How much does it cost to reclassify a van as a motor caravan with DVLA?

GOV.UK states no fee for the body-type change, and says DVLA covers the cost of any inspection it requires (you pay to transport the van there). The only charge on the relevant pages is £25 for a replacement log book if yours goes missing. Checked 15 September 2026.

Why did DVLA refuse my campervan conversion?

Since 2019 DVLA changes the body type only if the vehicle "looks like a motor caravan in traffic": two or more side windows in the living area, a separate habitation door, motor caravan graphics on both sides, an awning bar and a fixed high-top roof. Vans that meet the internal rules but look like plain panel vans, or have a pop-top, are refused. MMM reports 9,488 refusals in the first eleven months of 2019 against 622 in all of 2017, and there is no appeal.

Does a pop-top count as a high-top for DVLA?

No. The guidance says "a high-top roof (this does not include a pop-top elevating roof)". Ripe's blog repeats that pop-top roofs are not counted as high-tops.

Can I still use my van as a campervan if DVLA keeps it as a panel van?

Yes. GOV.UK says the vehicle "can still be used for this purpose as long as the keeper is satisfied the converted vehicle meets the required internal features", and that the body type does not affect insurance category, speed limits or other legal requirements. What changes is which insurers will quote and on what terms: Adrian Flux will insure it as a camper regardless; Comfort may consider a "van with side windows" that meets its own list.

Does converting a van need an IVA test?

The DVLA motor caravan guidance does not mention IVA. GOV.UK's vehicle approval pages say a vehicle already registered in the UK would use voluntary IVA and that statutory IVA applies to unregistered or significantly modified vehicles. We found no GOV.UK page saying that adding seats or a bed to a registered van triggers IVA, so we do not claim it does. If you change the seating capacity you must tell DVLA, and it may inspect.

Where do I send the V5C for a body type change?

DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA, with the completed checklist and photos. The SA99 1DZ address is only for changes to engine size, fuel type, the weight of a goods vehicle or the number of seats on a bus. Allow up to 2 to 4 weeks for the replacement certificate by post.

Does the body type change my road tax?

Not by itself. GOV.UK bases motorhome tax on revenue weight (TC11 up to 3,500 kg, TC10 over) and, for M1SP vehicles registered between 1 April 2017 and 11 March 2020 with a CO2 figure on the type approval, on CO2. A DIY conversion of a van keeps the tax class its registration already carries unless the weight changes. See the motorhome FAQ for the current rates.

DVLA Campervan Reclassification: Motor Caravan Rules (2026)

What the body type does and does not change

GOV.UK: "The body type does not affect the insurance category of the vehicle, or have any effect on speed limits or other legislative requirements. It is only used for establishing vehicle appearance and identification." And: "even if the vehicle's body type is not changed to 'motor caravan', the vehicle can still be used for this purpose as long as the keeper is satisfied the converted vehicle meets the required internal features for motor caravans." The people who care about the wording are insurers (below) and, for some policies, breakdown providers.

Step 1: is your van eligible to apply?

Only vehicles whose current V5C body type (section D.5) is one of these fourteen can apply; GOV.UK says "do not send in your application as DVLA will not process it" otherwise: ambulance, box van, goods, insulated van, light goods, light van, livestock carrier, Luton van, minibus, MPV, panel van, specially fitted van, special mobile unit, van with side windows.

Step 2: the external features (all permanent)

Quoted from the DVLA guidance "Converting a vehicle into a motor caravan (motor home)", published 21 October 2019 and last updated 7 August 2020:

"2 or more windows on at least one side of the main body (this does not include windows on the driver or passenger doors) to provide a reasonable amount of daylight into the living accommodation"
"a separate door which provides access to the living accommodation of the vehicle (this excludes the driver and passenger doors); a window on this door counts as a separate window on the main body"
"motor caravan-style graphics on both sides of the vehicle"
"an awning bar attached to either side of the vehicle"
"a high-top roof (this does not include a pop-top elevating roof)"

This is the part that changed in practice in 2019. Out and About Live (MMM) reports that DVLA "had refused 9,488 applications to reregister a vehicle as a motor caravan during the first 11 months of 2019, yet for the whole of 2017 the number of rejections was just 622", and that there is no appeal process. UKMotorhomes.net recorded refusals from around May 2019 with the V5C returned as "Van with windows", before the revised guidance appeared on 21 October 2019. A parliamentary petition against the change was rejected on 29 October 2020. The van-life site nohma.com, which has put Freedom of Information requests to DVLA, reports that DVLA accepted about 5% of applications across 2019 and 2020, with over 14,000 refused between August 2019 and December 2020, and that by its October 2024 request applications had fallen and the approval rate had risen to around 20% (secondary source, page updated 7 July 2026).

