The law is the law, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re commuting on a Brompton bicycle or wending your way to the Lake District in your motorhome, you have to abide by the rules. But what exactly are those rules? Here we explain the ones you need to know before you set off on a motorhome trip.
When you pass your driving test and what type of motorhome you can drive will determine what type of vehicle you can drive.
Your licence will show you have category C1 entitlement if you passed your test before 1 January 1997. This means that you are permitted to drive vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes. In addition, you will also require C1+E towing authorization, which means that you will be able to pull a 750kg trailer behind a 7.5-tonne vehicle.
It is important to note that the C1 entitlement allows you to drive pretty much anything, up to the largest RV-style motorhomes that can be found in the United States.
In the case of a driver who has passed his or her driving test after 1 January 1997, your licence only allows you to drive vehicles up to 3.5 tons (and towing a trailer up to 750 kg). If you want to drive anything heavier, you will need to take lessons and pass a specific driving test.
Upon reaching the age of 70, a driver who currently holds an older licence must renew it, and will then be unable to drive a C1-rated vehicle until they pass a medical exam. The process of avoiding this can be accomplished by completing form D2 and obtaining a written statement from your physician and confirming that you are fit and healthy to drive such a vehicle.
