Licence class by trailer weight, by province
CanadaEvery province lets you tow on the ordinary licence up to a line. Here is each line, what it weighs, and what you need above it.
What can I tow on my licence?
On the ordinary car licence, Class 5 in most provinces and Class G in Ontario, you can tow a trailer up to the province's weight line. Of the 7 provinces we have read, 5 draw that line between 4,500 kg (9,921 lb) and 4,600 kg (10,141 lb). Alberta and Quebec draw no trailer weight line at all. The other 6 are marked "Not yet verified".
What differs most is what gets weighed: the loaded trailer, the weight it is registered for, or every towed vehicle added together. That changes the answer for a trailer near the line. To run your own rig, use the licence checker on CDL thresholds and towing licences, which applies the same rows.
Law, not advice. The licence decides who may drive the rig, not how much it can tow. Your vehicle's GVWR, GCWR and hitch rating still apply; Can I tow this? checks those.
Trailer licence by province and territory
The line is given in kilograms, the unit the law uses, with pounds after it.
| Province or territory | Ordinary licence | You need more when the trailer is | Then you need | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | Class 5 | No trailer weight line No weight line: a two-axle vehicle may tow any trailer without air brakes | Class 1 if the trailer has air brakes Alberta draws no trailer weight line for the licence. Class 5 also covers a recreational vehicle with up to 3 axles. A tow vehicle with 3 or more axles needs Class 3. | Operator Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation (Alta. Reg. 320/2002), ss. 21 to 25 and 27 |
| British Columbia | Class 5 | over 4,600 kg (10,141 lb) the towed vehicles in the combination (ICBC: the loaded trailer) | House trailer endorsement (Code 07), heavy trailer endorsement (Code 20), or Class 3; Class 1 with air brakes BC measures the loaded trailer, so weigh it full of water, propane and gear. A tow vehicle with 3 or more axles needs Class 3. | Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), s. 30.01(2) ; ICBC, Are you planning to tow a trailer weighing more than 4,600 kg? (PI270) |
| Manitoba | Class 5 | over 4,540 kg (10,009 lb) the towed vehicle's registered gross weight | Class 3 Manitoba uses the weight the trailer is registered for, not the GVWR plate, so enter the registered weight if it is higher. | Driver Licensing Regulation (Manitoba), M.R. 47/2006, s. 1 and s. 11 |
| New Brunswick | Class 5 | over 4,500 kg (9,921 lb) the towed vehicle's registered gross vehicle mass | Class 3; Class 1 if the trailer has air brakes New Brunswick uses the weight the trailer is registered for. | General Regulation (New Brunswick), N.B. Reg. 83-42, s. 22(1) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | We have not read Newfoundland and Labrador's licence class regulation yet. | Not yet read |
| Northwest Territories | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | We have not read the Northwest Territories' licence class regulation yet. | Not yet read |
| Nova Scotia | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | Nova Scotia is moving its licensing rules to new regulations under its Traffic Safety Act, so we are holding this row until the new class definitions are consolidated. | Not yet read |
| Nunavut | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | We have not read Nunavut's licence class regulation yet. | Not yet read |
| Ontario | Class G | over 4,600 kg (10,141 lb) the total gross weight of the towed vehicles | Class A (a restricted Class A covers trailers without air brakes) Ontario also caps a Class G combination at 11,000 kg total; over that, with a towed weight within 4,600 kg, it is Class D. The regulation measures gross weight (and registered gross weight for the vehicle), so entering the GVWR is the cautious reading. | O. Reg. 340/94 (Drivers' Licences), s. 2, under the Highway Traffic Act (Ontario) ; O. Reg. 340/94 (Drivers' Licences), s. 4 ; Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Get a truck driver's licence |
| Prince Edward Island | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | We have not read Prince Edward Island's licence class regulation yet. | Not yet read |
