Hi - We are considering purchasing a caravan (pulled trailer) when we arrive in England. However, some research has suggested that buying and licensing a vehicle in Europe when you are not European is generally not allowed. Would appreciate any comments.
Buying a Caravan in the UK when you are from the US
- Thread starter kitrinabryant
- Start date
Parksy
Moderator
Hi Kitrina and welcome
There is no requirement to licence a caravan in England Kitrina. Are you going to use your caravan in the UK and are you also considering the purchase of a towing vehicle here?
The laws in parts of Continental Europe are different and may vary from country to country but a UK registered vehicle towing a caravan which can be safely and legally towed by a driver having the correct licence category would require no additional licences.
As far as I'm aware there are no restrictions here on US or any other foreign national buying and driving any vehicle provided that the driver holds the correct licence, the vehicle has a road fund licence and is insured for the driver.
You would need to inform the insurers of your towing vehicle that it had been fitted with a towbar.
There is no requirement to licence a caravan in England Kitrina. Are you going to use your caravan in the UK and are you also considering the purchase of a towing vehicle here?
The laws in parts of Continental Europe are different and may vary from country to country but a UK registered vehicle towing a caravan which can be safely and legally towed by a driver having the correct licence category would require no additional licences.
As far as I'm aware there are no restrictions here on US or any other foreign national buying and driving any vehicle provided that the driver holds the correct licence, the vehicle has a road fund licence and is insured for the driver.
You would need to inform the insurers of your towing vehicle that it had been fitted with a towbar.
Also very wise to insure the caravan and that could be very tricky if you are not a permament resident in England. You may be better off renting a motor home(RV).
Thanks Parksy -- we are thinking about bringing our tow car over and purchasing just the caravan in the UK then traveling throughout the UK/Europe for as long as we can stand it!
While I have your ear, do you have any length recommendations? Most of the caravans I see on the pictures and ads look much larger than we would want to tow. (Although our tow car has a towing capacity of 7700 lbs.) We want to be able to be comfortable crossing the Pyranees, getting around Switzerland, etc. But what we are beginning to think about is that the beauty of the caravan is that you can park it in the campground and then use the tow car to get up into the mountainous areas for some backpacking, hiking, etc.
Appreciate your thoughts!
-Kit
While I have your ear, do you have any length recommendations? Most of the caravans I see on the pictures and ads look much larger than we would want to tow. (Although our tow car has a towing capacity of 7700 lbs.) We want to be able to be comfortable crossing the Pyranees, getting around Switzerland, etc. But what we are beginning to think about is that the beauty of the caravan is that you can park it in the campground and then use the tow car to get up into the mountainous areas for some backpacking, hiking, etc.
Appreciate your thoughts!
-Kit
We have heard of this before, thank you for confirming our issue with regard to insurance. We plan on being over in Europe for a year or more, so need a more economical approach than renting. 
Parksy
Moderator
Hi Kit
European caravan weights are normally expressed in kilos and 7700lbs is equivalent to 3492.6 kg, almost 3.5 tonnes. (I tonne = 1000Kg)
http://www.practicalcaravan.com/advice/your-essential-guide-to…-matching-cars-and-caravans
With such a large towing capacity you would be able to tow most caravans so it might be best to consider what interior layout would suit you best.
A lot depends on how many family members will accompany you, are there children?
If you are a couple you may prefer a model with a fixed bed (I can personally recommend fixed bed models, we'd never go back to wrestling with cushions every night) in which case a 4 berth model used as a two berth would fit the bill nicely.
Do you plan to use shared washing and bathing facilities on sites or would you prefer to use your own reasonably sized washroom and shower? (we do)
UK caravans can commonly be anything from under 12 ft. shipping length which is the total length from the end of the towing hitch to the rear exterior to over 26ft in length (ours is 26 ft 1 ") so there are plenty to choose from in terms of length, width, weight, layout, standard of interior fittings etc.
With the mountain hiking and backpacking you are more than likely to be reasonably young and fit, would you enjoy returning to a centrally heated gin palace on wheels (I would!) or a spartan tin tent?
You are right when you mention leaving the caravan as a base to explore different areas in the car, with some forward planning the length of your caravan needn't be an issue which would restrict your movements and single axle caravans with reasonable standards of comfort at around 21ft are commonplace and easy to tow.
Are you planning to buy a new or used caravan for your European adventure?
