Labour has been urged to revise driving licence regulations to allow motorists to drive larger motorhomes. A petition on the UK Parliament website demands: “Allow licence holders to drive motorhomes up to 4,250kg on UK Category B licences.”
Currently, Category B licences only permit driving motorhomes weighing up to 3,500kg. The petition argues that these restrictions limit the size and weight of motorhomes accessible to many drivers, particularly as numerous motorhomes slightly above 3,500kg offer automatic transmission, which can be beneficial for individuals with disabilities.
So far, the petition has gathered 1,590 signatures, with 10,000 required for a government response. Upon reaching 100,000 signatures, the petition will be eligible for parliamentary debate.
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The driving licence category needed depends on both the driver’s age and the motorhome’s maximum authorised mass (MAM), which includes the vehicle’s weight plus its maximum load capacity. To operate a motorhome with a MAM between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes, a category C1 licence is necessary, while motorhomes exceeding 7.5 tonnes require a category C licence.
When permanently importing a motorhome into the UK, vehicle registration is mandatory. UK regulations limit motorhome dimensions to a maximum length of 12 metres and a width of 2.55 metres, excluding mirrors, rear bumpers, lamps, and reflectors. Although there is no official height restriction, motorhomes taller than 3 metres must display a visible height notice to the driver.
According to the DVLA: “You need the right licence to drive a motorhome or campervan, and your vehicle needs to be within UK size limits.”