Owning and using a campervan or motorhome

A campervan or motorhome is a vehicle and a place to sleep at the same time. Owners deal with the rules for both. Most of those rules turn on how heavy the vehicle is.

Which licence covers it

GOV.UK sets licence categories by a vehicle's maximum authorised mass, shortened to MAM.

A driver who passed the car test on or after 1 January 1997 holds category B. That covers a petrol or diesel vehicle up to 3,500kg MAM, with up to 8 passenger seats. For an electric or hydrogen vehicle the limit is 4,250kg. Category C1 covers vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg.

Many drivers who passed before 1 January 1997 have wider entitlement. GOV.UK suggests checking what your own licence covers with the DVLA's online service.

Turning 70

Drivers renew their licence at 70, and the DVLA lets them do it online for free. The DVLA sends the renewal form 90 days before a driver's 70th birthday. Anyone keeping C1 entitlement for a heavier motorhome has to renew it by post, because the online service cannot renew C1.

Speed limits

Speed limits for motorhomes depend on the vehicle's maximum unladen weight, which is its weight empty. Up to 3.05 tonnes unladen, a motorhome has the same limits as a car. That is 60mph on a single carriageway and 70mph on a dual carriageway or motorway.

Over 3.05 tonnes unladen, the limits are 50mph on a single carriageway, 60mph on a dual carriageway and 70mph on a motorway. In built-up areas with street lights the limit is 30mph in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and 20mph in Wales.

The MOT

GOV.UK lists motor caravans in MOT class 4, the same class as cars. A vehicle needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration. After that it needs one every year.

The free GOV.UK MOT history service shows each past test, the mileage recorded and when the next MOT is due. It helps to look at it before buying a used van.

Parking and staying overnight

The Highway Code says you must not park on a road at night facing against the traffic, unless you are in a recognised parking space. Any vehicle parked on a road or lay-by where the limit is over 30mph must show parking lights.

In Scotland, NatureScot's guidance on the outdoor access code says access rights do not include motor vehicles. Landowners can restrict parking on their land, and visitors must respect that. Seasonal byelaws in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park allow camping in some areas only on campsites or with a permit.

The Countryside Code asks drivers never to block gateways or driveways, and always to leave room for emergency vehicles.

Carbon monoxide

The NHS says carbon monoxide has no colour or smell. Gas, wood, oil and coal appliances can make it when they are faulty or badly maintained. Symptoms include a headache, dizziness and feeling sick.

The NHS advises a carbon monoxide alarm that sounds loudly, and regular servicing of heaters and cookers by a qualified, registered engineer. It also says never to use a barbecue or camping stove indoors or inside a tent.