# Drivers licence for USRV



## 102955 (Feb 14, 2007)

hello.

I would like to ask if there are any special conditions if you want to drive USRV in England as a citizen of UK - (specialy becouse of the weight,lenght and steering on left side).

Any by any chanse, does anybody now how much USRV are sold in UK in last year, or 2005....

Thanks for all the answers!

LP Miha


----------



## kijana (May 1, 2005)

Hi Miholl

You'll find lots of information on this subject if you use the 'search' facility on the home page.

But in summary, you can drive a USRV below 7.5 tonnes if you passed your test before 1996 (I think it was that year - around then, anyway). Your licence will indicate if you can drive a vehicle either up to 3500kg or up to 7500kg.

You may not legally drive an RV over 7.5 tonnes (7500kg), without passing your LGV test (which takes a week and costs about £1000).

Be very careful if someone tells you you can drive a large RV on a car licence. Ask to see the plate fixed in the engine bay, and also somewhere inside. This plate will give various weights: you need the 'GVWR' weight.
This is the 'Gross vehicle weight rating'.

As a rough guide, RV's under 30 feet long without a slideout will probably be under 7500kg. More than 30 feet, with one or more slideouts, and they will almost certainly need an LGV (HGV as was) licence.

The left hand drive doesn't come into the licencing issue. You just need to be careful and have a brave (or visually impaired) passenger.

Good luck in the world of RV's.

Bruce


----------



## 102955 (Feb 14, 2007)

Thank you for explaining. 

But I assum that you need C category for driving that big motorhomes,right? Or is it possible to drive it with ordinary car licence. 
(I am totaly new at this,and I am not from England,so I dont have a clue aboute it...)
So thanks for answers :wink:


----------



## Superk (Aug 22, 2005)

Further to Kijana's response if you want to tow a car behind a vehicle in excess of 7.5 tonnes, as many of us do, and the car is over 750kgs permissable weight (and nearly all are) then you need further training and a test in an articulated truck or HGV towing a suitable trailer.


----------



## kijana (May 1, 2005)

You do not need a C category for driving any motorhome under 7.5 tonnes if you have the C1 category on your licence. This was issued as part of the car licence until about 1996.

So if you have the C1 category on your car licence, and the RV weighs less than 7500kg, you may legally drive it.

For driving any motorhome above 7.5 tonnes, you need a C category licence.


----------



## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi Miholl

What country are you from. 

I think permission to drive upto 7500kg is for holders of UK driving licenses as Kijana says passed prior to approx 1996.


stew


----------



## 102955 (Feb 14, 2007)

Im from Slovenia (as Adria is  ) but at the moment I work for caravan company in England, and I am gathering some info for myself


----------



## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

HI

What license are you driving on, one from your homeland or one from the UK


stew


----------



## 102955 (Feb 14, 2007)

Well, I am not asking for myself, I am asking becouse I am working on some research on how big is market of USRV`s in UK and with what kind of licence can you drive this big boxes


----------



## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

HI Miholl

I see, in that case it is probably worth you searching the archives of MHF, I know there has been loads and loads of discussions on these areas


stew


----------



## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Miholl said:


> Well, I am not asking for myself, I am asking becouse I am working on some research on how big is market of USRV`s in UK and with what kind of licence can you drive this big boxes


As has been said here, there's little point in having yet another new discussion about this, given the wealth of information (and previous discussions) here.

See http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-21351-.html which was a lengthy but productive discussion started in December last year.

Dougie.


----------



## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Miholl
I have attached THIS link so that you can read up on the various licensing requirements for the UK.
With regard to the market share of USRV's in this country, I would say that it is a small percentage of the overall motorhome market, possibly 5 - 10% of overall units sold, and most product movement with USRV's will be either used models already imported or used models personally imported by private individuals, whether for their own use or to resell....
I am not sure where you would go to find out the exact size of the market other than running checks on all the dealers at companies house and trying to extrapolate the information from their returns..... This I think would be an impossible task to be honest....
Maybe for a rough figure, contact one of the big RV dealers and ask them how many units they sell in a year and hope that they would give you an answer.....

Good luck in your research

Keith


----------

