Trailers and coupling (CE)

With category CE you may tow one or more trailers with no weight limit behind a heavy lorry. A vehicle combination (fordonståg) is much longer and heavier than a lorry on its own, and the coupling between the lorry and the trailer is a critical point. If it is not done correctly, the trailer can come loose. In this chapter we go through the types of trailer, the rules for vehicle combinations and how to couple safely.

Types of trailer

The Road Traffic Definitions Act (lagen om vägtrafikdefinitioner) (2 §) distinguishes between different trailer vehicles:

• Trailer (släpvagn): a trailer vehicle designed to be towed by a motor vehicle. This is the collective term.
• Semi-trailer (påhängsvagn, "trailer"): coupled to the tractor unit with a kingpin and a fifth wheel (vändskiva), so that part of the trailer rests directly on the towing vehicle.
• Centre-axle trailer (släpkärra): has a rigid drawbar (oledad dragstång), and the vertical load transferred to the towing vehicle may not exceed 10 per cent of the centre-axle trailer's gross vehicle weight or 1 tonne.

In the industry people also talk about a trailer with an articulated drawbar (släpvagn med ledad dragstång) (often called a drawbar trailer, dragstångssläp). This is not a separate term in the law, but a trailer where the drawbar is articulated, so that the trailer's front axle is steered by the drawbar and the trailer essentially carries its own weight.

A vehicle combination (fordonståg) is a motor vehicle with one or more vehicles coupled to it.

Length and weight of vehicle combinations

A vehicle combination may be no more than 24.0 metres long, or 25.25 metres if the conditions in the Traffic Ordinance (trafikförordningen) 4 kap. 17 § are met. On specially designated roads it may be up to 34.5 metres (4 kap. 17 f §).

The maximum gross weight depends on the road's bearing capacity class (bärighetsklass) and the distance between the combination's first and last axles. On BK1 the ceiling is 64 tonnes and on BK4 74 tonnes.

The coupling distance (kopplingsavstånd), that is the distance between the trailer's first axle and the towing vehicle's last axle, must be at least 3 metres when both are single axles and at least 4 metres when both are part of a bogie each. Some combinations require 5 metres.

Speed with a trailer

From 1 December 2026 the following apply under trafikförordningen 4 kap. 20 § (SFS 2026:1052):

• A motor vehicle with a trailer that has effective brakes operated from the service brake (färdbromsen) may be driven at no more than 80 km/h.
• A lorry with a dolly and semi-trailer with anti-lock brakes may be driven at no more than 80 km/h.
• A light trailer of no more than 750 kg, which also weighs no more than half of the towing vehicle's kerb weight (tjänstevikt), may also be towed at 80 km/h.
• Other combinations have lower limits: 50, 40 or 30 km/h, depending on the type of trailer and brakes.

Note that the 90 km/h limit on motorways only applies to a heavy lorry without a trailer. With a heavy trailer, a maximum of 80 km/h applies even on the motorway.

Winter requirement for a lorry with a trailer

During the period 10 November–10 April a special requirement applies to a heavy lorry with two axles, one of which is a driving axle, that tows a trailer. At least 25 per cent of the vehicle combination's total gross weight must rest on the driving axle. Alternatively, the trailers' combined gross weight may not be more than 1.5 times the lorry's gross weight (4 kap. 18 e §). It is enough for one of the requirements to be met. The purpose is to give the driving axle enough grip on a slippery road.

How to couple safely

Exactly how you couple depends on the vehicle and the type of coupling, so always follow the manufacturer's instructions. Some basic steps are nevertheless common to all.

Before coupling

• Check that the trailer is braked and cannot roll.
• Make sure no one is between the lorry and the trailer when you reverse.
• Check that the coupling and the drawbar eye or kingpin are intact and correctly set.
• Adjust the height so that the coupling meets correctly. For a semi-trailer, the fifth wheel must go in under the trailer at the right height.

During coupling

• Reverse slowly and straight.
• Check that the coupling has locked. It is not enough to listen for a click. Look at the lock indicator and do a pull test by carefully driving forwards with the trailer's parking brake applied.

After coupling

• Connect the brake lines and the electrical cable. Check that they cannot chafe against anything or drag on the ground.
• Fully raise the landing legs (stödben) on a semi-trailer.
• Release the trailer's parking brake.
• Check the lights and brakes on the trailer before you drive off.

When uncoupling, do it in reverse order: brake the trailer, wind down the landing legs, disconnect the lines, unlock the coupling and drive slowly away.

Coupling in the CE driving test

In the driving test for C1E and CE you must show that you can couple the trailer at the start of the test and uncouple it at the end (TSFS 2012:47 26 §). The safety check can include the coupling device and the brake and electrical connections to the trailer (29 §). You must be able to explain what you are checking, why, and what can happen if something is wrong.

Driving with a trailer

A long vehicle combination needs more space and more planning:

• The trailer cuts in more than the towing vehicle in bends and turns. Take the turns wide and use your mirrors.
• The braking distance is longer with a heavy trailer.
• An empty or light trailer behind a heavy lorry can be unstable during hard braking and evasive manoeuvres.
• Reversing with a trailer takes practice. Get help from a banksman if you cannot see behind the vehicle. You may only reverse if it can be done without danger or obstruction to others (trafikförordningen 3 kap. 46 §).

Remember

• A semi-trailer rests partly on the tractor unit via the kingpin and fifth wheel. A centre-axle trailer has a rigid drawbar.
• A vehicle combination may be no more than 24.0 metres, 25.25 metres with conditions or 34.5 metres on designated roads.
• With a trailer that has effective brakes operated from the service brake, a maximum of 80 km/h applies, even on the motorway.
• In winter at least 25% of the combination's gross weight must be on the driving axle, or the trailers may weigh no more than 1.5 times the lorry.
• Always check that the coupling is locked, and do a pull test.
• Do not forget the brake and electrical connections, the landing legs and the trailer's parking brake.
• In the CE test you couple at the start and uncouple at the end.