The driving license B96

19. July 2022 at 11:47

Driving license B96If you want to be on the road with a heavy trailer, a class B driving license is not enough. With this driver’s license, trailers are only allowed up to a permissible total mass of 750 kg. Driving a heavier trailer requires a BE driving license or a B96 driving license if, for example, you are traveling with a horse trailer or caravan.

An extension for your class B driver’s license

The B96 driving license is an extension for the class B driving license and allows you to tow heavy trailers. Since B96 is not a separate driver’s license, only theoretical and practical lessons in the driving school are required. There is no test for the B96 in Germany like there is for a class BE driving licence. The B96 extension will be noted on your driver’s license with the key number 96 after you have completed the theoretical and practical part. The extension is valid throughout the EU.

These are your options with the B96 extension

For all those who want to pull more than the class B driving license allows, the B96 extension offers more leeway. You can use it with a total mass of up to 4250 kg. It is important, however, that the total mass is decisive, i.e. the combination of towing vehicle and trailer. So if your towing vehicle weighs two tons, your trailer can still weigh 2250 kg for your journey. If this is not enough for your trailer, you would have to think about a class BE driver’s license, so the trailer alone can weigh 3500 kg as the permissible total weight.

The advantages of the extension B96

If you are thinking about whether you need the B96 extension, then the advantages are probably also important to you. Since no exam has to be taken, the extension can be obtained faster than, for example, the driving license class BE. Also, the costs are lower due to the short duration and fewer hours in the driving school. In addition, the B96 extension offers you more options for towing a trailer than your class B driver’s license.

Find out more about the different driving licenses in our blog post.

The requirements for your trailer driving license

24. November 2020 at 14:19

 Trailer driving licenseSome time ago we reported on the various driver’s licenses for driving a trailer. In addition to the old class 3 driver’s license, there is also the class B driver’s license, which replaced the class 3 license and with which driving a trailer is possible. In addition to B, you can also pull larger trailers with a class B96 and BE driving license. What requirements do you have to meet for the respective trailer driving license?

In order to get a class B driving license, you can register at the driving school six months before you turn 17 – provided you choose to be accompanied by a driver. In addition to theoretical training in the form of lessons and a completed written exam, practical driving lessons and a final exam in practical form are required. For the test you must be at least 18 years of age (17 years for accompanied driving) and present an eye test and a first aid certificate.

The trailer driving license: what types are there?

Normally, the trailer driver’s license is only obtained afterwards, it is often helpful to have a little driving experience. No further theoretical test is then required for the class BE driving license, but at least five hours of practical training are required. These would have to take 45 minutes and each include a motorway trip, a night trip and three cross-country trips. The subsequent driving test takes 45 minutes. A class B driver’s license is compulsory in order to obtain the trailer driver’s license.

If the class B and BE driving license are taken together, the usual theoretical and practical driving lessons are first completed. In addition, 12 hours of practice with the trailer must then be proven, including three night drives, four motorway drives and five cross-country journeys.

For a class B96 driving license, the minimum age is also 17 or 18 years. An examination does not have to be theoretical or practical, as the learning driver only has to prove the required, specified number of training hours. This includes at least 150 minutes in theory, 210 minutes in practice and 60 minutes in driving experience.

Driving license for driving with a trailer: Different classes and what they mean

15. May 2019 at 10:44

driver's licenseIn Germany there are many different license classes, among these are also some that regulate and influence driving with a trailer. We had a look at the different licenses and summarized the key data for you. A distinction is made between the driving license class 3, class B, class B96 and class BE.

The driving license class 3

This certificate is already older and has been replaced by the class B. Thus it is old, it is not invalid and confirmes the permission for its owners to drive a car up to 3.5 tons total weight. In addition, the Class 3 license also allows you to drive trucks of up to 7.5 tonnes overall weight and three-axe trailers of up to 12 tonnes total weight (as long as the towing vehicle is not heavier than 7.5 tonnes). This means that combinations of up to 3.5 tons can be driven. Also included in the Class 3 license are motorcycles, trikes and agricultural tractors up to 40 km/h.

Your options in driving with a trailer when owning a driving license class B

If you have a class B license, you can drive up to 3.5 tonnes. Exceptions are motorcycles, which fall under the driving license classes AM, A1, A2 and A. In addition, the addressed motor vehicles may not have more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat. When driving with a trailer, the category B driving license allows to tow trailers with a total mass of a maximum of 750 kg, or a maximum authorized mass of more than 750 kg, provided the maximum permissible mass of car and trailer does not exceed the value of 3500 kg.

The driving license class B96

This driver’s license is a supplement to the class B and is therefore also noted in the driver’s license. If you have this extension, it is allowed to drive trailers with a total weight of more than 750 kg. In addition, the permissible total weight of the combination of vehicle and trailer, which you may tow, increases. Namely, the permissible total weight of the class B96 billet may then be between 3500 kg and 4250 kg.

Driving with the driving license class BE

If you have a driving license class BE, then you are as flexible as possible when driving with the trailer. This is a combination of the class B and the permission to drive with trailer. The maximum permissible weight of the trailer may be up to 3.5 tonnes. So this is the driver’s license with which you can pull the heaviest trailer.