How do I check the towing entitlement shown on a Northern Ireland driving licence?

Check the category codes and validity dates on your Northern Ireland driving licence to confirm your towing entitlement.

The Northern Ireland position should be checked against current nidirect/DfI guidance and the NI Highway Code. B, B+E, C1+E and other categories define the types and weights of vehicle/trailer combination you may drive. Restriction codes can also modify an entitlement.

For this exact issue — “How do I check the towing entitlement shown on a Northern Ireland driving licence?” — separate four things that are often confused: the entitlement on the NI driving licence, the trailer’s plated MAM, the towing vehicle’s manufacturer limits and the actual laden weight of the combination. Insurance and roadworthiness sit on top of those limits; meeting one figure does not make an otherwise overweight, unbraked or uninsured setup lawful.

Do not rely only on when you passed your test. Compare the licence category with the vehicle MAM, trailer MAM and gross train weight before towing. Keep evidence such as photographs, policy wording, vehicle plates or official notices where they could matter later; this is especially useful if an incident, fine or insurance question follows.

Before publishing this answer, the key factual point in “How do I check the towing entitlement shown on a Northern Ireland driving licence?” was checked against current Northern Ireland official guidance. That matters because road rules, licence entitlements and enforcement details can differ from Great Britain and can change over time; the sources attached below are the ones to re-check if the rule is updated.