European caravan weights are normally expressed in kilos and 7700lbs is equivalent to 3492.6 kg, almost 3.5 tonnes. (I tonne = 1000Kg)
http://www.practicalcaravan.com/advice/your-essential-guide-to…-matching-cars-and-caravans
With such a large towing capacity you would be able to tow most caravans so it might be best to consider what interior layout would suit you best.
A lot depends on how many family members will accompany you, are there children?
If you are a couple you may prefer a model with a fixed bed (I can personally recommend fixed bed models, we'd never go back to wrestling with cushions every night) in which case a 4 berth model used as a two berth would fit the bill nicely.
Do you plan to use shared washing and bathing facilities on sites or would you prefer to use your own reasonably sized washroom and shower? (we do)
UK caravans can commonly be anything from under 12 ft. shipping length which is the total length from the end of the towing hitch to the rear exterior to over 26ft in length (ours is 26 ft 1 ") so there are plenty to choose from in terms of length, width, weight, layout, standard of interior fittings etc.
With the mountain hiking and backpacking you are more than likely to be reasonably young and fit, would you enjoy returning to a centrally heated gin palace on wheels (I would!) or a spartan tin tent?
You are right when you mention leaving the caravan as a base to explore different areas in the car, with some forward planning the length of your caravan needn't be an issue which would restrict your movements and single axle caravans with reasonable standards of comfort at around 21ft are commonplace and easy to tow.
Are you planning to buy a new or used caravan for your European adventure?
If towcar that you will be bringing from the US already has a towing hitch it would also be important to check first whether the towball size, its location, as well as the electrical connections are compatible with European caravans.
please note I am not an expert but will give you the information I believe to be correct.
Any caravan purchased in the UK will carry the Vehicle registration number of the vehicle towing it and before any seller of the caravan issues you with a number plate will request a copy of the document proving ownership of said towing vehicle.
If you are purchasing the vehicle in England you will need to give a residential address in the united kingdom the reason for this if the vehicle is found to create an infraction of the law either here or in Europe then it is the owner of the vehicle that is liable and he can be contacted at the keeper/owners residential address. However at the time of the infraction it is proven who the driver is then it is the driver who will be summoned and liable however if it cannot be proven who the driver was then it is the registered keeper owner liable.
If you are bringing the car from the USA you will need the registration documents (proof of ownership) with current residential address to allow the seller of the caravan to issue the number plate and you will need to carry those documents with you in the car when ever you are driving either in the UK or Europe.
The on question I cannot answer is if you have an American car with an American number plate if the caravan dealer can make or issue an American number for your caravan (this is nothing to do with his ability to manufacture a plate more a legal question to which I don't have the answer)
John
Any caravan purchased in the UK will carry the Vehicle registration number of the vehicle towing it and before any seller of the caravan issues you with a number plate will request a copy of the document proving ownership of said towing vehicle.
If you are purchasing the vehicle in England you will need to give a residential address in the united kingdom the reason for this if the vehicle is found to create an infraction of the law either here or in Europe then it is the owner of the vehicle that is liable and he can be contacted at the keeper/owners residential address. However at the time of the infraction it is proven who the driver is then it is the driver who will be summoned and liable however if it cannot be proven who the driver was then it is the registered keeper owner liable.
If you are bringing the car from the USA you will need the registration documents (proof of ownership) with current residential address to allow the seller of the caravan to issue the number plate and you will need to carry those documents with you in the car when ever you are driving either in the UK or Europe.
The on question I cannot answer is if you have an American car with an American number plate if the caravan dealer can make or issue an American number for your caravan (this is nothing to do with his ability to manufacture a plate more a legal question to which I don't have the answer)
John
Sounds a great idea ! A couple of extra points to consider. If you are going to start in UK and go to Europe then you will have to use ferries and charges increase with length of caravan. Many campsites in Europe have relatively small pitches so a very large caravan can be a bit of a problem. I would suggest something in the order of 7.5m overall 'shipping' length giving a body of something over 5m long inside. I would also strongly recommend getting it fitted with a motor mover - two motors fitted under the caravan which will turn the wheels - which greatly increases the ease of placing on a pitch - as someone put it, cheaper than a hernia operation and much more fun.
If you are going to spend a long time - as you suggest - then go for a fixed bed layout as making up and packing away bedding gets very tedious indeed after a few weeks - you will still have room to seat a total of 4 or 6 'up front'. Be aware too that some sites in Europe do not accept twin axle caravans - bot you don't really need one for what you are proposing.
