Re-registering RHD MotorHome

I have been offered a RHD Motorhome from a friend in the UK, asking if I would like it, but before I decide, I was wondering about the difficulties in re-registering it to French Plates, as I am sure many years ago though, some one told me that you can't re-register Minibuses and Motorhomes as the sliding, or rear access door is on the wrong side.


Can anyone confirm this ?



It wouldn't be worth the time, work and expense as it wouldn't conform to the French regs.They simply don't have any criteria for home conversions so the easiest way out for them is to say NON. If you wanted to use it for camping, just have a couple of blow up beds, a portable camping cooker etc that are not fixed and you take out for ordinary use. We had two motorhomes in our time in France, both French, one a Chausson, the other an Esterel. When we left France and moved back home to Ireland, we couldn't get the Esterel registered here without changing all the windows as they didn't comply with Irish regs so we sold it in the UK, no problem there with compliance, all it had to have was a UK MOT.

so am i right in thinking that even if we bought a van in France we still wouldnt be ble to convert it when we had finished using it for the renovation

You couldn't do that because it would be a different vehicle. The insurance for a normal van and a van derived motorhome is one problem as motorhome insurance is the domain of specialist companies, not the run of the mill ones. You would need different insurance once converted, and the CT for the van would not be valid for the conversion. French paperwork and bureaucracy is something else as you will find out.

Thanks Jennie

i was thinking of converting it after it was registered in France as a normal van would that make a difference

You will have no end of problems if you convert a van to a motorhome and then try and get it registered in France, even professional conversions are not acceptable. In my opinion and experience,you will never get it registered in France

we have just purchased a house in France so a lot of the terms used on this topic are new to me but I am happy for any help and suggestions, Our plan was to buy a van in the uk which we will use over the next couple of years to bring stuff over and when we move out to live my plan is to convert the van into a small motorhome.
Will I have problems with such things as registration MOT and insurance for the van once converted.

Hello Jason. It sounds like you are not going to bother, but just so you know that this is the right decision...

I brought over a Left Hand Drive campervan from England thinking that it would be easier to re-register than a RHD model, and, of course, because it's France, it wasn't!

It would have made a difference if I had had a certificate of conformity from the manufacturer I bought it from, but, unfortunately, this wasn't possible.They are a small van conversion company unknown across Europe - even though they are extremely well known in England.

The process took months and there was a lot of expense, but, as I speak fluent French, I managed. During the process I showed the paperwork to my French friends and they even found it difficult to understand. Also, as someone else has said on here, getting insurance for this type of vehicle is not straight forward!

So, I personally advise that you don't import any van conversions from the UK. If you are looking to save money then ready-built well-known brands of motorhome (e.g. Hymer) are easier to get re-registered, but I would suggest you consider other comments on here about the safety aspects.

I am not that sort of driver

Thanks for the reply, I think it will be easier just to forget it, its just too much hassle.

Thanks, I wasn't thinking about the homologue, as I know on cars you need the certificate of conformity.

Easier to just forget it I think.

Thanks

I also think RHD motorhomes aren't a good idea on the roads here, but I may be feeling jaundiced as I had my wing mirror smashed right off by a RHD motorhome (GB registered) a couple of months ago, in spite of my taking to the verge when I saw them coming: needless to say they didn't stop, but carried on driving down the middle of the road leaving me with fairly shocked children and an irritatingly high bill...

That said I'm sure YOU aren't a mannerless pig so wouldn't be concerned ;-)

Don't even think about it, absolute nightmare. The only way out is if you still have or have the use of a UK address and you can get insurance in the UK, you will also have to have a UK test and road tax, then you use it in France as if you were on holiday making sure your UK insurance is valid i.e. green card. In my opinion not worth the hassle, better to buy one in France, you can still get bargains if you look around and have the cash waiting.

There may be a problem with the door but I think you have bigger problems than that. Unless the particular make and model is 'homologué' in Europe and you can get a 'certificat de conformité' from the French distributor do not touch it. Without the said certificate you have to put it through a single vehicle test with the DREAL and you will end up spending a lot of money and still not get it immatriculé. If you can get a certificate, which means that the exact same vehicle has been sold in France, you will not have a problem and I don't think the door is an issue any more than RHD is.

Wondering if there’s any updates on this topic with anyone. I’m in the process of taking my Dub back to UK for sale. Have 365 day insurance on her…but don’t feel comfortable about the scenario. Breaking my heart to let her go…I won’t find one with low mileage like it here and low mileage v vehicle age will be impossible. RHD isn’t an issue. Sliding is.