When you’re looking at the best motorhomes on the market and are choosing which one to buy, an important factor to consider will be what driving licence do you need to drive it? It all comes down to the maximum authorised mass and when you passed your test, as I explain here.

Nowadays, more and more kit is being added to the base vehicles – mainly in response to safety and environmental legislation – making it increasingly difficult for manufacturers to keep vehicles under the all-important 3500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM).

Why does keeping under this weight limit matter and what does it mean for a motorhome driving licence? Well, a motorhome that is under 3500kg, such as the Carthago C2 Tourer I 145 RB LE Lightweight 3.5t and the Panama P57, can be driven on a regular B category car licence.

However, a motorhome over 3500kg, such as the Le Voyageur 7.6 GJF Heritage, will mean you need to have the C1 category to be able to drive it. If you’re over 70, this means more hassle.

While the over-70s have to renew their driving licence every three years to retain their B category, to retain the C1 category involves completing an extra form, getting a medical report from your doctor (often requiring a fee) and submitting the application by post.

If you don’t have the C1 category and want to add it, you’ll need to take some training (which isn’t cheap – one-day courses start at about £400 excluding test fees).

Can I drive a motorhome on my driving licence?

When it comes to understanding what motorhome weights you are legally entitled to drive, you need to look at the categories and codes listed on the reverse of your driving licence.

The B category means you can drive vehicles of up to 3500kg MAM. If you passed your test before 1 January 1997, you can usually also attach a trailer of up to 4750kg. If you passed your test after 1 January 1997, the trailer weight is limited to 3500kg. In practice, you’ll never get near these maximum weights when towing, because the limit is determined by the maximum towing weight of the vehicle. This tends to be around 2000kg for most motorhomes, and this is plenty if you’re planning to tow a car on a trailer.

BE category also allows you to tow a trailer, but within the limit of the tow vehicle’s maximum towing capacity.

The back of a driver's licence
Before you invest in any motorhome or upgrade, it’s always wise to check the categories and codes on your licence to see what you’re eligible to drive.

C1 category allows you to drive a vehicle of 3500-7500kg MAM with a trailer of up to 750kg, while C1E allows you to tow trailers of more than 750kg, but not exceeding a combined mass (that is, motorhome plus trailer and everything on it) of 12,000kg. This maximum combined trainweight mass is often subject to an extra code limit – for example, the code ‘107’ limits this to a combined weight of 8250kg.

Which categories will apply to you depends on when you passed your test, so always check on the reverse of your driving licence as a first step.

For more information about what you can drive and weight limits, visit gov.uk/driving-licence-categories and gov.uk/driving-licence-codes.

Note that these are the official Government channels; do not take advice from forums or any other third-party website.

Don’t miss our motorhome driving tips if you’re after some guidance for staying safe on the road.

Future Publishing Limited, the publisher of Practical Motorhome, provides the information in this article in good faith and makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions do so at their own risk and must exercise their independent judgement in determining the appropriateness of the advice to their circumstances. Individuals should take appropriate safety precautions and be aware of the risk of electrocution when dealing with electrical products. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Future nor its employees or agents shall have any liability in connection with the use of this information. Double check any warranty is not affected before proceeding.


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