| Quebec | Class 5 | No trailer weight line No trailer weight line: Class 5 is set by the tow vehicle's net (empty) mass, under 4,500 kg | Class 3 for a truck of 4,500 kg net or more; Class 1 when that truck hauls 2,000 kg or more Quebec measures the tow vehicle's net mass, its empty weight, which is lower than its GVWR. Air brake endorsements in the regulation attach to Classes 1 to 3. | Regulation respecting licences (Quebec), C-24.2, r. 34, ss. 28.1, 28.3, 28.7 and 30 |
| Saskatchewan | Class 5 | over 4,600 kg (10,141 lb) the combined gross weight of the vehicles being towed | An endorsement for towing over 4,600 kg, or Class 1 Two-axle trucks registered as Class F (farm) may tow any weight on a Class 5. | The Driver Licensing and Suspension Regulations, 2006 (Saskatchewan), ss. 2(1)(e), 2(1)(i) and 11 |
| Yukon | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | We have not read Yukon's licence class regulation yet. | Not yet read |
Trailer licence in Ontario
On a Class G you can tow a trailer up to the line: you need more when the trailer is over 4,600 kg (10,141 lb), measured on the total gross weight of the towed vehicles. Above it: Class A (a restricted Class A covers trailers without air brakes). Ontario also caps a Class G combination at 11,000 kg total; over that, with a towed weight within 4,600 kg, it is Class D. The regulation measures gross weight (and registered gross weight for the vehicle), so entering the GVWR is the cautious reading. Source: O. Reg. 340/94 (Drivers' Licences), s. 2, under the Highway Traffic Act (Ontario); O. Reg. 340/94 (Drivers' Licences), s. 4; Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Get a truck driver's licence.
The restricted Class A (condition R) is for smaller truck and trailer combinations, such as a recreational, horse or utility trailer, without air brakes. It does not cover a tractor-trailer or doubles (Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Get a truck driver's licence). There is also an exception for fifth-wheel campers in O. Reg. 340/94 (Drivers' Licences), s. 4; the details and the arithmetic are on the CDL thresholds page.
Trailer licence in BC
On a Class 5 you can tow a trailer up to the line: you need more when the trailer is over 4,600 kg (10,141 lb), measured on the towed vehicles in the combination (ICBC: the loaded trailer). Above it: House trailer endorsement (Code 07), heavy trailer endorsement (Code 20), or Class 3; Class 1 with air brakes. BC measures the loaded trailer, so weigh it full of water, propane and gear. A tow vehicle with 3 or more axles needs Class 3. Source: Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), s. 30.01(2); ICBC, Are you planning to tow a trailer weighing more than 4,600 kg? (PI270).
And in the United States?
The US has a federal commercial licence test (the CDL) and each state's own classes beneath it. The federal lines, the states we have read so far (California, Florida, New York, Texas) and a checker for your own rig are on CDL thresholds and towing licences.
Sources
- Operator Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation (Alta. Reg. 320/2002), ss. 21 to 25 and 27: An Alberta Class 5 covers a two-axle vehicle towing a trailer of any weight that has no air brakes. Class 3 covers a vehicle with 3 or more axles towing a trailer without air brakes. Class 1 covers any combination. Driving any vehicle with an air brake needs a Class 1, or a Class 2 to 5 endorsed for air brakes (s. 27). Checked 2026-10-24.
- Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), s. 30.01(2): In BC a Class 5 (or Class 7) covers a two-axle vehicle towing up to 4,600 kg. If permitted on the licence, a Class 5 covers the same combination over 4,600 kg when nothing has air brakes. Class 3 covers combinations over 4,600 kg without air brakes and vehicles with 3 or more axles; Class 1 covers any combination. Checked 2026-10-24.
- ICBC, Are you planning to tow a trailer weighing more than 4,600 kg? (PI270): The BC weight is the loaded trailer (its GVW: trailer plus load). Over 4,600 kg a Class 5 driver needs a house trailer endorsement (Code 07, house trailers and toy haulers only), a heavy trailer endorsement (Code 20, any trailer), or a Class 1, 2 or 3 licence, all with no air brakes on either unit. With air brakes on either unit and a trailer over 4,600 kg, a Class 1 is required. Checked 2026-10-24.
