The differing speeds at which you can drive any vehicle on the UK roads are defined by the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, Schedule 6. The Act details campervan speed limits, but within the Act the term motorcaravan is always used – you will never see the words campervan, camper van or van with windows etc.
Under Schedule 6 it states that the National Speed Limit (the speed limits for a standard car) applies to a passenger vehicle, a motorcaravan or a dual purpose vehicle not drawing a trailer – the vehicle must also not carry more than 8 passengers, have an unladen weight of over 3.05 tonnes and be less than 12m long. If you have a regular campervan such as a VW T7, T6, T5 or T4 etc. then your van will fit within those criteria.
The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 then directs the reader to the Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) Regulations 1979 for the definition of a motorcaravan. This reads; “a motor vehicle which is constructed or adapted for the carriage of passengers and their effects and which contains, as permanently installed equipment, the facilities which are reasonably necessary for enabling the vehicle to provide mobile living accommodation for its users.” So as far as campervan speed limits are concerned, it is this description that is the determining factor.
Like many areas of the law it is down to an individual’s interpretation, which is why the words reasonably necessary are included in the statement above. In regards to speed limits therefore, there is no black and white answer to “is my van a motorcaravan, so can I drive at the same speed as a car?”, but the definition in the Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) Regulations 1979 is wide so it gives the owner plenty of scope through which they can comply.
Importantly and somewhat confusingly, for speed limits, this definition takes precedent over the one given by the DVLA to classify the vehicle Body Type and which is stated in print on your ownership V5 document. The DVLA definition of a motorcaravan, which was updated in 2019, covers required external and internal features:
- Externally – fixed high top roof (not including a pop top!!!), an awning “bar” on both sides, motorcaravan style exterior graphics on both sides, at least 2 windows in the rear of the vehicle and a separate access door into the vehicle rear.
- Internally – sleeping accommodation, fixed seats & table (removable), cooking & storage facilities. All of these fittings must be rigidly fixed.
This is starkly different to the motorcaravan definition from the Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) Regulations 1979 which dictates vehicle speed limits. When asked, the DVLA response is that their description is primarily to aid the police in identifying a vehicle type in traffic. If your DVLA issued V5 states a Body Type of motorcaravan then yes your vehicle will certainly meet the definition required in the Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) Regulations 1979, but crucially if your V5 does not state motorcaravan then this does not mean in regard to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 that your vehicle is not a motorcaravan when it comes to speed limits!
If the police believe your campervan is a van and you are stopped for exceeding 60mph on a dual carriageway, then you should be fully aware of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and its definitions for speed limits. On seeing your vehicle fulfills the definition given in the Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) Regulations 1979 they should let you on your way.
If you’re not sure what the national speed limits are for the UK. You can find them via this link; https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits
