I appreciate that coronavirus has got offices keeping every other desk empty, but the DVLA are taking the piss.

Bought a minibus in June to convert to a 5 seat camper.
12 seater, so limited to 62mph.
Back at the peak of CV the phoneline just said “no go away” and hung up on you. having patiently waited for them to reopen the lines (8 weeks later?), they said they had sent it out weeks ago and it must have got lost in the post, so the sent a new one out.

Got that a few days later, turned it around same day (seats reduced to 7, so i can get the limiter removed)
ive chased it a few times, at 6 weeks and 7 weeks, both times be told to just be patient they are going as fast as they can.
Now they’ve told me they havent got it, i should’ve sent it recorded delivery.
Yr’man on the phone has got to send me a new V5, in order that i can just write “7” in one box, to put it straight back in the post to them.
I mean, stuff happens, but the fact that I’ve been sat waiting for this thing because they’ve assured me they are working on it, is quite tiresome.
and post doesn’t go missing these days, when did you last lose a piece of post. and they’ve managed to lose 2 of 2 so far (not including the replacement).

Looks like I’ve got to run up to my sisters wedding in 2 weeks at 62mph. Whack

your going to have even more of a fight when the best you can hope for is 5 seat van with windows.

Gaffa tape on the number plate & jobs a good ‘un🤪
Unless there’s actually a limiter fitted and you physically cant exceed 62mph.

Looks like I’ve got to run up to my sisters wedding in 2 weeks at 62mph.

This feels like a job for the world’s smallest violin.

This feels like a job for the world’s smallest violin.

500 miles = ~ 1hr extra journey. Or in real terms….1hour longer between London to nearly Aberdeen.

On the plus side your wallet will thank you . My big van I tend sit on cruise at 56 with the trucks because at 70 it’s about as economic as those trucks.

What are you hoping will change when you change the number of seats to 7 ?

That wont change the speed limit applied to the vehicle as far as I remember.

Looks like I’ve got to run up to my sisters wedding in 2 weeks at 62mph. Whack

Cheer up, it might never happen.

Everything to the back…with a little slack,
Coz’ DVLA are wiggity wiggity wiggity…..

Whack

DVLA in Swansea are total muppets, have been for years.
On the flipside, I got a new passport in a week!

Looks like I’ve got to run up to my sisters wedding in 2 weeks at 62mph.

Annnnd?

another thought, why 62mph ?

100kph, same as trucks are 56mph which is 90kph.

and post doesn’t go missing these days

I’m trying to visualize a civil service intray with 3 months worth of forms in it. I imaging a lot of DVLA post has gone missing!

your going to have even more of a fight when the best you can hope for is 5 seat van with windows.

And this +1, they’ve changed the guidance on what constitutes a campervan Vs a van with windows and a bed. It’s now based on external appearance, not just the old bed/cooker/windows criteria. So if you hypothetically sped past a police car (or you report it stolen) it has to be obviously a campervan when they describe it on the radio. “Stealth camper” or even windows and pop-top on a T5 doesn’t cut it anymore. They even include horrible beige and grey vinyl make/model stickers in the new criteria!

So that 62mph limit is actually going to be 50mph on SC’s, 60mph on DC’s and only 70 on motorways!

…same as trucks are 56mph which is 90kph…

Except they’re not – well, not in the UK anyway:
https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

Yes, the UK limit is officially 60mph but everyone sets the limiter to 56, some even lower to save on fuel. It’s one of those situations where the EU rule is more appropriate for ease of convenience.

100kph, same as trucks are 56mph which is 90kph.

We don’t have a 56pmh speed limit for anything in the UK, or a 62mph limit.
Edit – crossed posts.
We are talking actual “speed limits” rather than “electronic limiters”

And as TINAS says above, removing seats was never enough to get campervan status on the reg docs, and since the changes you would need a huge list of things to be added/changed and evidenced.

Even Vw California’s are registered as MPV’s from new these days, as they don’t meet the criteria to be a Campervan/Motorcaravan.

UK reg lorry’s have been 56mph electronically limited for like ever.

Like wise psvs have been 62 for a sodding long time….. Minibus with more than 8 seats falls under psv a majority of times and hence it’s stipulated it must be fuel pump limited as part of designation of the classification.

UK reg lorry’s have been 56mph electronically limited for like ever.

I think the technicality being alluded to is they are speed limited to 56mph, but that isn’t the speed limit. And the 56mph speed limiter is only a requirement in the EU but not the UK. But you won’t find many (any?) lories without it as they might need to go to the EU at some point, and fleet managers like the ~10% it saves them in fuel.

Didn’t realise the psv class had mandatory limiters. Every day is a school day 🙂

Although removing the limiter wouldn’t remove the legal speed limits obviously, which could only be done with a legit camper conversion and reclassification.

I appreciate, this IS the worlds smallest violin rant, which is why it’s here, not in a strongly worded letter to the guardian.

more than 8 seats and you have to have a physical/electronic restrictor/governor fitted, which this does.

