It would seem an odd requirement for a Transporter size van to need a hightop to distinguish it from other Transporters in traffic, when a Crafter could just be a standard body. Who knows, we'll see in the weeks to come how they'll enforce their new rules.
V5 Documentation - DVLA Rule Change for Motor Caravan Reregistration June 2019
- Thread starter Urbanfox
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*FOR RENT* bath tub fixed high roof for VW T6. Very easy to put in place. Ideal for that quick photo shoot. 
What a cracking idea. Legend.
But surely under the new regs you would have to drive round with the pop top in a permanently up position, what could possibly go wrong with that outcome lol
So my bath tub roof doesn't count as a high top? Bugg3r. .
So I will be stuck to 60mph on duel carriage ways, 50mph on single and 70mph on motor ways... oh well...
. So I will be stuck to 60mph on duel carriage ways, 50mph on single and 70mph on motor ways... oh well...
P
Phil_G
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No, if its a camper then 'car limits' still apply. As the DVLA have emphasized, just because the body description says 'van with windows' doesnt change its speed limits or its insurance category. Its still a camper, but its description now says that in traffic, it looks like a van, which most campers do.
Its just a descriptor to help plod identify the vehicle at a glance, just like a 'Red' body colour descriptor. The change isnt about describing what it is, but what it looks like:
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So to clarify, although my v5 says it's an N1, I can still travel following normal car rules because the use of the van is as a camper even though it is not classified as a motor caravan ?
Sorry but read so much conflicting stuff on this...
P
Phil_G
Guest
All you need to read is the DVLA page, nothing else.
Converting a vehicle into a motor caravan (motor home)
As it says, if you are happy that your camper meets the "required internal features" ( Internal features for motor caravans ) then yes its a camper and camper limits apply.
Cheers
Phil
The section "Your conversion must have a minimum of a single ring cooking facility or microwave, which shall be secured directly to the vehicle floor or side wall as a permanent feature." is really not ideal if you have a removable pod kitchen.... My van meets all other criteria but the kitchen is in a pod under the seats. Annoying!
thanks Phil. It's an interesting one and still seems a bit woolly as the DVLA says it is used for 'vehicle identification'.
So the question is - if I am doing 60mph on a duel carriageway and am logged by police as doing that speed and sent a ticket - as my vehicle is identified as a van as per the DVLA information - can I then reply to the ticket and say that I consider that my van is, in fact, a camper as it meets the criteria listed and get it quashed?
I have sent an email to the DfT and asked for clarification.
Ultimately it is unlikely that the speed limits are a big issue - but I would like to have a concrete answer, if positive, in case I ever need it.
Will do. have also sent a copy onto the DVLA so will see if they both come back saying i should ask the other...
From reading yes it would be considered a camper "IF" it has been changed on the V5 to motorcaravan but is still N1 type approval. If it has not been changed then it would be of your opinion that it is classed as a camper and not DVLA. That is where the problem will lie if there is a challenge.
And this is where we end up going round and round
... personally i think you are tied to the lower limits if you are 'N1' regardless of whether you consider it to be a camper. Its only a problem, in any case, if you happen to forget yourself on a carriageway and get clocked at over the speed limit for your vehicle...If i get a response i will update the thread accordingly.
First of all the DVLA should be given the credit of responding to consumer feedback - in a pretty quick time for a Government agency to be honest.
As you will know there are areas of improved clarity such as:
The body type does not affect the insurance category of the vehicle, or have any effect on speed limits or other legislative requirements. It is only used for establishing vehicle appearance and identification.'
That’s pretty clear to me but if the Police rely on the V5 classification to determine if a vehicle has been speeding they may not take this into account so I'm with czmate - it's safer to stick to the lower limits and after all isn't that what a campervan is for - cruising sedately through the countryside? Hopefully any confusion amongst insurers will also have been cleared up.
As requested by many, there is now a list which describes the external features which are commonly seen in motor caravans, and it is intended to provide guidance on what DVLA expects to see when considering an application.
The salient words for me though are 'commonly seen’ which is something very different to saying ‘must have’ and ‘provide guidance’ and I'm not sure this has helped provide absolute clarity.
Moreover the ‘Conversion Checklist’ asks for evidence that ‘your vehicle has a combination of the following external features’ - again the key word for me is ‘combination’ - what it definitely does not say is that the vehicle must have all the features. If it provides for variances in van presentation then that is a positive and welcome move. So I guess this may rumble on - it's a bit like B****t ......... I'll stand back now!
Ultimately as others have so eloquently said before me, it won't affect my enjoyment of my camper van one bit.
As you will know there are areas of improved clarity such as:
The body type does not affect the insurance category of the vehicle, or have any effect on speed limits or other legislative requirements. It is only used for establishing vehicle appearance and identification.'
That’s pretty clear to me but if the Police rely on the V5 classification to determine if a vehicle has been speeding they may not take this into account so I'm with czmate - it's safer to stick to the lower limits and after all isn't that what a campervan is for - cruising sedately through the countryside? Hopefully any confusion amongst insurers will also have been cleared up.
As requested by many, there is now a list which describes the external features which are commonly seen in motor caravans, and it is intended to provide guidance on what DVLA expects to see when considering an application.
The salient words for me though are 'commonly seen’ which is something very different to saying ‘must have’ and ‘provide guidance’ and I'm not sure this has helped provide absolute clarity.
