Attention for new Motorhome owners that passed their driving test AFTER 1st January 1997

Edenside

Edenside

Joined
Jul 26, 2010
Posts
324
Likes collected
420
Location
Cumbria
Funster No
12,848
MH
Van conversion
Exp
To many to mention
There has been a lot of younger people new to owning a Motorhome. I just wonder how many are aware that if they passed their driving test after 1st January 1997 they can only drive a vehicle up to a maximum permissable mass (MPM) of 3500. That is unless they have taken an extra test to obtain C1. Many of the younger owners have family so often buy the larger vans with more payload. I know salesmen often do not explain this to prospective buyers.
 
I am well aware of it and only just missed the cut off.

To be fair though, the driver is the one responsible for ensuring they are legal, though you are right the salesman don’t help.
 
we had a firms works van in for repair that was plated at 4600kg neither of the partners were legal to drive it and they did not have an operators licence or tachograph, they had bought it because they needed a bigger van and did not even know it had to go to a hgv test centre for testing

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
chatteris said:
we had a firms works van in for repair that was plated at 4600kg neither of the partners were legal to drive it and they did not have an operators licence or tachograph, they had bought it because they needed a bigger van and did not even know it had to go to a hgv test centre for testing
Click to expand...
Ignorance is bliss,,BUSBY.
 
Two new mhs bought both times my licence was checked.
A lot of the older generation don't realise they need to take medicals and renew every 3 years to carry on driving 3500 and over 3500
www.gov.uk

Renew your driving licence if you're 70 or over

Renew your driving licence online if you're 70 or over. Use form D46P to apply by post
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
 
Just Paul said:
Two new mhs bought both times my licence was checked.
A lot of the older generation don't realise they need to take medicals and renew every 3 years to carry on driving 3500 and over 3500
www.gov.uk

Renew your driving licence if you're 70 or over

Renew your driving licence online if you're 70 or over. Use form D46P to apply by post
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
Click to expand...

Yes indeed as folks who tow may not be aware that after, without a C1 gross train weight must not exceed 3500kg that's car & caravan or motorhome and toad.

Unless mistaken found out yeasterday that our van >3500KG is allowed in the 3rd lane on a motorway as it was registered between oct 19 & march 20 so is not a PHG. Well think so but very wary of 3rd lane full of folks in a hurry.
 
RandallC said:
Unless mistaken found out yeasterday that our van >3500KG is allowed in the 3rd lane on a motorway as it was registered between oct 19 & march 20 so is not a PHG. Well think so but very wary of 3rd lane full of folks in a hurry.
Click to expand...
Who says it isn't a PHGV?
Over 3500kg it is, no matter when the registration date.
 
RandallC said:
Yes indeed as folks who tow may not be aware that after, without a C1 gross train weight must not exceed 3500kg that's car & caravan or motorhome and toad.
Click to expand...

Actually to exceed that requires either B+E or C1+E depending on towing vehicle (unless trailer is under 750kg, in which case B/C1 will do depending on towing vehicle).

The 3500kg is a derogation and only applies in the UK. Outside the UK, anything > 750kg requires a +E.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
pappajohn said:
Who says it isn't a PHGV?
Over 3500kg it is, no matter when the registration date.
Click to expand...

Only going on the fact the V5 doesn't include any weights. Rang DVLA to say think this isn't right they basically said your not going to get £165 a PHVG category so suck it up.
 
Wh05apk said:
Motorhomes are permitted in the outside lane, i think provided they do not exceed 7.5t, or carry more than 8 passengers (illegals from calais aren't included)
Click to expand...

The rules are complicated, but are pretty well aligned as to whether the vehicle is *required* to have a speed limiter fitted (I'm there are a million counterexamples to that simple rule!)
 
Twas my thoughts also there is no clear guide so beware.
 
The types of vehicles not permitted to use the right hand (offside) lane on a motorway, which has three or more lanes open for use by traffic travelling in the same direction are:

  • a goods vehicle having a maximum laden weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes,
  • a goods vehicle having a maximum laden weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes, which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter
  • a passenger vehicle which is constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver the maximum laden weight of which exceeds 7.5 tonnes;
  • a passenger vehicle which is constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver the maximum laden weight of which does not exceed 7.5 tonnes, which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter.
  • a motor vehicle drawing a trailer
  • a vehicle which is a motor tractor, a light locomotive or a heavy locomotive.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
pappajohn said:
Who says it isn't a PHGV?
Over 3500kg it is, no matter when the registration date.
Click to expand...
Not between those date it isn't.
The Ved was changed for a short while which re classified mhs to an M1 class I think.
 
