Everything you need to know about driving a Campervan!
The good news is that with a regular UK driving licence, you absolutely can drive a campervan on your next holiday! This means that you should be ready to grab your Volkswagen California and take it on a road trip!
However, the exact type of campervan you can drive does come down to a few key factors, namely: when you passed your test, the weight of your campervan, and your age. So without further ado, let's get into it!
Picking Apart The Test Pass Date
If your driving test was passed after the 1st of January 1997, congrats, this means you can drive a campervan up to 3,500kg. This is because the standard driving licence issued from this date covers categories B, B1 and BE, perfect for any campervan up to this weight. Luckily, most modern campervans and motorhomes are constructed with a Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM) of 3,500kg, precisely to allow maximum accessibility to all drivers.
The Volkswagen California weighs 3,080 kg and the Volkswagen Grand California 600 weighs 3,500 kg meaning they are both accessible for most drivers. However, the Grand California 680 weighs 3,880 kg meaning it is slightly too heavy for some drivers unless additional qualifications have been passed.
On the other hand, if you passed your driving test prior to this date, then your licence opens up the possibility to drive a motorhome up to 7,500kg. Intriguing right? This is due to all driving licenses received before 1 January 1997 coming automatically packed with a C1 entitlement.
Wrangling the Weight of Your Motorhome
So we've established that anyone with a standard driving licence can drive a motorhome up to 3,500kg. But what if you want to drive a motorhome up to 7,500kg but passed your test after the 1st of January 1997? The solution for this is to pass an additional driving test to add the C1 category to your licence. Sounds fair right?
Age and Its Influence
Finally, age plays a crucial role in your motorhome driving journey. Once you hit the age of 70, a licence renewal is required. If you follow the standard renewal procedure, this can suspend your C1 entitlement, limiting your motorhome driving to those under 3,5oo kg, unless you pass a medical assessment.
Alternatively, you can avoid losing your C1 entitlement by filling in form D2 and asking your GP to complete medical report form D4. However, keep in mind that your GP may charge for this as a private appointment.
So there you have it, a comprehensive guide to which motorhomes you can drive on a standard car licence. We hope this post has been helpful, alleviating any concerns and getting you on the way to your next big campervan adventure!