Not sure how this applies to yours? Get a quote for my motorhome import and we will tell you before you spend anything.
Which driving licence do I need for a heavy motorhome?
According to gov.uk's driving licence categories page, category B (test passed on or after 1 January 1997) covers vehicles up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass for petrol and diesel, or 4,250kg for zero emission vehicles. Category C1 covers vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg maximum authorised mass, with a trailer up to 750kg.
The number that counts is the maximum authorised mass (MAM): the plated maximum weight on the manufacturer's plate. It is not what the motorhome weighs when you roll onto a weighbridge half empty. A motorhome plated at 3,850kg needs C1 even if it has never carried more than a kettle.
I passed my test before 1997. Do I already have C1?
Usually, yes. gov.uk's old licence categories page shows that for licences issued between 1976 and December 1996, the old group A maps to the new category C1: vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg. gov.uk's advice is to view your driving licence information to check.
There is a catch that arrives with a birthday. According to gov.uk, once you reach 70 you must renew your licence every 3 years, and you cannot renew C1 online: it has to be done by post. DVLA's INF4D leaflet says that if you are 70 and still need C1, you will need a D4 medical examination report every 3 years. Without C1, a motorhome plated over 3,500kg is off your licence.
Send us the details before you pay. We tell you what the import involves, then handle the customs, the NOVA and the DVLA paperwork.
What speed limits apply to a heavy motorhome?
Here the threshold is not 3,500kg. gov.uk's speed limits table uses maximum unladen weight of 3.05 tonnes.
| Motorhome | Built-up area | Single carriageway | Dual carriageway | Motorway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not more than 3.05 tonnes unladen | 30mph | 60mph | 70mph | 70mph |
| More than 3.05 tonnes unladen | 30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 70mph |
In Wales the default built-up limit is 20mph. gov.uk also notes that a motorhome is classed as a goods vehicle if it carries goods for exhibition and sale, or is used as a workshop or for storage, so keep the stock of hand-made jam out of it.
How much is road tax on a motorhome over 3,500kg?
According to gov.uk's rates for motorhomes, vehicle tax is based on revenue weight (also called maximum or gross vehicle weight). A motorhome over 3,500kg revenue weight goes in the Private heavy goods class (TC10), which is £177 a year.
At 3,500kg or less it is the Private or light goods class (TC11): £230 up to 1,549cc, £375 above. Some newer motorhomes are taxed differently depending on their category, CO2 figure and registration date, and there is an extra £440 a year for a motorhome with a list price over £40,000. Our guide to road tax on an imported motorhome goes through which class applies to yours.
Does a heavy motorhome need a different MOT?
No. The MOT testing guide says motor caravans are not classed as goods vehicles for MOT purposes, and are in class 4 or 5 depending on seating capacity "but regardless of their size or weight". With up to eight passenger seats that means class 4, and gov.uk lists the maximum fee for a motor caravan at £54.85.
The same guide draws a line for "living vans", which also carry goods not needed for living in them. A living van approved as an N2 or N3 goods vehicle is subject to HGV plating and testing. A proper motorhome is not a living van.
Can I drive a motorhome over 3.5 tonnes into London?
Transport for London says vehicles such as motor caravans over 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight do not need to pay the daily ULEZ charge. They fall under the London-wide LEZ instead, and have to meet the Euro VI standard for NOx and particulate matter, or pay the LEZ charge. TfL says Euro VI engines are generally those first registered after 1 January 2014, but the check is on the vehicle's declared emissions, not its age, so use TfL's vehicle checker before you drive in.
Does weight change how an imported motorhome is approved?
A motor caravan is category M1 in the DVSA's vehicle approval guide, whatever it weighs. The Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2020 treat an M1 vehicle more than 10 years old as an "old vehicle", so the 10-year exemption applies to a heavy motorhome too, not the 25-year rule for heavy goods vehicles.
One caveat: that holds when the vehicle's documents show it as M1. If the foreign papers or Certificate of Conformity show it as N2 or N3, for example a motorhome built on a truck base, it is a different conversation. Ask us before you buy. Whether a particular heavy motorhome can use the GB conversion IVA route is a question we check case by case with the approval body.
What we do for you
On a heavy motorhome we handle the customs import declaration, work out and pay the import VAT and duty, submit the NOVA to HMRC, and prepare the DVLA first registration pack, including the V55/5 with the right tax class for its weight, ready for you to sign and post. We obtain Certificates of Conformity and dating letters where DVLA needs them, and arrange transport to the UK if you need it. We do not carry out tests or modifications, and we do not tax the vehicle for you.
Quick answers
Does the 3.05 tonne speed limit use the plated weight?
No. gov.uk's speed limits table uses maximum unladen weight of 3.05 tonnes, which is a different figure from the 3,500kg maximum authorised mass used for licences and tax.
I'm 70 next year. What happens to my C1?
From 70 you renew every 3 years. To keep C1 you renew by post with a D4 medical report, according to gov.uk and DVLA's INF4D leaflet.
Is a heavy motorhome an HGV for the MOT?
No. The MOT testing guide puts motor caravans in class 4 or 5 regardless of size or weight. Only living vans approved as N2 or N3 goods vehicles go to HGV testing.
Official sources, checked on 27 September 2026: gov.uk/driving-licence-categories; gov.uk/old-driving-licence-categories; gov.uk/renew-driving-licence-at-70; assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a198ffd65bc5f798327f525/inf4d-medical-examination-report-for-a-group-2-lorry-or-bus-licence-information-and-useful-notes.pdf; gov.uk/speed-limits; gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables/rates-for-motorhomes; gov.uk/guidance/mot-testing-guide/a-introduction; gov.uk/getting-an-mot/mot-test-fees; tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/larger-vehicles; tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone/lorries-vans-buses-and-coaches; assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65fc443765ca2f00117da7f2/individual-vehicle-approval-scheme-guide.pdf; legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/818.