Step 3: the internal features (fixed, not loose)

The DVSA and DfT guidance on internal features (updated 21 October 2019) requires four things, each "secured as a permanent feature" to the floor or side wall: seats and a table (the table top may be detachable but must have a fixing), sleeping accommodation which may convert from the seats, cooking facilities ("a minimum of a single ring cooking facility or microwave", with any gas reservoir "secured in a storage cupboard or the reservoir secured to the vehicle structure"), and storage facilities. GOV.UK does not require a sink, a water tank or a minimum bed length; those are insurer rules, not DVLA rules.

Step 4: what to send, and where

Fill in the V5C

New-style V5C: section 1. Old style: section 7. Change the body type to motor caravan and sign.

Complete the checklist

The motor caravan conversion checklist (form V1006) goes with the application. GOV.UK links the PDF from the guidance page.

Take the photos

Interior photos of each required feature "with the bed and table in the use position", showing the two or more side windows; exterior photos "from the front, both sides and rear with the registration plates clearly visible"; and one of the VIN or chassis number on its plate. "On the back of each photo, write a description of what the photo shows, the date and the vehicle registration number." Photos are not returned.

Post it

DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA (the general V5C changes address; SA99 1DZ is only for engine size, fuel type, goods vehicle weight and bus seat changes). GOV.UK says a replacement certificate by post "can take up to 2 to 4 weeks"; if nothing arrives after 6 weeks and you have not told DVLA, a replacement log book costs £25.

Wait for the decision

DVLA "will either decide that the body type must stay the same, or allocate an appropriate description". It may ask to inspect the vehicle: "DVLA will cover the cost of the inspection, but any costs associated with transporting the vehicle to the inspection will not be reimbursed. If the vehicle cannot be inspected, the application will be refused and no further action will be taken."

Fees, approval tests and timing

Item	What GOV.UK says	Checked
DVLA fee for the body-type change	No fee is stated anywhere in the guidance; the only £ figure is £25 for a replacement log book	15 September 2026
Inspection	DVLA pays for any inspection it requires; you pay to get the van there	15 September 2026
IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval)	Not mentioned in the motor caravan guidance. The vehicle approval pages say a vehicle already registered in the UK uses voluntary IVA, and statutory IVA applies to unregistered vehicles or ones "modified significantly". We found no GOV.UK page saying a seat-count change in a registered van triggers IVA, so we do not claim it	15 September 2026
Time	Not stated for the decision; the V5C by post is "up to 2 to 4 weeks". Ripe's blog (26 February 2026) says responses "can take weeks"	15 September 2026
Changes you must always report	Colour, engine, cylinder capacity, fuel type, seating capacity, weight of a large vehicle, chassis or bodyshell; body type changes "may need inspection"	15 September 2026

Why insurers care more than DVLA does

Adrian Flux will insure a van as a camper "even if you haven't yet changed your vehicle type to a motor caravan with the DVLA, or you don't qualify". Comfort Insurance asks for the vehicle to be registered as a motor caravan, will consider a "van with side windows" that meets its own list, and adds requirements DVLA does not have: a fixed bed of at least 6 ft (1,800 mm), a fixed water tank, a window on each side, certified gas and electrics, five photographs and a floor-plan sketch. Ripe's product page excludes a vehicle "that isn't registered as a motorhome or campervan with the DVLA" while its blog says cover is available reclassified or not. Just Kampers says you do not have to declare a conversion but most owners do because camper insurance is cheaper than van insurance. The full comparison is on self-build campervan insurance requirements.

Checklist before you post the V5C

V5C body type in D.5 is one of the fourteen eligible types.
Two or more windows in the living area on at least one side, not counting cab door windows.
A separate habitation door (a window in it counts as one of the windows).
Motor caravan graphics on both sides. Plain white vans get refused on appearance.
An awning bar on either side.
A fixed high-top roof, not a pop-top.
Inside: fixed seats and table, bed, cooker or microwave, storage, all screwed or bolted to the structure.
Photos labelled on the back with description, date and registration; VIN plate photo included.
Checklist V1006 completed; V5C section 1 (or 7) completed and signed.
Posted to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA. Keep copies of everything.

Buying a converted van someone else registered

If you are buying rather than converting, the V5C body type tells you whether DVLA accepted the conversion, and the guidance on checking a motorhome V5C logbook covers the rest of the document. The £4.99 campervan history check works on any UK-registered van whatever its body type says. Tax on a converted van follows its revenue weight and registration date rather than the body type; see the road tax checker and the motorhome FAQ.

Check a motorhome before you buy

Enter the registration for a free summary. Full history check £4.99.

Sources, checked 15 September 2026

DVLA campervan conversion reclassification: the motor caravan rules