Moreover the ‘Conversion Checklist’ asks for evidence that ‘your vehicle has a combination of the following external features’ - again the key word for me is ‘combination’ - what it definitely does not say is that the vehicle must have all the features. If it provides for variances in van presentation then that is a positive and welcome move. So I guess this may rumble on - it's a bit like B****t ......... I'll stand back now!
Ultimately as others have so eloquently said before me, it won't affect my enjoyment of my camper van one bit.
I don't think it's the case that they've reacted quickly to consumer feedback, it's more that the guidance was supposed to be published at the same time the policy change was implemented, but it wasn't done on time, hence the awkward delay period. Seems pretty clear now though so at least we know where we stand and life can move on - unlike sodding B****t!
Hi All,
I have had the below response form the DVLA to the email that i sent them and the DfT. So now I'll wait to see what the DfT say... I think they have a 20 day SLA, so we might have to wait a while...
CZ.
----
Thank you for your enquiry received on 22/10/2019.
Your case reference number is *********.
We appreciate that you have taken the time to contact us in relation to this matter.
I am afraid we cannot answer your enquiry at DVLA. Please contact:
International Vehicle Standards Division (IVS)
Dept for Transport
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Rd
London
SW1P 4DR
Email: ivs.enquiries@dft.gov.uk
I hope this information provides a further insight for you.
Do not reply to this email. If you wish to contact us again about this response then please use our reply from link or copy and paste the following URL in to your browser:
Email DVLA
Best Regards
---
Good morning,
I have a VW T6 T32 Long Wheel Base van that I am about to convert to a campervan. It will have permanent and attached cooking and storage facilities, as well as fixed seating that converts to a bed, a pop-top bed, heating and gas storage. It meets all of the criteria here,
Internal features for motor caravans
I understand that the new requirements that are listed here, Converting a vehicle into a motor caravan (motor home), mean that I cannot have my V5C changed from category N1 to M1, but it would be useful to know what speed limit I will have to adhere to on single carriageways and duel carriageways (I believe that the speed limit for motorways is 70mph regardless).
With regards to the first link I am happy that my campervan meets all of the required features to be a campervan so - given that the information in the second link is about vehicle identification only, please see the below excerpt from the page,
'The body type does not affect the insurance category of the vehicle, or have any effect on speed limits or other legislative requirements. It is only used for establishing vehicle appearance and identification.
It is important to remember that even if the vehicle’s body type is not changed to ‘motor caravan’, the vehicle can still be used for this purpose as long as the keeper is satisfied the converted vehicle meets the required internal features for motor caravans.'
Can you confirm the speed limits that I will have to follow on different road types.
Many thanks
---
I have had the below response form the DVLA to the email that i sent them and the DfT. So now I'll wait to see what the DfT say... I think they have a 20 day SLA, so we might have to wait a while...
CZ.
----
Thank you for your enquiry received on 22/10/2019.
Your case reference number is *********.
We appreciate that you have taken the time to contact us in relation to this matter.
I am afraid we cannot answer your enquiry at DVLA. Please contact:
International Vehicle Standards Division (IVS)
Dept for Transport
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Rd
London
SW1P 4DR
Email: ivs.enquiries@dft.gov.uk
I hope this information provides a further insight for you.
Do not reply to this email. If you wish to contact us again about this response then please use our reply from link or copy and paste the following URL in to your browser:
Email DVLA
Best Regards
---
Good morning,
I have a VW T6 T32 Long Wheel Base van that I am about to convert to a campervan. It will have permanent and attached cooking and storage facilities, as well as fixed seating that converts to a bed, a pop-top bed, heating and gas storage. It meets all of the criteria here,
Internal features for motor caravans
I understand that the new requirements that are listed here, Converting a vehicle into a motor caravan (motor home), mean that I cannot have my V5C changed from category N1 to M1, but it would be useful to know what speed limit I will have to adhere to on single carriageways and duel carriageways (I believe that the speed limit for motorways is 70mph regardless).
With regards to the first link I am happy that my campervan meets all of the required features to be a campervan so - given that the information in the second link is about vehicle identification only, please see the below excerpt from the page,
'The body type does not affect the insurance category of the vehicle, or have any effect on speed limits or other legislative requirements. It is only used for establishing vehicle appearance and identification.
It is important to remember that even if the vehicle’s body type is not changed to ‘motor caravan’, the vehicle can still be used for this purpose as long as the keeper is satisfied the converted vehicle meets the required internal features for motor caravans.'
Can you confirm the speed limits that I will have to follow on different road types.
Many thanks
---
I am in the process of having my VW T6 Transporter converted to my dream campervan only to find out today that the DVLA will not reclassify as a campervan as they are saying that no longer except an elevating roof as a camper and it must be a high top fixed roof. There are other requirements that can all be easily accommodated however I think that not excepting and elevating roof is just taking things too far.
Does anyone know if this is going to be changed or what implications this has for me as a first time owner.
Does this mean that I can't have a camper van and I am stuck with a van with windows.
Does this mean I have to insure as a commercial vehicle instead of a camper.
Does this mean I have to stick to the 60 mph speed limit for a van.
Does this mean.....what the hell does it all mean.
Gutted.
Does anyone know if this is going to be changed or what implications this has for me as a first time owner.
Does this mean that I can't have a camper van and I am stuck with a van with windows.
Does this mean I have to insure as a commercial vehicle instead of a camper.
Does this mean I have to stick to the 60 mph speed limit for a van.
Does this mean.....what the hell does it all mean.
Gutted.
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