- Driver Licensing Regulation (Manitoba), M.R. 47/2006, s. 1 and s. 11: A Manitoba Class 5 vehicle is a passenger vehicle or a truck with not more than two axles, alone or towing a vehicle registered at not more than 4,540 kg. Over 4,540 kg registered gross weight, the combination is a Class 3 vehicle. A semi-trailer truck is Class 1. Any vehicle with air brakes needs an air brake endorsement (s. 11(2)). Checked 2026-10-24.
- General Regulation (New Brunswick), N.B. Reg. 83-42, s. 22(1): A New Brunswick Class 5 covers a two-axle vehicle towing a vehicle registered up to and including 4,500 kg. Class 3 covers a two-axle vehicle towing a vehicle registered over 4,500 kg without air brakes. Class 1 covers a truck towing a trailer with air brakes. Checked 2026-10-24.
- Driver Licensing Requirements Regulations (Nova Scotia), N.S. Reg. 236/2026: Nova Scotia made new licensing regulations under its Traffic Safety Act (S.N.S. 2025, c. 20), effective when that Act comes into force. Section 25 sets the requirements for a heavy trailer endorsement, tested with a trailer of more than 4,500 kg GVWR. We hold the Nova Scotia row until the new class definitions are consolidated. Checked 2026-10-24.
- O. Reg. 340/94 (Drivers' Licences), s. 2, under the Highway Traffic Act (Ontario): Ontario classes. Class G: vehicle up to 11,000 kg, combination up to 11,000 kg total with towed vehicles up to 4,600 kg. Class D: vehicle over 11,000 kg, or combination over 11,000 kg with towed vehicles up to 4,600 kg. Class A: any combination where the towed vehicles exceed 4,600 kg. Any vehicle with air brakes needs an air brake endorsement (s. 2(6)). Checked 2026-10-24.
- O. Reg. 340/94 (Drivers' Licences), s. 4: A pick-up truck (manufacturer's GVWR 6,500 kg or less, original or duplicate box, no more than two axles) towing one house trailer by a fifth wheel is deemed Class G for a fully licensed driver when the only reason it is not Class G is that the house trailer exceeds 4,600 kg, it is used for personal purposes without compensation, neither unit has air brakes, the trailer carries a CSA Z240 RV or NFPA 1192 label, and less than half its floor space carries animals, tools, equipment or vehicles. Checked 2026-10-24.
- Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Get a truck driver's licence: Ontario's own names: AZ is Class A with the air brake (Z) endorsement. A restricted Class A (condition R) covers smaller truck-trailer combinations such as a recreational, horse or utility trailer, but not a trailer with air brakes, a full-size tractor-trailer or double trailers. DZ is Class D with the air brake endorsement. Checked 2026-10-24.
- Regulation respecting licences (Quebec), C-24.2, r. 34, ss. 28.1, 28.3, 28.7 and 30: Quebec sets the line on the tow vehicle's net (empty) mass, not on the trailer: a Class 5 covers a two-axle vehicle under 4,500 kg net mass, and s. 30(1) lets it haul a trailer or semi-trailer, except where the vehicle is a truck tractor. A truck of 4,500 kg net mass or more is Class 3, and Class 1 covers a Class 3 truck hauling a trailer of 2,000 kg net mass or more. Checked 2026-10-24.
- The Driver Licensing and Suspension Regulations, 2006 (Saskatchewan), ss. 2(1)(e), 2(1)(i) and 11: A Saskatchewan Class 5 covers a two-axle truck towing up to 4,600 kg. A truck towing more than 4,600 kg is a Class 1 vehicle, or a Class 2 to 5 licence needs an endorsement for it (s. 11(5.1)); two-axle trucks registered as Class F (farm) may tow any weight on Class 5. Air brakes need the A endorsement (s. 11(1)). Checked 2026-10-24.