I checked before i bought it that it can be removed, its just a case of remapping it, but any reputable mapping company wont remove it without seeing the V5 updated down to below 8 seats. I could get it done by a driveway remapper, but risk getting my collar felt by the fuzz?, an ANPR ticket?, and blowing the engine up?

Ive no interest in getting it re done as a camper. Its not necessary, and as minibus, once its under 8 seats the speed limits are that of a car anyway, and the VED is fixed at £160. (on a panel van with windows you are still technically limited to 60 on dual carrigways and 50 on singletrack,. and pay £270 ish VED)

looking on the bright side, it’ll burn less fuel on the run, i wont risk getting a ticket, and its got cruise control, so ill just have to slum it with the trucks in the slow lane.

Its only 200 miles.

I ‘think’ the weight of it has got to be below 2040kg (car derived van or dual purpose vehicle) for you to be able to do standard ‘car’ speed limits. Should say on the chassis somewhere or V5.

Wedding in Scotland in 2 weeks, tiniest wedding ever, not going to happen or breaking the rules?

It’s nine or more passenger seats for speed limiter etc? We (as many do no doubt) used to use 8+1 minibuses all the time for outdoor education work as its driveable on a normal car lisence regardless of age.

D1 required for bigger unless pre 98

D1 required for bigger unless pre 98

your not doing it for hire or reward…. + Mini bus is rated under 3.5t -which is wishful thinking with adult pax on anything +12 seats

You want to try converting a 15 seater here in Ireland !
1.8 metre min height in living area so a pop up roof as its 1.7
Bed,sink , storage facilities, table (it can be removable), gas regulator fitted to body of van in a sealed cupboard with floor vent. Gas cert, electric cert and an SQI engineers report .
Then you can register as a camper and avail of 100.00 euro road tax per year and choice of three insurance companies.

You want to try converting a 15 seater here in Ireland !
1.8 metre min height in living area so a pop up roof as its 1.7
Bed,sink , storage facilities, table (it can be removable), gas regulator fitted to body of van in a sealed cupboard with floor vent. Gas cert, electric cert and an SQI engineers report .
Then you can register as a camper and avail of 100.00 euro road tax per year and choice of three insurance companies.

having seen some of the shite folk try to pass off as a “camper” on instagram – that sounds good.

it has to be obviously a campervan when they describe it on the radio

That will explain why the manky Iveco home conversion I saw recently had a large CAMPERVAN decal on the side of it then. I did wonder why someone would choose that. Mind you, it’s still better than the Transporters – Campers In Disguise stickers.

Sent a V5 off in May for a change of owner and it turned up about a fortnight ago – almost 5 months later?

For reasons I can’t quite recall, I have to chop in my UK license for a Spanish one before 31/12, so I’ll finally be shot of the DVLA (not that the DGT are any better!)

That will explain why the manky Iveco home conversion I saw recently had a large CAMPERVAN decal on the side of it then. I did wonder why someone would choose that. Mind you, it’s still better than the Transporters – Campers In Disguise stickers.

Here’s the new rules:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/converting-a-vehicle-into-a-motor-caravan/converting-a-vehicle-into-a-motor-caravan

The body type of your vehicle will not be changed unless its exterior looks like a motor caravan in traffic.

*2 or more windows on at least one side of the main body (this does not include windows on the driver or passenger doors) to provide a reasonable amount of daylight into the living accommodation
*a separate door which provides access to the living accommodation of the vehicle (this excludes the driver and passenger doors); a window on this door counts as a separate window on the main body
*motor caravan-style graphics on both sides of the vehicle
*an awning bar attached to either side of the vehicle
*a high-top roof (this does not include a pop-top elevating roof)

From what I’ve seen short of foot high letters saying this is a camper van with all of the above ticked twice will get made a van with windows

Isn’t there an odd case though that DVLA doesn’t set vehicle speed limits (DfT I think?) and there description of a motor caravan is different to DVLA. So technically providing you meet DfT’s definition then that would be appropriate for limits.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/clarification_on_the_definition

As stated would be determined by a judge etc.
But two identical vehicles on two different days could be different classes by DVLA. But both would meet DfT classification…

I imaging a lot of DVLA post has gone missing!

I had to replace my old Octavia’s V5 beginning of the month because the original had gone missing and I needed to get shot of it before it’s MOT on the 17th. Took less than a week… 😁

DaDVLA R Awwwwvayz da bezt wiT mE LiKe

Ive no interest in getting it re done as a camper. Its not necessary, and as minibus, once its under 8 seats the speed limits are that of a car anyway

Incorrect… Minibus under 12 metres, commercial under 7.5t, including van with windows or a plain old van, they are all 50/60/70 for single c/w, dual c/w, and motorway respectively. (50 for a dual carriageway with no central barrier)

50 for a dual carriageway with no central barrier

I think you’ve misunderstood what a dual carriageway is. If there’s no barrier its not a dual carridgeway regardless of how many lanes.

e.g. this is

this isnt