Which Trailers Can You Tow With A Swedish B Driving License? The 2026 Guide For Practical Drivers

vilka släp får man köra med b körkort is a common search for drivers in Sweden who wonder what trailers they can tow with a Category B licence. This guide gives clear, numbered rules and concrete checks. It shows the exact weight limits, how to calculate combined weights, real examples (caravans, box trailers, motorbike trailers), and when to upgrade to B96 or BE. Readers will get step-by-step checks they can use today with their vehicle papers and tow bar markings.

What The B Licence Covers: Basic Trailer Rules In Sweden

Fact up front: With a Swedish B licence a driver may operate a passenger car or light lorry up to 3,500 kg and tow a trailer up to 750 kg, or a heavier trailer if the combined total weight (car + trailer) stays ≤ 3,500 kg. Many drivers type the query “vilka släp får man köra med b körkort” because the rule hinges on three measured numbers: the car total weight, the trailer total weight, and the combined permitted total.

How it works in practice: the car’s legal maximum total weight must be 3,500 kg or less. If the trailer’s total (registrerad totalvikt) is 750 kg or less, the combination usually fits under B. If the trailer is heavier than 750 kg, then two additional checks apply: the trailer total weight must not exceed the car’s kerb weight (tjänstevikt), and the sum of car + trailer must not surpass 3,500 kg. This simple math decides most cases.

Why drivers get it wrong: people look at towing capacity printed in marketing materials rather than the official registration numbers. A common mistake is assuming a car that can physically pull a load means it is legal to tow that load. The legal limit is dictated by the documents, not by how strong the engine feels on a hill.

Quick warning: always follow the lowest limit among your driving licence category, the car registration, the trailer registration, and the tow bar approval.

Weight Limits, Combinations, And How To Calculate What You Can Tow

Fact up front: Calculate by adding the car total weight and the trailer total weight, if the sum ≤ 3,500 kg, a B licence can cover the combination (subject to the car and trailer specific limits). Drivers asking “vilka släp får man köra med b körkort” should follow this four-step check.

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Find the car total weight (maximum allowed gross vehicle weight) on the car registration certificate. This is not the empty weight: it is the permitted maximum.
2. Find the trailer total weight on the trailer registration certificate.
3. Add the two numbers: car total weight + trailer total weight.
4. If the trailer’s total weight > 750 kg, verify that the trailer total weight ≤ the car’s kerb weight (tjänstevikt).

Example math: a car with a 1,800 kg total weight legally rated and a trailer rated 1,200 kg sums to 3,000 kg, OK under B if the trailer’s 1,200 kg ≤ the car’s kerb weight. If the car’s kerb weight is 1,100 kg, the same trailer would exceed the car’s kerb weight and hence fail the rule.

Practical tip: write the three numbers on a phone note before you hitch, car total, trailer total, combined total, and compare them to 3,500 kg and to the kerb weight check when needed.

Examples: Common Trailer Types And What Fits Under B Rules (Caravans, Small Box Trailers, Motorbike Trailers)

Fact up front: small box trailers and motorbike trailers usually fit under B: many caravans do not. Those who search “vilka släp får man köra med b körkort” most often want concrete examples, here they are with numbers.

Small box trailers: Many small utility trailers are registered at 500–750 kg total weight. If a trailer is 600 kg and the car total weight is 2,900 kg, the combined 3,500 kg limit is just met and a B licence covers the combo.

Motorbike trailers: These are typically well under 750 kg. A motorbike trailer at 300–400 kg plus a car at 2,900 kg gives plenty of margin.

Smaller caravans: A compact caravan might have a total weight of 700–1,200 kg. If a caravan is 800 kg and the car’s total is 3,000 kg, the sum is 3,800 kg, too heavy for B. If the caravan is 700 kg and the car total 2,800 kg, the combo is 3,500 kg and fits B.

Larger units to watch: boat trailers, horse trailers, and heavy caravans often exceed trailer totals of 1,500 kg and commonly require B96 or BE. Sensory detail: when a caravan sits heavy on the rear suspension and the tow bar feels stiff, that physical feeling often matches a legal overweight, check the papers rather than guessing.

How To Check Your Licence, Vehicle Documents, And Tow Bar Approval

Fact up front: verify category B on the licence, then check the car and trailer registration certificates and the tow bar marking, use the lowest stated limit. Searching “vilka släp får man köra med b körkort” is half paperwork and half math.

Licence check: Category B is printed on the EU-style Swedish driving licence card. If a driver is unsure about special entitlements (older licences issued before 1996), they should contact Transportstyrelsen.

Car documents: the vehicle registration certificate lists the maximum trailer weight the car may tow and the vehicle’s permitted gross vehicle weight. Look for the field that states permitted gross combination weight or maximum trailer mass. These numbers are binding.

Trailer documents: the trailer registration certificate shows the trailer’s total permitted weight (registrerad totalvikt). Never guess the trailer’s weight from its physical size.

Tow bar approval: many tow bars have a metal plate or stamp showing the maximum vertical load and the maximum authorized trailer mass. If the tow bar paper or marking says 1,200 kg, but the car registration limits the trailer to 900 kg, the car’s lower number governs.

Practical check routine: before every trip check three spots, licence, car reg, trailer reg (and tow bar marking). If any one of those is lower than the others, that lower number is the legal limit.

Special Cases, Upgrades And When You Need A BE Or Other Category

Fact up front: If the car + trailer registered total exceeds 3,500 kg, the driver needs either B96 (up to 4,250 kg combination) or BE for heavier trailer allowances. Many people who type “vilka släp får man köra med b körkort” end up needing one of these upgrades.

When to get B96: If the combination weight is greater than 3,500 kg but not more than 4,250 kg, B96 (the extended B) applies. It is an add-on acquired through training and a practical test rather than a full separate licence in many countries. For example, someone towing a small caravan where the car total is 2,500 kg and caravan 1,600 kg (combined 4,100 kg) needs B96.

When to get BE: BE is required when trailer mass or combination mass goes beyond B96 limits, for instance, a trailer rated up to 3,500 kg or combinations where the trailer itself is very heavy. If a boat trailer alone is 2,200 kg and the car is 1,800 kg the combined 4,000 kg may need BE depending on exact registrations.

Older licences and exceptions: licences issued before 1 July 1996 can have different entitlements. Drivers should verify older entitlements with Transportstyrelsen rather than assume modern rules apply.

Honest pitfall: drivers sometimes book a ferry and discover at the ramp that their combination exceeds the rental car’s towing approval. Always check paperwork well before departure to avoid costly cancellations.

Conclusion

Fact up front: On a Swedish B licence a driver may tow a trailer up to 750 kg, or a heavier trailer if the trailer total weight ≤ the car’s kerb weight and the combined total ≤ 3,500 kg. The shortcut answer to “vilka släp får man köra med b körkort” is: check the car total, the trailer total, and the tow bar, then apply the 3,500 kg cap and the kerb weight rule.

Parting practical note: for many caravans, boats, or horse trailers the correct path is to calculate now and upgrade to B96 or BE before taking the load on the road. A quick, honest check of the papers saves fines, stress, and cancelled weekend trips.