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Use your car’s
weight plate.

Most cars have a manufacturer weight plate showing four figures. The first two can help you identify the vehicle’s plated gross vehicle weight and gross train weight.

Expert-reviewed towing guidanceReviewed by The Caravan Place team

Last reviewed 11 August 2026 · Cross-checked against GOV.UK vehicle-weight and towing-limit guidance.

EXAMPLE VEHICLE PLATEFigures shown are examples only
A2,200 kgGross Vehicle Weight
B4,200 kgGross Train Weight
11,150 kgMaximum front axle
21,200 kgMaximum rear axle
Where to look

Find the plate on your exact car

Common locations include the driver’s or passenger’s door frame, under the bonnet or inside the engine bay. It may be a metal plate or a printed label.

  1. First figure — Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). The maximum permitted weight of the loaded car.
  2. Second figure — Gross Train Weight (GTW). The maximum permitted combined weight of the loaded car and trailer.
  3. Third and fourth figures. These are axle limits and are not used in the simple subtraction below.
Weight-plate calculator

Get a rough towing-weight figure

Enter the first and second figures exactly as they appear on your car. We subtract the car’s maximum loaded weight from the combined car-and-trailer limit.

What the answer meansThe result is a rough maximum towing-weight estimate from the plate — not a confirmed towing limit.

Use it as a starting figure only. Your car manufacturer may specify a lower maximum braked-trailer weight, and that lower figure must be used.

−=
Rough towing-weight estimate— kg
Example: 4,200 kg gross train weight − 2,200 kg gross vehicle weight = 2,000 kg rough towing-weight estimate.
Do not treat this as your confirmed towing capacity. This subtraction is only a rough plate-based estimate. The manufacturer’s stated maximum braked-trailer limit may be lower. Your actual loaded car and trailer must remain within the gross train weight, individual vehicle limits, axle limits, towbar and nose-weight limits. Confirm the official limit in the handbook or directly with the vehicle manufacturer before towing.
Ready to continue?

Use the confirmed figures in the matcher.

The plate does not normally show kerb weight or mass in service, so obtain that figure from official manufacturer information for your exact derivative. Do not use GVW as kerb weight for the 85% guide.

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