You need to check the validity of American driving licences in UK and Europe. In UK it is one year, but I don't know if you can turn this into a 'rolling' year by going into Europe.
The majority of UK caravans use German chassis and running gear with Al-ko being the most popular, similarly the appliances - fridge, water heater, toilet, space heater - are all pretty universal and there should be not too much trouble getting spares or service in Europe. A wifi equipped laptop would be a good thing to have too.
Suggest you research some layouts by looking at the websites of some of the UK makers - Bailey, Swift, Coachman etc. and also at some of the Continental 'vans. Depending on the USD to Euro exchange rate, these may be a better buy in, say, Holland.
Good hunting and keep us posted !
If you are going to spend a long time - as you suggest - then go for a fixed bed layout as making up and packing away bedding gets very tedious indeed after a few weeks - you will still have room to seat a total of 4 or 6 'up front'. Be aware too that some sites in Europe do not accept twin axle caravans - bot you don't really need one for what you are proposing.
You need to check the validity of American driving licences in UK and Europe. In UK it is one year, but I don't know if you can turn this into a 'rolling' year by going into Europe.
The majority of UK caravans use German chassis and running gear with Al-ko being the most popular, similarly the appliances - fridge, water heater, toilet, space heater - are all pretty universal and there should be not too much trouble getting spares or service in Europe. A wifi equipped laptop would be a good thing to have too.
Suggest you research some layouts by looking at the websites of some of the UK makers - Bailey, Swift, Coachman etc. and also at some of the Continental 'vans. Depending on the USD to Euro exchange rate, these may be a better buy in, say, Holland.
Good hunting and keep us posted !
Ray, thank you--very useful information. We are learning quite a bit in this process -- and a motor mover! Would have never thought that one up! We are six months from leaving, but we cannot wait!
Hi Parksy - love your comments! And yes, it will be a gin palace (Citadel if we can find it over there) on wheels. No kids, two terriers. We have decided, due to licensing and insurance reasons to purchase the caravan here and ship both the tow car and caravan over for our big adventure. This will give us some time to get used to the whole enchilada (as we say down here in Southern California.) Thank you for all the advice -- for sure the fixed bed and toilet facilities are a must.
It seems our biggest challenge is to find one that is less then 7.5' in width -- most options over here are 8' . . . but we'll keep searching.
It seems our biggest challenge is to find one that is less then 7.5' in width -- most options over here are 8' . . . but we'll keep searching.
I presume that you will be arranging for insurance for both the towcar and the caravan for use in Europe through a US insurance company. That will simplify matters. I believe it is possible through the AAA or at least they will put you on the right tracks to find a suitable insurer.
Sizewise I wouldn't go much longer than 26'. Anything much over that would be cumbersome on some of the narrow twisty roads over here. And don't forget that 8' 2" is the maximum permissible width throughout Europe, but even there 7' 6" is easier to handle.
Sizewise I wouldn't go much longer than 26'. Anything much over that would be cumbersome on some of the narrow twisty roads over here. And don't forget that 8' 2" is the maximum permissible width throughout Europe, but even there 7' 6" is easier to handle.
Just a small point. If you end up buying a caravan over here why not bring a vehicle number plate with you. Any competant mechanic would be able fit it to conform to regulations. Have a good time when you get here.
If you bring in a trailer unit from the states you will need to get all the electrics changed as here it is 220v and will also need to conform with local electric regulations. I think this could be mandatory. Also in transit I doubt very much if they will allow a battery to remain in situ along with any gas canisters so all that will need to purchase over her.
If you take shipping costs into consideration and all the other hassles, you may be better off buying a fully serviced second hand caravan over here from a reputable dealer. Also the USA idea of small and ours may differ. Small here is a caravan with an internal length of between 10 and 15 foot. Btween 15 and 20 foot medium and large for 20 - 26 foot. Your towing unit can pull a large 8 foot wide Hobby caravan with a island bed quite comfortably and the caravan will have the additional length of about 36 foot. These are well built caravans and knock the spots off most British built caravans.
If you take shipping costs into consideration and all the other hassles, you may be better off buying a fully serviced second hand caravan over here from a reputable dealer. Also the USA idea of small and ours may differ. Small here is a caravan with an internal length of between 10 and 15 foot. Btween 15 and 20 foot medium and large for 20 - 26 foot. Your towing unit can pull a large 8 foot wide Hobby caravan with a island bed quite comfortably and the caravan will have the additional length of about 36 foot. These are well built caravans and knock the spots off most British built caravans.
