Question 9388 — animals

Summary

Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on driving licenses establishes the categories of driving licenses and defines the categories of vehicles that they allow driving. Thus, category B of the driving license only authorizes the driving of vehicles whose gross vehicle weight (GVWR) does not exceed 3,500 kg (light cars, light utility vehicles, motorhomes) to which a trailer with a GVWR of 750 kg or less can be attached. Increasing the GVWR of vehicles dedicated to the transport of horses to 4 tonnes would classify them in category C1 and make their driving accessible only to category C1 of the driving license. With regard to the driver, the classification of driving license categories according to vehicle GVWR responds to road safety considerations. This is the reason why European law requires compulsory initial training of 4 weeks (FIMO) for driving vehicles with a GVWR greater than 3.5 tonnes. In view of these elements, driving goods transport vehicles with a gross vehicle weight greater than 3.5 tonnes with a B license is not envisaged. The situation of vehicles used by amateurs transporting horses has already been taken into consideration. Since the January 19, 2013, category B driving license holders have the possibility of following training, called “B96 training” lasting 7 hours, provided by a specialized teacher, either in a driving school or in a social or professional integration or reintegration association, approved by the prefect. This training was set up precisely to enable category B holders to drive a combination consisting of a towing vehicle and a trailer when the GVWR of the trailer is greater than 750 kg and the GVWR of the combination thus constituted is greater than 3,500 kg without exceeding 4,250 kg. It is then up to the user to make a request for the issuance of a driving license “following additional training” by means of the teleprocedure via the website of the national agency for secure titles (ANTS) in producing, among other things, as supporting document the training completion certificate. He will then receive a secure title bearing the mention “B96” allowing him to drive completely legally in the countries of the European Union. Regarding the vehicle, article R. 312-2 of the highway code prohibits the circulation of a vehicle whose actual weight exceeds the GVWR or the authorized total rolling weight (PTRA), set by the regional management of the environment, planning and housing and recorded on the vehicle registration certificate. The PTRA of vehicles is set according to the technical characteristics of the vehicles. This maximum weight is also a threshold which determines the maximum driving speed of the vehicle and the category of driving license that the driver must hold. These rules cannot be differentiated depending on the nature of the load carried. It is up to the driver to know it and choose the suitable vehicle for this transport. This is the current regulation, resulting from Directive EC 96/53 of July 25, 1996 setting for certain road vehicles circulating in the Community the maximum dimensions authorized in national and international traffic and the maximum weights authorized in international traffic. The current regulations regarding transport of horses therefore appears appropriate and it is not envisaged at this stage to modify it.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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