Confirm the C1E entry
Which category is entered in the driving licence?
Read both sides of the licence and record the category and any accompanying information.
Review points: section 2(1) no. 8 FSG
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C1E and a 12-tonne combination: towing vehicle, trailer and total mass
Category C1E and a 12-tonne combination: category C1 or B towing vehicle, trailer threshold and highest permissible maximum mass under section 2(1) no. 8 FSG.
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27 September 2026, Mag. Bernhard Brandauer, Rechtsanwalt
A vehicle combination under category C1E can reach a highest permissible maximum mass of up to 12,000 kg. The decisive points are whether the towing vehicle belongs to category C1 or B, the trailer’s highest permissible maximum mass and the figures shown in the vehicle documents.
Section 2(1) no. 8 FSG covers two situations: a category C1 towing vehicle with a trailer over 750 kg or a category B towing vehicle with a trailer over 3,500 kg. In both situations, the highest permissible maximum mass of the combination must not exceed 12,000 kg.
C1E covers two statutory vehicle combinations
C1E covers two statutory vehicle combinations
Category C1E links the towing vehicle and trailer. With a category C1 towing vehicle, the trailer must have a highest permissible maximum mass of more than 750 kg. The combination may reach no more than 12,000 kg.
Section 2(1) no. 8 lit. b FSG also names a category B towing vehicle with a trailer or semi-trailer above 3,500 kg. This combination is covered by C1E if its highest permissible maximum mass does not exceed 12,000 kg. The statutory combination must be checked as a whole.
Vehicle combination under section 2(1) no. 8 FSG
Which C1E combination applies to the case?
The towing vehicle, trailer mass and total mass must be checked together.
| Check | Category C1 towing vehicle | Category B towing vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Towing vehicle | Motor vehicle in category C1 | Motor vehicle in category B |
| Trailer | highest permissible maximum mass above 750 kg | highest permissible maximum mass above 3,500 kg |
| Combination | highest permissible maximum mass no more than 12,000 kg | highest permissible maximum mass no more than 12,000 kg |
| Legal basis | section 2(1) no. 8 lit. a FSG | section 2(1) no. 8 lit. b FSG |
The highest permissible maximum masses in the vehicle documents are decisive. The two variants have different trailer thresholds.
The 12,000 kg limit is checked in the vehicle documents
The 12,000 kg limit is checked in the vehicle documents
For the driving entitlement, the relevant figure is the highest permissible maximum mass of the vehicle combination. Read the corresponding figures for the towing vehicle and trailer from the vehicle documents and assess them together. The current load does not replace this legal classification.
The limit can be checked from the document figures. A 7,500 kg towing vehicle and a 4,500 kg trailer reach 12,000 kg together. A category B towing vehicle at 3,500 kg and an 8,500 kg trailer also reach 12,000 kg. The trailer threshold must still match the relevant C1E variant.
Technical questions concerning approval, coupling equipment or load safety remain separate. C1E answers the driving-entitlement question for the statutory combination described in section 2(1) no. 8 FSG.
The towing vehicle and trailer must match
The towing vehicle and trailer must match
Start with the driving licence and check whether category C1E is entered. Then identify whether the actual towing vehicle belongs to category C1 or B. The third step is to establish the trailer’s highest permissible maximum mass.
For the C1 variant, the trailer mass is above 750 kg. For the B variant, it is above 3,500 kg. In both cases, compare the combination’s highest permissible maximum mass with 12,000 kg. If one figure is missing, the planned journey remains open for review.
The article on extending a driving licence category addresses the general documentation route for an additional category. This article focuses on the concrete scope of a C1E combination.
Document review
Four checks lead from the licence to the combination
Read the licence entry and vehicle documents in the same order.
- 01Step 101Step 1
- 02Step 202Step 2
Identify the towing vehicle
Does the actual towing vehicle belong to C1 or B?
Use the vehicle documents to assign the towing vehicle to the category relevant to the C1E variant.
Review points: section 2(1) no. 8 lit. a and b FSG
- 03Step 303Step 3
Read the trailer mass
What is the trailer’s highest permissible maximum mass?
Take the figure from the registration document or technical records and check it against the relevant variant.
Review points: section 2(1) no. 8 lit. a and b FSG
- 04Step 404Step 4
Compare 12,000 kg
Does the combination remain within the maximum?
Add the permissible document figures and compare the result with 12,000 kg. The records must describe the actual combination.
Review points: section 2(1) no. 8 FSG
First assessment
Does the planned combination fit category C1E?
Organise the licence entry, towing vehicle, trailer and total mass.
Already know you want to get in touch? Go straight to the enquiry form.
Is category C1E entered in the driving licence?
All paths at a glance
Overview of all answers.
The C1E entry has not been confirmed.
Keep the complete licence card available and record the categories and any accompanying entries.
The towing vehicle or trailer mass does not yet fit a C1E variant clearly.
Compare the towing vehicle category, the trailer’s highest permissible maximum mass and the two variants in section 2(1) no. 8 FSG.
The 12,000 kg limit is exceeded or cannot be verified.
Read the highest permissible maximum masses from the vehicle documents and review the combination with the complete records.
The key C1E figures are organised.
Keep the licence, registration documents and technical figures together and compare them with the actual combination before driving.
Which documents should be kept together?
Which documents should be kept together?
- driving licence showing both sides
- registration document for the towing vehicle
- registration document for the trailer or semi-trailer
- technical figures for the highest permissible maximum mass of both vehicles
- authority letters or entry records if the exact C1E entitlement must be clarified
Arrange the records by licence entry, towing vehicle, trailer and total mass. This keeps clear which figure concerns the vehicle category and which figure concerns the 12,000 kg limit. A further review requires the complete combination.
Related guidance and checks
Keep licence categories and examination records separate
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about C1E and 12,000 kg
What is the maximum mass of a C1E vehicle combination? +
The highest permissible maximum mass of the vehicle combination must not exceed 12,000 kg. The document figures for the towing vehicle and trailer are decisive.
How heavy may the trailer be with a category C1 towing vehicle? +
For the C1E variant with a category C1 towing vehicle, the trailer must have a highest permissible maximum mass above 750 kg. The combination must also remain at or below 12,000 kg.
Which trailer threshold applies with a category B towing vehicle? +
Section 2(1) no. 8 lit. b FSG covers a category B towing vehicle with a trailer or semi-trailer above 3,500 kg. This combination must also remain at or below 12,000 kg.
Does the current load or the registration figure count? +
For classification under C1E, the highest permissible maximum mass of the vehicle combination in the vehicle documents is decisive. The current load does not replace that legal classification.
What must be checked above 12,000 kg? +
A combination above 12,000 kg is outside the C1E limit described here. The vehicle figures, licence entry and relevant entitlement must then be reviewed separately.
Topics
Driving licence lawCategory C1ETowing vehicleTrailerMaximum massFSG
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