Reclassification Van to Motorhome DVLA

[seabreeze]

As many self builders will have found out and previous posts indicate . The DVLA in their wisdom decided to add an arbitrary "Dose it look like a Motorhome " to the requirements This would be fair enough if the specifications were laid out and the rejection letter gave some indication of what need altering . Taking that roughly 95% of application where rejected this is a colossal waste of everyone's time and money .
After 5 attempts with various changes including big letters saying "Motor Home " on all 4 sides I had run out of ideas on how to convince the DVLA it was a motorhome .
I contacted my MP Anne Marie Morris Who was brilliant . Took up my case and I now have a Motor Home !!!

My Recommendations
Make sure others think your vehicle is a motor home You are Biased If any think it is a van you need to do work .
Keep going at the DVLA .
If and only If you are out of ideas and can't see what more can be done contact your local MP If they are as good as mine you are in with a chance .

 

[DumfriesDik]

Hello and welcome! Good job on getting the DVLA sorted, they have a certain reputation.

 

[34127]

Well done on getting your van described as a Motor Caravan but at the end of the day it makes no difference to being classified as Van with Windows if the interior conversion complies with the DVLA requirements. In my opinion the DVLA have caused a lot of confusion over this as a lot of folk are not bothering to add any graphics knowing that it will get described as a Van with Windows and this makes it harder for the police or other authorities to know how the vehicle is being used. The applicable speed limits for a commercial van and a Van with Windows used as a Motor Caravan are different but the speed camera databases don't know which applies.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Will you post photos of your Motorhome for us to see what they are finally looking for please? I had the same problems and currently drive a ‘Van with windows ‘

 

[mikebeaches]

Well done for your persistence. And although it shouldn't have been necessary, pleased to hear your MP helped sort it out.

Oh, and by the way, !!

Happy motorhoming and have Fun...

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[uzsnowdrop]

Well done for your persistence. And although it shouldn't have been necessary, pleased to hear your MP helped sort it out.

Oh, and by the way, !!

Happy motorhoming and have Fun...

What a nice positive message to read in the morning! I agree, what a pain to go through but well done!!!

 

[seabreeze]

Well done on getting your van described as a Motor Caravan but at the end of the day it makes no difference to being classified as Van with Windows if the interior conversion complies with the DVLA requirements. In my opinion the DVLA have caused a lot of confusion over this as a lot of folk are not bothering to add any graphics knowing that it will get described as a Van with Windows and this makes it harder for the police or other authorities to know how the vehicle is being used. The applicable speed limits for a commercial van and a Van with Windows used as a Motor Caravan are different but the speed camera databases don't know which applies.

Under 3.5 tonnes agreed Over 3.5 tonnes you need a HGV mot at an approved test center with a vosa ( or whatever they call themselves today) inspector . Cost of a HGV mot £160 + additional lane fees for a failure and retest £55 Motorhome MOT £55 at any garage with the paperwork and facilities to inspect Retests free . At £100 minimum per year it was worth the effort

 

[gus-lopez]

Will you post photos of your Motorhome for us to see what they are finally looking for please? I had the same problems and currently drive a ‘Van with windows ‘

But you already had a "van with windows" so as I have asked before how can they reclassify it as a " van with windows " when it is one already?

 

[pappajohn]

Looking at the pics.... An awning, proper bike rack and proper graphics would have helped.
To me it still looks like a van with windows.

 

[Otter Spotter]

But you already had a "van with windows" so as I have asked before how can they reclassify it as a " van with windows " when it is one already?

Good point but not enough windows to call it one with so I put more in. One Local plod asked me if was a mini bus and did I have a ‘Private hire’ plate for it told him no and neither did I have a street vending licence for cooking food in it took a few minutes for him to work that one out but that’s Yorkshire Plods for you

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[34127]

Looking at the pics.... An awning, proper bike rack and proper graphics would have helped.
To me it still looks like a van with windows.

Just another example of the DVLA not being consistent with how they re-classify a van.

 

[tacr2man]

Under 3.5 tonnes agreed Over 3.5 tonnes you need a HGV mot at an approved test center with a vosa ( or whatever they call themselves today) inspector . Cost of a HGV mot £160 + additional lane fees for a failure and retest £55 Motorhome MOT £55 at any garage with the paperwork and facilities to inspect Retests free . At £100 minimum per year it was worth the effort

Sorry someone has mislead you , over 3.5 ton makes no difference , all vehicle used as a motorcaravan and fitted out to comply with the requirements even if have van with windows as body type are tested as a class 4 mot it is a self declaration . My current vehicle 7.5 ton 6x6 and previous US RV 12 ton and 12mtr long both class 4 mot . HTSH

 

[Tonks]

The applicable speed limits for a commercial van and a Van with Windows used as a Motor Caravan are different but the speed camera databases don't know which applies.

This is changing now. On at least some of the motorway network, and some other roads also, cameras are now 'smart speed cameras' linked directly to the ANPR system and so can tell from your reg what your limits are and fine you accordingly. No doubt this tech update will spread across the system.

 

[EML]

This is changing now. On at least some of the motorway network, and some other roads also, cameras are now 'smart speed cameras' linked directly to the ANPR system and so can tell from your reg what your limits are and fine you accordingly. No doubt this tech update will spread across the system.

The law is clear that a (light) van used as a motorhome has the usual national speed limits (ie. 70 on a motorway/etc, not 60). However, there's nothing on the V5C, or anywhere else, that says that your 'panel van with windows' is actually practically used as a motorhome, so I can't see any way that the ANPR system can use your registration to decide what your personal speed limit is. The plod obviously knows this, so it seems pretty unlikely that ANPR cameras would record vans doing 70 on a motorway. If you do get an incorrect penalty notice because your van-with-windows is actually a motorhome, I think you'll probably just have to fight it in court.

 

[34127]

The law is clear that a (light) van used as a motorhome has the usual national speed limits (ie. 70 on a motorway/etc, not 60). However, there's nothing on the V5C, or anywhere else, that says that your 'panel van with windows' is actually practically used as a motorhome, so I can't see any way that the ANPR system can use your registration to decide what your personal speed limit is. The plod obviously knows this, so it seems pretty unlikely that ANPR cameras would record vans doing 70 on a motorway. If you do get an incorrect penalty notice because your van-with-windows is actually a motorhome, I think you'll probably just have to fight it in court.

Totally agree and a problem caused by the DVLA when they started reclassifying conversions as Van with Windows. If there are a lot of appeals against incorrect speeding penalty notices then no doubt things will have to change.

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[Northernraider]

To be honest that shouldn't have passed the motorcaravan classification as it doesn't meet the current requirements.

But the mp interference probably helped but i can guarantee if everyone did this there would be chaos.

The van im building ill be quite happy with van with side windows as thats what it will look like.

Im building it for me ...not a DVLA checklist and half the stuff they want is the stuff im building my own van for ...

Won't make any difference to my speed limits , tax cost or insurance anyway