to come in this year its about time we alll knew about it don't you think, as many people tow trailers/ cars behind their motorhomes it's a topic that affects many of us.


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## t&s (Apr 23, 2008)

i wonder if this will aply to farmers and builders who have 40 foot trailers on the back of tractors
usualy with no number plates/ mot<s/lights or indicators


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## David & Ann (Apr 24, 2008)

Seperate registration and MOT's for trailers (Anhänger) has been in force for as long as I can remember in Germany. I have lived there for 34 years.


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## terry1956 (Apr 24, 2008)

*In answer*

Hi, In france you don,t need an MOT, just a number plate and insurance, the insurance must be placed in the rear window of the towing car so the police can read it.This is for all braked trailers so 750kg and over.
I also think in france the towbar also forms part of the mot, I have seen something about this on a german forum, maybe David & Ann can place some light on this.
terry


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## t&s (Apr 24, 2008)

***** said:


> The company that I work for is  Don Bur ,  www.donbur.co.uk and also www.donbur.com
> You will see some of the trailers that we make and all the big names.
> Not a lot left that we don't make


just looked at don burr 
is this what you do do you deliver these new trailers
and run empty all the time ? 
you might be intrested we hire in these double decker type trailersfrom a firm  called emons they are germans but with trucks registerd all over europe and russia  
i dont think the ones they use are made by your firm  but wow 40 pallets of light goods legaly carried is some improvement on the past,
in my days  we used to cary 40 ton of oranges from southern spain on a normal 40 foot tilt albeit in 1972 totaly ilegal even then but we was paid cash up front in them days 
we were always top heavy,had  constant blow outs ect but that was how to make money in them days
 i supose the regulations ref weight now are sensible 
 it was dangerous what we did but the money in them days was  more important
strange how times have changed i got older and some times wiser 
but the trucks could pull it 
i had a ford transcontental then with a 320 cummins 90 miles an hour at full tilt with the govener distroyed 
bet your MAN  pulls just as well without any  modifacations  
sory if i am going on a bit 
ime just an old trucker at heart


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## t&s (Apr 24, 2008)

***** said:


> Hi T&S
> Been there & got the T shirt up amd downto and from Spain more times than I care to remember.
> Some good & some bad, but lots of good memories!!!!
> Over weight, blowouts and of course changing the wheel in 120 deg heat
> Dont know what it is like to pulla loaded trailer nowadays and dont want to



you are lucky you still get about dont you and get paid for it 
i realy miss it 
but now age/pacemaker/wife/20%tax/and 11 grandchildred have put paid to that
so instead i enjoy the wild camping thing but i dont stay in so many lay bys as i used to i have time to find somewhere more peacefull


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## t&s (Apr 25, 2008)

the traveling/getting about 
this is what i call lucky i miss just driving all day with the freedom to stop when i wanted to or take a diversion to see somewhere i had not been before ..but log books then so a slip of the pen was easy 
but now with tacos not much freedom 
the furthest i go for work now is a around 150  mile radius reaching as far as bideford / brum and peterborough areas and all on seperate runs

we only use laybys if no other choice is available or i am to tired to go on
any more ,but laybys were used most of the time in my trucking days


re our indiscresions with the rules in the old days i supose we were a bit cowboyish but i agree  if we did not do it we did not earn

i looked at one of emons double decker trailers today quite sofistacated all alloy decks as you say raised to height at the touch of a button also it seemed that it might have had air or hydrolics on the  suspention as when he was on the loading dock the lowest part of the trailer was only about 6 inches from the road 
i was so intrested in watching the top deck being positiioned  forgot to see who makes them (i guess it  might be montrocon) ile find out tuesday 
i see b&q and some parcel carriers use this type but not the same make
i have seen the teardrop weird looking thing aint it i assume it is based on the simmilar idea to the  roof used on double decker busses  as a rounded edge gives less wind resistance so they dont blow over that easy 
i cant understand why the fareing on top of tractor units could not replaced and  be incorperated in trailers design instead of being sat on the tractor unit roof 
enough truck memories back to m/home wild thinking 
keep on wild trucking 
terry


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## jimmnlizz (Apr 26, 2008)

*Trucking!!*

Hi Guys,
          Thanks for those memories!!! Dont forget the waits at the customs posts,  dipping diesel tanks,  getting stopped by coppers with guns  and all the other exciting s**t!!  Jim.


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## t&s (Apr 27, 2008)

***** said:


> I don't know about lucky for getting about, but maybe lucky that I have my health.
> The job is not what it was and the roads are not what they were.
> Too much pressure and too much traffic!!!
> I used to enjoy my earlier continental years as it was fun and experiences were had, but in the UK it is just a rat race.
> ...



i forgot to add i am glad you have your good health
its worth more than any amount of money


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