The Macron Law allows agricultural tractors with rolling trailers to drive on the public highway

loi macron 2016 ber roulant

Article 27 of French law n° 2015-990 known as the “Loi Macron” of 6th August 2015 modified the French highway code, allowing anyone holding a driving license (permis B in French) to drive agricultural tractors and assimilated vehicles on the public highway, at 40 kilometres per hour maximum.

The third and penultimate paragraphs of I of article L. 221-2 of the French Highway Code are replaced by the following paragraph: “Persons holding driving licenses for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating under 3.5 tons affected to transport of people with eight seats maximum, other than the driver’s seat or affected to goods transport, can drive any agricultural or forest vehicles and assimilated vehicles whose speed doesn’t exceed 40 kilometres per hour.”

The FIN sought out the Direction de la sécurité routière (road safety management) within the jurisdiction of the French Ministry of the Interior in order to have confirmation of the application of these new driving regulations, on the public highway, for agricultural type tractors with trailers attached during launches and haul outs of leisure boats

The answer, sent by email on 11th February, is unambiguous:

I hereby confirm that in accordance with article L.221-2 of the French highway code, the following sets, agricultural tractors with trailers attached, whatever the weight or length of the trailer, can be driven with the category B driving license on the public highway, as long as they do not drive faster than 40 km/h.