Has anyone here converted a panel van into a people carrier or camper van, officially, on vosa documents etc?
How do you get rear seats/r’n’r beds made ‘ official’?

Is it easy to do, or an expensive ball ache?

Ta muchly!

DrP

http://www.campervanlife.com/building/legal

You don’t want to convert it into a car on in the eyes of the DVLA as it’ll just cost you a load more in road tax every year (e.g. transporter 415 vs 205).
To change the number of seats you just alter the V5 and send it back to the DVLA for them to change it.
A change to a camper van is much harder, to do this you have to meet a set of criteria which includes bed, storage, running water and some form of cooking equipment. The actual process is very easy if you’ve got all the right stuff when I did it a letter with some photos of all the various bits was all it took.

Clunker-100% what I needed, many thanks!

Don’t have a van yet, but want to make sure I’m ‘ready’ when (if) the time comes 7

DrP

you can change the class of a vehicle easily using spoilers, poorly applied tint film and maybe some spinners

Very good-bravo!

DrP

FWIW I’ve gone the other way, MPV into a home-made camper. However, my modifactions are removable, can be turned back into an MPV in around 40minutes (and will be just empty, van-like, over the winter to save weight and therefore fuel)
As it’s temporary no need to inform the DVLA, but I did have to inform my insurers, no issues there. Also, I have to put all the seats back in for MOTs as they like to check the seatbelts.

You would potentially be changing it from N1 to M1 which now according to the new type approval regs may need a IVA (individual Vehicle Approval) test for £190. Assuming you are using an approved seat supplier though this shouldnt be an issue