Brand new home-made trailer - regulations?

G

garvellachs

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 Mar 2002
Messages
912
Location
Dorset
Visit site
I'm looking at buying a small fishing launch on a home-made trailer. The trailer was made this year by the vendor and a friend of his, welded up from sensible components, unbraked, whole outfit less than 750kg, painted with cold galvanising paint. The problem is that neither of us can establish definitely whether the trailer needs to be tested before it's allowed on the roads or sold. The IVA literature seems to suggest it should be tested, but asking around, people say it's not necessary if the trailer is home made or less than 750kg.
Two things then? As a new trailer, does it need testing (IVA); and can anyone point me in the direction of something definite and official that says aye or nay?
 
garvellachs said:
I'm looking at buying a small fishing launch on a home-made trailer. The trailer was made this year by the vendor and a friend of his, welded up from sensible components, unbraked, whole outfit less than 750kg, painted with cold galvanising paint. The problem is that neither of us can establish definitely whether the trailer needs to be tested before it's allowed on the roads or sold. The IVA literature seems to suggest it should be tested, but asking around, people say it's not necessary if the trailer is home made or less than 750kg.
Two things then? As a new trailer, does it need testing (IVA); and can anyone point me in the direction of something definite and official that says aye or nay?
Click to expand...

Almost certainly would requite type approval. Also check with your insurance whether they would cover towing a homebuilt trailer - almost certainly not.
 
Thanks Pump-Out for helping. I can't see anything there that applies to a one-off bespoke homemade trailer newly made? Type approval is a sort of class thing?
Minerva - good idea about the insurer, though it's easy for them to say no if they don't really know? I doubt if the question is asked often.
 
Can't help but feel that you know what the outcome here will be, but are wanting to find a way to change it. Which is fair enough, because new trailers are expensive.

As Minerva points out, if anything went wrong, you could easily find yourself found to be driving without insurance, which will be both expensive, and legally troublesome.
 
DFL1010 - Indeed, I think I know the outcome, but I'm not trying to change it, just to clarify it.
I assume a homemade trailer which has passed an IVA would be acceptable to an insurance company - why not? People still build cars and have them tested and registered I assume?
 
Follow Pump-Out's link to the FAQ page -

Subject to the introduction of further planned legislation, from 1st January 2023, it will be mandatory for Non-Road Mobile Machinery (engines, trailers (O category) and components (which do not hold a approval) to hold a provisional GB scheme approval as well.
 
Here's UK Gov's forms: Apply for Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA): trailers The Guidance doc makes this sound like a fairly pricy option, and discusses trailers of less than 750kg max mass (Category O1). This would seem to answer your first point about whether it needs to be tested or no.
By contrast, Extreme Trailer's price list (other manufacturers are available). Extreme Trailers | Bunked Trailers | Southampton

Also bear in mind the resale value of a decent, branded trailer vs some homebuilt job, means that to my mind it might well fall into the 'not worth the hassle' category. YMMV.
 
I looked at this for a trailer for my tender - it was simply impossible for a practical price. Ended up buying a trailer and adapting it with an angle grinder( of course no adaptations that would affect the approval!)
 
simonfraser said:
we are all assuming that you plan to use this on the road, if it is a yard trailer that would be different ?
Click to expand...

It depends. Some yards (like the one I use) require that all trailers must be roadworthy. And, again, the insurance question will be important: if it goes wrong is your car/boat insurance going to cover it? What if it fails and injures someone else?
 
garvellachs said:
I'm looking at buying a small fishing launch on a home-made trailer. The trailer was made this year by the vendor and a friend of his, welded up from sensible components, unbraked, whole outfit less than 750kg, painted with cold galvanising paint. The problem is that neither of us can establish definitely whether the trailer needs to be tested before it's allowed on the roads or sold. The IVA literature seems to suggest it should be tested, but asking around, people say it's not necessary if the trailer is home made or less than 750kg.
Two things then? As a new trailer, does it need testing (IVA); and can anyone point me in the direction of something definite and official that says aye or nay?
Click to expand...
Im sure you you will find on investigation that it is actually an "old" chassis, which is exempt frim the regs, which has beenrenovated
 
Beneteau381 said:
Im sure you you will find on investigation that it is actually an "old" chassis, which is exempt frim the regs, which has beenrenovated
Click to expand...

How would you conclude that? It's a brand new trailer, made this year. Unless of course you're just trying to ignore inconvenient rules, in which case [political comment removed].
 
DFL1010 said:
Here's UK Gov's forms: Apply for Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA): trailers The Guidance doc makes this sound like a fairly pricy option, and discusses trailers of less than 750kg max mass (Category O1). This would seem to answer your first point about whether it needs to be tested or no.
By contrast, Extreme Trailer's price list (other manufacturers are available). Extreme Trailers | Bunked Trailers | Southampton

Also bear in mind the resale value of a decent, branded trailer vs some homebuilt job, means that to my mind it might well fall into the 'not worth the hassle' category. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Thanks again. The actual IVA test is not very expensive, but it's complicated enough to want to avoid if it isn't needed. But the circumstantial evidence points to needing it so far.
 
Having built trailers for a very long time... The 2012 regs more or less stopped it. Over here and in most of the EU, it used to be a free for all under 500kg AUW, above that homologation or type approval. No system for one offs, like in UK. There is also some stuff about using car bits as opposed to 'proper' trailer gear.
As I need two trailers soon for boats over 500kg (where one might just plate it as pre 2012...as Beneteau381 hinted) looks like buying used and modding to suite. Trailers over 500kg have their own reg here.
 
IVA definitely required. There's a big crackdown on small trailers approvals at the moment - both private and commercial/ retailers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top