Hi,
Most important thing first. DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BRINGING DOGS INTO UK? If you don't, then you have 7 months to sort it out.
I believe that you can drive, as a visitor, for 12 months in UK on your US licence. I believe it is less in France, maybe 3 months, maybe 6 months. It can be argued that if you know you intend staying more than that ..... then you ain't a visitor. Just keep that in mind if anybody asks. Of course, if you have the time and money, you could take a UK test (crash course lasts a week and will cost several hundred pounds). A UK licence is recognised, and can be exchanged, virtually anywhere in the world. I am not putting this forward as a sensible solution.
I have read that a licence from some USA states can be exchanged for a French licence, but I am uncertain if this applies to UK. Send an email to drivers.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk tell them your plans, and ask their advice.
Similarly, your car must be registered in UK after one year, and in France after a few months. Email DVLA at vehicles.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk , get advice on the UK rules.
Some US states do not require your car to have a front registration plate. We met a young US couple in France who were tired of being challenged at toll booths, so the bought another plate and fixed it to the front of their car ..... it looked exactly like a UK front plate. Three alpha, three numerics, I hope it didn't match a car in UK.
My wife's cousin is visiting from Oz (Australia). They bought a car in UK, then had difficulty in getting insurance. But eventually they found a specialist insurer. I can ask who they used, if it will help you.
When driving in France, you must have certain things in your car ...... eg - a spare pair of spectacles, warning triangle, full set of spare bulbs and another for the caravan, hi-viz jacket for every passenger, first-aid kit, and probably a lot more.
Anticipate difficulty in finding a vacant pitch in UK during the school holidays.
Join a UK Rescue organisation, tell them the size of your car, and mention the caravan. Very few garages will have any experience of working on Yank cars, and left-hand drive European cars may confuse them, parts wise.
Log onto http://www.angloinfo.com/ and register. I don't find it the easiest site to use, but most people are willing to help answer any questions about the regions in France. I don't know if it actually covers the UK.
Doh! There is bound to be more, but I can't think of it at the moment.
HTH
602 (That's the last three of my old military number, call me John if you prefer)
Most important thing first. DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BRINGING DOGS INTO UK? If you don't, then you have 7 months to sort it out.
I believe that you can drive, as a visitor, for 12 months in UK on your US licence. I believe it is less in France, maybe 3 months, maybe 6 months. It can be argued that if you know you intend staying more than that ..... then you ain't a visitor. Just keep that in mind if anybody asks. Of course, if you have the time and money, you could take a UK test (crash course lasts a week and will cost several hundred pounds). A UK licence is recognised, and can be exchanged, virtually anywhere in the world. I am not putting this forward as a sensible solution.
I have read that a licence from some USA states can be exchanged for a French licence, but I am uncertain if this applies to UK. Send an email to drivers.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk tell them your plans, and ask their advice.
Similarly, your car must be registered in UK after one year, and in France after a few months. Email DVLA at vehicles.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk , get advice on the UK rules.
Some US states do not require your car to have a front registration plate. We met a young US couple in France who were tired of being challenged at toll booths, so the bought another plate and fixed it to the front of their car ..... it looked exactly like a UK front plate. Three alpha, three numerics, I hope it didn't match a car in UK.
My wife's cousin is visiting from Oz (Australia). They bought a car in UK, then had difficulty in getting insurance. But eventually they found a specialist insurer. I can ask who they used, if it will help you.
When driving in France, you must have certain things in your car ...... eg - a spare pair of spectacles, warning triangle, full set of spare bulbs and another for the caravan, hi-viz jacket for every passenger, first-aid kit, and probably a lot more.
Anticipate difficulty in finding a vacant pitch in UK during the school holidays.
Join a UK Rescue organisation, tell them the size of your car, and mention the caravan. Very few garages will have any experience of working on Yank cars, and left-hand drive European cars may confuse them, parts wise.
Log onto http://www.angloinfo.com/ and register. I don't find it the easiest site to use, but most people are willing to help answer any questions about the regions in France. I don't know if it actually covers the UK.
Doh! There is bound to be more, but I can't think of it at the moment.
