What do I need to drive my Motorhome in the EU/Europe?

Post-Brexit travel can be confusing to navigate, with all the new rules and regulations it can be easy to get overwhelmed. But not to worry, we’ve put a guide together of what you need to know before travelling to Europe in your motorhome or campervan!

 

International Driving Permits (IDP)

If you’re visiting or driving through the EU, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein in your motorhome or campervan you will not need an international driving permit for your trip.

However, there are some exceptions where you may require an IDP to drive:

• If you have an old-format UK paper licence.
• If your licence was issued in Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.
• If you are staying in a country for a duration of longer than 90 days.

The requirement for an IDP and the type of IDP you’ll need will depend on the country you are visiting, if you are travelling through multiple countries, you might need more than one type of IDP.

There are 3 types of IDP: 1926,1949,1968

To find out a country’s IDP requirements please refer to this table from the Gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit#:~:text=Check%20which%20IDP%20you%20need

 

UK stickers and number plates

When driving a UK vehicle in Europe you need to display a UK identifier.

If your number plate already has the UK identifier with the Union flag you will not require a UK sticker (although there are certain exceptions, you must display a UK sticker to drive in Spain, Cyprus and Malta, no matter what’s on your number plate.)

However, if your number plate includes any of the following, you must display a UK sticker on the rear of your vehicle when travelling in Europe:

Do I need a green card?  

A common area of confusion is whether or not you need a green card when travelling from the UK to Europe. If you’re driving in the EU  (including Ireland, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia, and Switzerland) you do not need to carry a green card.

However, if you’re travelling in any of the following countries Albania, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Turkey, or Ukraine you may need to carry a green card.

 

Insurance

When travelling in the EU in a UK vehicle you must have insurance that provides a minimum of third-party cover. For non-EU countries you will need to check the country’s individual requirements. It’s important that when you’re travelling in Europe you have a copy of your insurance documents in the event you need to show proof of valid insurance.

To make sure you’re well covered on your European motorhome adventure we recommend fully comprehensive cover with Comfort! We cover a wide range of European countries to ensure your vehicle is fully protected and offer up to 9 months of travel in Europe.

 

The 90-Day Travel Rule for Schengen Travel Zones

The Schengen 90-day travel rules allow UK travellers to stay in Schengen zone countries for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. If you are planning on touring longer in any of these countries, you must make sure you have the appropriate visa required.

 

Driving in Europe checklist – important documents

• Your passport
• A valid driving licence
• Your Motorhome/Campervan insurance certificate
• Travel Insurance Documents
• Logbook V5C (or VE103 if you’re hiring a vehicle)
• European accident statement
• Proof of valid tax and MOT

It’s also worth considering getting breakdown cover before you travel. In the event that your vehicle breaks down, you’ll want to be back on the road with as little disruption to your trip as possible! Our breakdown policy in association with ARAG and Call Assist uses a network of approved repairers to help get you up and running! But in the event of the worst, if you suffer a serious technical problem you have the peace of mind of knowing with our repatriation limit of £10,000 your vehicle can be safely repatriated back to the UK!

Make sure your passport is valid

A UK adult passport is valid for 10 years, but what many people don’t realise is that if you renew your passport early the 10-year date counts from the issue date and not the expiry date! When travelling you must ensure that you have at least 3 months left on your passport at any time while you’re travelling.

 

Researching rules and requirements

Each country will have different legal requirements and rules so make sure you do your research before visiting. Rules and regulations for driving in Europe change all the time, so make sure to keep up to date and look out for any new requirements to avoid fines.

A good tool for this is the Foreign Travel Advice section on the Gov.uk website which provides up-to-date information on safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings.

Mandatory Items

Some areas where UK drivers are frequently caught out is when it comes to mandatory equipment that all drivers must carry in certain European countries, some examples of this are:

• Reflective Jackets for each passenger and warning triangles
• First aid kit
• Headlight converter/deflector stickers may be required, or you may have to adjust your headlight beam manually
• Fire extinguisher
• Snow chains when driving through ‘snow zones’

 

Low-emission zones & clean air stickers

Another common area where UK drivers are fined when travelling in Europe is for not complying with low emissions zones and emissions/clean air sticker rules.

Low emissions zones are commonly found in cities where vehicles emitting high levels of pollutants are either charged or restricted. If you are travelling through any of these zones you must make sure that your vehicle is compliant or that you are sticking to the rules for travelling in these zones.

 

Emissions and clean air stickers are becoming more common in Europe, they are stickers that provide information about the level of pollution of a vehicle and are required when driving in allocated zones.

Countries that require pre-purchased emissions stickers:

• France – Crit’Air
• Germany – Umweltplakette
• Austria – Environmental Vignette required if your motorhome falls into the N1, N2, or N3 category

(Pro tip when purchasing an emissions sticker for your vehicle, purchase directly from the government website or official sticker website. Other websites online also sell these stickers but will charge excessive administration fees in comparison to official sites. The official sites for France and Germany have been linked above.)

 

Vignette Stickers

Vignette stickers are also common requirements in many European countries. A vignette is a type of road tax or system of paying toll roads. You must display the vignette sticker on your vehicle (or have an electronic equivalent) to be able to use certain roads and highways in the country.

Countries that require pre-purchased Vignette stickers

• Austria
• Bulgaria
• Slovenia
• Czechia
• Hungary
• Moldova
• Romania
• Switzerland

Travelling with pets in Europe

If you plan on taking your pet with you on your European motorhome trip make sure you’re doing your research on each countries requirements as they will vary from country to country. You should consider the following:

• Check if a pet passport or health certificate is needed.
• Research the requirements on microchips, vaccinations, and treatments.
• Look into if pet insurance and public liability insurance are mandatory.

Along with this ensure to check if there are any additional requirements, the best way to do this is to check the government website or to contact the embassy of the country you are travelling to for advice.