Class BE

Caravans, horse trailers, boat trailers – all possible with Class BE

Class BE

Availability exam

Tip: If you have some flexibility, we recommend scheduling your Class BE exam between January and March. During these months, exam slots at the exam center TÜV Süd tend to be available more quickly – outside this period, waiting times can be significantly longer.

Upgrade to Class BE with existing Class B197 licence

Note on the automatic transmission restriction

Anyone who holds licence class B197 and extends their licence to class BE will automatically receive a restriction to automatic vehicles (code 78) for class BE – provided the class BE test is taken in a vehicle with an automatic gearbox. As almost all driving schools now conduct class BE training and testing exclusively in automatic vehicles, this is in practice the standard case.

The restriction means specifically: a trailer (class BE) may only be towed with an automatic vehicle.

Anyone wishing to have this restriction removed can demonstrate their manual driving competence in a further practical test for class B. No special drives, theory lessons, or theory test are required for this additional training – so the effort involved is manageable.

Upgrade to Class BE with existing Class B licence

Those who obtained their Class B licence on a manual vehicle will not receive an automatic restriction when upgrading to Class BE – regardless of whether the Class BE exam was taken in an automatic vehicle. Since manual driving ability was already demonstrated during the Class B exam, it is considered permanently recognised.

This means: a trailer (Class BE) may be towed by both manual and automatic vehicles.

READY TO GET STARTED? HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED

  • Start of training Minimum age 17,5 years -> issue of driving licence Minimum age 18 years
     
  • Driving license class B /  B78 / B197
     
  • Application driving license
     
  • Individual number of training lessons in the city in an automatic car until you are ready for your exam – no legally required minimum.
     
  • 2,5 driving appointments (90 min. each) special lessons – motorway, country road, dusk in an automatic car
     
  • Practical exam (55 min.) in an automatic car

THE CARS YOU'LL DRIVE

For your safety and fun in training, you drive on top-equipped vehicles of the latest models. Professional maintenance and cleanliness of our vehicles is a matter of course.

Your training will take place on a car with automatic transmission.

Vehicle combination:

  • a motor vehicle with a maximum permissible total weight of 3500 kg and
     
  • a trailer with a vehicle weight of up to 3500 kg

WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR DRIVING LESSONS

Training lesson

In the training lessons, you will train coupling and uncoupling, the basic driving task (reversing round a corner to the left) and driving within the city.

This number varies depending on the learner driver. There is no statutory minimum number.

Special lesson

At the special lessons you train driving on country road, highway and at the twilight.

The duration is required by law.

  • 3 cross-country drives, 45 minutes each
     
  • 1 motorway drive, 45 minutes each
     
  • 1 dusk drive, 45 minutes each