Adventurers rejoice! If you’re planning on taking your motorhome or touring caravan to the EU in 2022 or beyond, your pre-trip checklist no longer needs to include getting a Green Card.
After just six months of the post-Brexit requirement, the European Commission decided UK motorists should be allowed to drive to and within Europe without a Green Card. This was effective from 1st January 2022.
So that’s one admin headache you don’t have to deal with.
There are, however, some other new rules and requirements you’ll need to act on before you try and cross the English Channel…
Documents you need to drive your motorhome or caravan in the EU
Wherever you’re heading in Europe, there are certain pieces of documentation you’ll need to take with you. These include:
- Photocard driving licence. Paper licences are not enough on their own, so if that’s all you have, you may need to apply for an International Driving Permit too. Check the UK Government’s Driving Abroad page for full details of IDP requirements. You may also require an IDP if your photocard licence was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man.
- Passport. All passengers will need to have theirs, too.
- Insurance documents for your vehicle.
- V5C logbook for your vehicle. If you are planning on taking a hire, rental or lease vehicle across the Channel, you’ll need to get a VE103 form to prove you have permission to take it out of the UK.
Other requirements for taking your motorhome to the EU
Most European countries require drivers to carry certain equipment, and these stipulations vary from country to country. It’s vital, therefore, to check the individual requirements for every country you plan on travelling in or to before you set out on your roadtrip – if you’re found travelling without the necessary kit, you could face a hefty fine.
Some countries, for example, require all drivers to carry a first aid kit and spare headlight bulbs. And Spain makes it compulsory for anyone who wears glasses to carry a spare pair. Make sure you do your research.
Some common requirements include:
- Headlamp beam adjuster (if you can’t adjust them from within the vehicle)
- Warning triangle
- High-vis jackets
In happier news, France has recently abolished the need for drivers to carry a breathalyser kit.
UK stickers
As of September 2021, the old GB stickers are no longer valid and you’ll need a UK sticker on your vehicle instead. In some instances, a UK identifier and Union flag on your number plate will suffice, but the exceptions are so many and so varied that it might be worth getting a UK sticker anyway, just to make sure you’re covered.
For example, if you’ve got any of the following on your number plate, you’re falling short of the requirements and you’ll need a UK sticker as well:
- A GB identifier with the Union flag
- A Euro symbol
- A national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
- No flag or identifier
It’s also worth noting that, if you’re driving in Spain, Malta or Cyprus, you’ll require a UK sticker whatever you’ve got on your number plate – even if that’s a UK identifier and Union flag. Better to be safe than sorry and get the UK sticker in any case.
Low-emissions zones
Like we’re seeing here in the UK, many other European countries are introducing low-emissions zones in and around major cities in a bid to combat air pollution.
In line with this, some European countries now require vehicles to display stickers relating to their emissions standards. If you plan to drive in cities in France, Germany or Spain, you’ll need one of these stickers.
Certain other European countries, including Belgium, don’t ask you to display a sticker, but instead require drivers of foreign vehicles to register (and pay) online before entering a low-emissions zone.
In many cases, vehicles that fail to meet the required emissions standard will either be banned from entering a low-emissions zone, restricted to entering during certain times, or incur a charge to enter.
A quick internet search of the city’s name alongside ‘low-emissions zone’ will tell you what you need to know and do before you hit the road.
Is there anything else I need to know?
Following Brexit, it’s more important than ever to have the right insurance in place whenever you travel to and within Europe. And we’re not just talking about having adequate vehicle cover. Given the changes to the relationship between the UK and countries within the EU, it is important to ensure you have insurance in place to cover you for the cost of any medical treatment you might need while you’re away, as well as other potentially expensive losses such as emergency repatriation to the UK, the loss or theft of your personal belongings, and the cancellation of any scheduled trips.
Holidays are all about escaping the pressures of daily life – give yourself complete peace of mind and make sure you’re covered for every eventuality.
Your European adventure, all Wrapped up
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