Common questions
What can I tow on my licence in Canada?
On the ordinary car licence (Class 5, or Class G in Ontario), a trailer up to the province's weight line. Of the 7 provinces we have read, 5 draw that line between 4,500 kg (9,921 lb) and 4,600 kg (10,141 lb); Alberta and Quebec draw none by trailer weight. Your vehicle's own ratings still apply: the licence says who may drive the rig, not how much the truck can tow.
What trailer licence do I need in Ontario?
On a Class G you can tow a trailer up to the line: you need more when the trailer is over 4,600 kg (10,141 lb), measured on the total gross weight of the towed vehicles. Above it: Class A (a restricted Class A covers trailers without air brakes). Ontario also caps a Class G combination at 11,000 kg total; over that, with a towed weight within 4,600 kg, it is Class D. The regulation measures gross weight (and registered gross weight for the vehicle), so entering the GVWR is the cautious reading. Source: O. Reg. 340/94 (Drivers' Licences), s. 2, under the Highway Traffic Act (Ontario); O. Reg. 340/94 (Drivers' Licences), s. 4; Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Get a truck driver's licence.
What trailer licence do I need in BC?
On a Class 5 you can tow a trailer up to the line: you need more when the trailer is over 4,600 kg (10,141 lb), measured on the towed vehicles in the combination (ICBC: the loaded trailer). Above it: House trailer endorsement (Code 07), heavy trailer endorsement (Code 20), or Class 3; Class 1 with air brakes. BC measures the loaded trailer, so weigh it full of water, propane and gear. A tow vehicle with 3 or more axles needs Class 3. Source: Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), s. 30.01(2); ICBC, Are you planning to tow a trailer weighing more than 4,600 kg? (PI270).
What trailer licence do I need in Alberta?
Class 5 has no trailer weight line. No weight line: a two-axle vehicle may tow any trailer without air brakes. Above it: Class 1 if the trailer has air brakes. Alberta draws no trailer weight line for the licence. Class 5 also covers a recreational vehicle with up to 3 axles. A tow vehicle with 3 or more axles needs Class 3. Source: Operator Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation (Alta. Reg. 320/2002), ss. 21 to 25 and 27.
What can I tow on a car licence?
In Canada, a trailer up to about 4,500 to 4,600 kg in the provinces that draw a line, depending on the province and on what it weighs (the loaded trailer, the registered weight, or the combined towed weight). Check the row for your province above, and use the trailer's real loaded weight, not the brochure's dry weight.
Is there a trailer licence weight limit?
Yes, in most provinces: it is the weight line in the table, the point where the ordinary licence stops covering the trailer. ICBC, Are you planning to tow a trailer weighing more than 4,600 kg? (PI270) explains BC's 4,600 kg as "consistent with the weight limits in other Canadian jurisdictions". Alberta and Quebec are the exceptions: Alberta draws no trailer weight line for a two-axle vehicle towing a trailer without air brakes, and Quebec sets Class 5 by the tow vehicle's own net mass.
What is a trailer licence?
None of the provinces we have read issues a separate "trailer licence". You tow on your ordinary licence up to the province's line, and above it you need a higher class or an endorsement: in Ontario that is Class A (a restricted Class A covers trailers without air brakes); in BC, a house trailer or heavy trailer endorsement, or Class 3. The trailer itself is registered and plated separately, which is a different thing from the driver's licence.
Can I tow with a B+E licence in Canada?
B+E is a UK and European licence category. Canadian provinces use their own classes, listed in the table on this page, so ask the province where you will live how it exchanges a foreign licence, and then use its trailer line.
Do I need a CDL to tow a trailer in the US?
Not for most personal towing. The federal CDL test is about combined ratings of 26,001 lb or more with a trailer over 10,000 lb, and some states have their own non-commercial classes below that. The full test and the states we have read (California, Florida, New York, Texas) are on the CDL thresholds page.