HTH
602 (That's the last three of my old military number, call me John if you prefer)
If the towcar is registered in the US and you buy the caravan in the UK then you will have a problem because only UK registered cars can tow caravans with the same licence plate. This is because third party insurance on a UK registered car automatically covers the towed caravan, but this does not apply in most other countries. Caravans are not registered in the UK. This would leave you with an uninsured caravan, which would be illegal. One way of getting around the problem would be to register the caravan on the Continent, though, with temporary French or Dutch or German licence plates. There would be no problem with a US-registered car towing a caravan registered in another country.
Hi,
In France, trailers over 500kg (1/2 ton) require there own registration and insurance. French insurance should be valid in all EU states (as is UK insurance). This leaves the anomoly that a UK car can pull a French trailer, but a French car cannot pull a Brit trailer.
I have read that a French driver must not drive a non-French car in France. Does his French licence cover him to drive a non-French car in UK? Gosh, this is getting scary.
602
In France, trailers over 500kg (1/2 ton) require there own registration and insurance. French insurance should be valid in all EU states (as is UK insurance). This leaves the anomoly that a UK car can pull a French trailer, but a French car cannot pull a Brit trailer.
I have read that a French driver must not drive a non-French car in France. Does his French licence cover him to drive a non-French car in UK? Gosh, this is getting scary.
602
What 602 has written applies basically to practically to all EU countries except the UK.
Driving licence issues are a completely different story and have nothing to do with what country the car you are driving is registered in or where your home country is.
The reason why, say, a French driver must not drive a non-French car in France (this goes for all countries, by the way) is that he would be technically be committing tax evasion because he is driving a car without paying vehicle tax to the authorities in his home country.
As an extension to this, the vehicle that you drive does not need to be taxed while it is outside your home country. Therefore, you can continue to drive even though the tax on the car back home has expired in the meantime. Whether you then may have problems upon your return is, however, another issue. I have done it myself and it wasn't a problem, but some countries may have a different approach.
Driving licence issues are a completely different story and have nothing to do with what country the car you are driving is registered in or where your home country is.
The reason why, say, a French driver must not drive a non-French car in France (this goes for all countries, by the way) is that he would be technically be committing tax evasion because he is driving a car without paying vehicle tax to the authorities in his home country.
As an extension to this, the vehicle that you drive does not need to be taxed while it is outside your home country. Therefore, you can continue to drive even though the tax on the car back home has expired in the meantime. Whether you then may have problems upon your return is, however, another issue. I have done it myself and it wasn't a problem, but some countries may have a different approach.
Parksy
Moderator
Uvongo93 said:
The o.p wrote that she is interested in buying her caravan here in the UK not importing from the U.S.
In her reply of the 18th she says that she has changed her mind and will now be bringing both car and caravan over from the US.
Hi,
OT, but we used to come across cases of Heavy Goods Vehicles being taxed as Private Light Goods. The owner's story would be that they were not used commercially in the UK, but only in mainland Europe. He only brought the truck into UK to spend a weekend with his family. OK, so he is legal in UK ..... but as soon as he adds a load in Europe, he is no longer complying with the vehicle laws in his home country ..... but not our problem.
In the meantime, do Americans understand about our Rabies quarantine laws? I would hate a visitor to disembark at Southampton, and watch their dogs being taken away to spend six months in quarantine kennels. As I said previously, it takes about 7 months to pass through the process needed to avoid this.
602
OT, but we used to come across cases of Heavy Goods Vehicles being taxed as Private Light Goods. The owner's story would be that they were not used commercially in the UK, but only in mainland Europe. He only brought the truck into UK to spend a weekend with his family. OK, so he is legal in UK ..... but as soon as he adds a load in Europe, he is no longer complying with the vehicle laws in his home country ..... but not our problem.
In the meantime, do Americans understand about our Rabies quarantine laws? I would hate a visitor to disembark at Southampton, and watch their dogs being taken away to spend six months in quarantine kennels. As I said previously, it takes about 7 months to pass through the process needed to avoid this.
602
As soon as a vehicle is used outside its home country it no longer has to be taxed so the issue of whether it is a heavy goods vehicle or a private light goods vehicle does not apply.
Third party insurance is mandatory in all countries. In the UK this is gained through the car insurance but this will not apply if you are bringing the car in from the US so you will need a separate policy to cover the caravan.
So in essence they would require two types of insurance for the caravan, one for third party and the other for the value of the caravan in case it is nicked. I still reckon that it would be cheaper to buy a car and a unit over here and then insure them both than to import from the states and go through all the rigmarole and hassle.
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