HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT

How to hire a tow bar fitter in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

The tow bar must be type-approved for your car. Here is how to check it, and what your licence lets you tow.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a tow bar fitter in five steps

  1. Choose the bar typeFixed flange, detachable swan neck or retractable.
  2. Check type approvalA label with an approval number for your car.
  3. Choose the electrics7-pin or 13-pin, universal or vehicle-specific, and coding.
  4. Know your towing limitsThe car's towing limit and your licence categories.
  5. Test the lights before you leaveEvery trailer light working, no dashboard warnings.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

Tow bar fitters work without any licence or public register in all four UK nations. The fitting must be done with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Agree the bar, the electrics and the coding in writing. citizensadvice.org.uk →

Type-approved tow bar

gov.uk says a tow bar fitted to a car first used on or after 1 August 1998 must be type approved — designed for your car, with a label giving an approval number and the vehicles it is approved for. Tow bars are also among the items DVSA's MOT covers.

Ask to see the type-approval label on the bar before it is fitted. gov.uk →

What your driving licence lets you tow

A licence won from 1 January 1997 onwards covers a trailer of up to 3,500 kg maximum authorised mass (category BE); with an older licence, the usual combined limit for car and trailer is 8,250 kg. Your licence information shows your categories.

Check your licence categories before you hitch up. gov.uk →

Price and extra work in writing

With no fixed price, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 entitles you to pay only a reasonable amount for the tow bar fitter. Citizens Advice notes that a fitter can hold on to the vehicle during a dispute over the bill, but has no right to sell it.

Ask for the quote in writing and a phone call before anything is added. citizensadvice.org.uk →

VAT

A tow bar, electrics and fitting are standard-rated at 20%. Among tow bar fitters, any with taxable turnover above £90,000 must be registered, add the VAT and show it apart from the net figure.

Ask the fitter for the VAT number and whether the price includes the 20%. gov.uk →

“Is the tow bar you are fitting type-approved for my car?”

A good answer: Yes, with the label shown.

“Do I need vehicle-specific electrics or coding for the tow bar?”

A good answer: An answer for your make and model, priced in.

“Will the fitter test the trailer lights after fitting?”

A good answer: Yes, with a test board or your trailer.

“Will the bumper need cutting during the fitting?”

A good answer: Some cars need it; you should be told in advance.

“What can my car tow once the tow bar is on?”

A good answer: The maker's towing limit, from the handbook or plate.

“Will parking sensors still work when the tow bar is in use?”

A good answer: With the right electrics, they switch off when a trailer is connected.

“What guarantee covers the tow bar and the fitting?”

A good answer: In writing.

Getting the quote right

  • Tow bar type, brand and type-approval
  • Electrics kit (7 or 13-pin, universal or dedicated)
  • Coding, if needed
  • The fitter's VAT number, with VAT under bar, electrics and labour
  • Bumper work and guarantee
  • Who actually attends to fit and code the tow bar, and whether they are employed or subcontracted

Walk away if

  • No type-approval label on a bar for a post-1998 car
  • Universal electrics on a car that needs coding
  • No light test
  • Bolts not torqued
LOW
£200
TYPICAL
£400
HIGH
£1,200

What a tow bar fitter costs: £200–£1,200 per job

Tow bar fitting is priced per job — the bar (fixed, detachable or retractable), the electrics kit and any coding — usually supplied and fitted. Tow Bar Fitting price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Tow bar fitters near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. ConfirmBar, electrics and coding confirmed for your car.
  2. PrepareBumper and undertray removed; cutting done if needed.
  3. FitBar bolted to the chassis points and torqued.
  4. WireElectrics connected and coded.
  5. TestTrailer lights and dashboard checked.

Type approval
Approval that a tow bar meets the standards and suits your car.
Maximum authorised mass (MAM)
The most a vehicle or trailer can weigh loaded.
Category BE
The licence category for a car and a heavier trailer.
13-pin socket
The modern trailer socket; 7-pin is the older type.
Coding
Telling the car's computer a tow bar is fitted.
Nose weight
The downward load of the trailer on the tow ball.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the paperworkInvoice, type-approval details and the electrics instructions.
Recheck the boltsAsk whether a torque check is advised after the first tow.
Test lights every tripBefore each journey with the trailer.
Review it honestlyYour review helps the next customer choose. Under four stars, Locufy offers the fitter the chance to put it right first — then the review is published.

STEP 1Tell the fitter, in writingDescribe the fault with the tow bar or electrics and what you want. Reasonable care and skill is the standard the Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets for the work.
STEP 2Make-it-right, then reviewA rating below four stars for this tow bar fitter opens the make-it-right step: you choose whether the fitter hears about it first, we chase it, and the review follows.
STEP 3Ombudsman or consumer helplineAsk whether the fitter belongs to The Motor Ombudsman; if it does, the Ombudsman can decide the tow bar fitter dispute after eight weeks. Otherwise call the consumer helpline for your nation, which passes cases to Trading Standards: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4The court, as a last stepFor a tow bar fitter dispute that will not settle, the small claims route covers up to £10,000 in England and Wales, up to £5,000 in Scotland and up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland; the court fee depends on the amount claimed.

Hiring a tow bar fitter: questions people ask

Yes, if your car was first used on or after 1 August 1998. The bar should carry a label with the approval number and the vehicles it is approved for.

No. No UK nation licenses tow bar fitters. What the law does require is reasonable care and skill, under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

With a licence from 1 January 1997, a trailer up to 3,500 kg MAM; with an older one, usually up to 8,250 kg for car and trailer together. Your licence categories confirm it.

Expect £200–£1,200 per job, around £400 on average. Our tow bar fitting price guide has the detail, and your postcode above brings up tow bar fitters close to you.

Many modern cars need it for trailer stability systems and sensors; ask for your model.

Tell the fitter in writing. You can require faulty fitting to be put right under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

MORE GUIDES

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Tow bar fitters near you

Tow bar fitters in LondonTow bar fitters in ManchesterTow bar fitters in BirminghamTow bar fitters in GlasgowTow bar fitters in BelfastAll tow bar fitters on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Citizens Advice — problems with a car repair
  2. The Motor Ombudsman — Garage Finder
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  4. gov.uk — towing with a car: trailer and towing equipment
  5. gov.uk — towing with a car
  6. gov.uk — getting an MOT: retest after a repair
  7. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  8. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  9. nidirect — small claims process
  10. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  11. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register