Just Paul said:
Not between those date it isn't.
The Ved was changed for a short while which re classified mhs to an M1 class I think.
Click to expand...

You are getting confused.

On a V5:-

PHGV is entered at para [X] 'Taxation Class', which is for UK vehicles only for taxation purposes and para [X] will not be found on other countries registration documents following the sstandard formula.

M1 would be entered in para J 'Vehicle Category'. For a motor caravan the correct vehicle category is 'M1 (Special purpose)'. M1 is for cars.

Geoff
 
When I picked up a van from a dealer that was over 3.5t a couple of years ago, they wanted a photocopy of my licence to confirm the entitlement before I drove away. Not all dealers chose to ignore tne law.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
I bought a 4,500KG Euramobil and only had a post 97 B license. I queried this with the salesman and he told me that it only applied to HGV and motorhomes were allowed up to 7.5T...
I got it home and a was talking to some friends one of who was a policeman who set me straight.

I then had to go and do my C1. I was furious with the salesman at Brownhills at the time. But I did love the van so did the test rather than downgrading.

That was the point in my life when I stopped trusting anyone and always verified stuff off my own back.

(This was a long time ago and I was very new to motorhoming.)
 
The essence of this legislation re limiters , lanes and other add ons relate to GOODS and PASSENGER carrying Vehicles. MHs are neither ! However the driving licence requirements relate to ALL VEHICLES.
 
Just Paul said:
Not between those date it isn't.
The Ved was changed for a short while which re classified mhs to an M1 class I think.
Click to expand...
You are quoting the tax class and confusing it with the revenue class or max permitted mass.
Motorhomes first registered between the dates you quoted were indeed taxed differently, Ridiculously high! then the government reversed their change leaving a number of vehicles in a strange tax band. Having said that the speed and lane regulations are not based on tax class they are based on either gross weight or Mass in service.
i.e A motorhome with mass in service weight 3045kg with a max mass of 4500kg can be driven the same speed as a car and in lane 3.
The M1 vehicle catagory, PHGV Tax class do not have any effect on speed limit in UK.
 
jezport said:
You are quoting the tax class and confusing it with the revenue class or max permitted mass.
Motorhomes first registered between the dates you quoted were indeed taxed differently, Ridiculously high! then the government reversed their change leaving a number of vehicles in a strange tax band. Having said that the speed and lane regulations are not based on tax class they are based on either gross weight or Mass in service.
i.e A motorhome with mass in service weight 3045kg with a max mass of 4500kg can be driven the same speed as a car and in lane 3.
The M1 vehicle catagory, PHGV Tax class do not have any effect on speed limit in UK.
Click to expand...

What do people have on the taxation class? I had to change mind when I bought it, as apparently I'm not allowed to have "Police" as the taxation class. As I couldn't tax online, I went into post office and taxed private HGV for £165 or whatever it was. However, V5C came back a few weeks later and says "HGV" without any "P".

Is this normal or wrong? Will they charge me thousands in back tax?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
cmcardle75 said:
What do people have on the taxation class? I had to change mind when I bought it, as apparently I'm not allowed to have "Police" as the taxation class. As I couldn't tax online, I went into post office and taxed private HGV for £165 or whatever it was. However, V5C came back a few weeks later and says "HGV" without any "P".

Is this normal or wrong? Will they charge me thousands in back tax?
Click to expand...

It is wrong in that it should say 'Private HGV'

It is normal as in performance for DVLA which often gets things wrong.

Geoff
 
When we purchased our 1st van rated at 4.2 ton the salesman happened to let slip on the test drive that he wasn’t licensed to drive it. Never asked if I was.
Spongy
 
As a thought, for those in the (was it oct 19 to march 20) taxation period have no revenue, MAM or any other weights on the V5. We don't.

So when clocked by the roadside safety camera van how can they know your speed limits?

Anyone know? Cus as far as aware they haven't seen my rating plate.
 
Wh05apk said:
Motorhomes are permitted in the outside lane, i think provided they do not exceed 7.5t, or carry more than 8 passengers (illegals from calais aren't included)
Click to expand...
Why not?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top