Living in your van feels like an attractive view. You can travel from the comfort of your own home, you can park next to stunning views and wake up to explore some of the UK`s most beautiful rides. The big question you probably ask yourself before getting involved in this venture is: “Is it legal to live in a van in the UK?” Yes – there are no UK laws to prevent you from living full-time in your campervan, campervan or van. The only requirement is that your vehicle has passed its technical inspection and that it is fully legal on the road. My experience of traveling through Europe has shown me that different countries on the continent have different opinions about van life and wild camping. In general, Europeans love to travel in vans, and we went to many places with permanent residents of vans forming their own small communities. The France, Portugal, Spain and Italy are incredibly prepared for vandalwellers and even offer free areas to empty your trash and replenish fresh water. I also remember reading in Tim Ferriss` insightful book, The Four Hour Work Week, many years ago, that there are also companies that will provide you with a mailing address, open your mail for you, scan it, and email you copies of anything that seems important. This could be an option if you decide to live in an RV and a family member isn`t willing to help you, or if you don`t have one. Answering the question of whether living in a van is legal is one thing, but there are quite a few things you need to take the time to consider if you want to try Full Time Van Life. As long as your vehicle has a valid roadworthiness test and is taxable on the road, you`re good to go, but that doesn`t mean you can park wherever you want. There may be certain boundaries you need to explore before stepping off the grid in your own city or a new region, and it`s important to blend in with the crowd rather than publicly promote your bold new lifestyle to the masses. Is it possible to live in a motorhome? As I`ve probably mentioned many times, I live in the UK.
I lived in Spain until recently and traveled a lot. My knowledge of the law is limited, but I have done enough research on this topic to give an answer in simple terms. The simple answer is to say yes; It is legal to live in your van in the UK. The longer answer is that, although it is legal, there are certain restrictions that you need to be aware of and be careful if you want to successfully navigate the UK in your campervan. Taking the plunge to live permanently in an RV can bring other problems, one of the most important being knowing how to receive your mail. Worst-case scenario. A police officer believes that you intend to live in your vehicle on property that does not belong to you, OR that you are involuntarily parked next to another RV. They may ask you to leave, in the best case, or you may get a fine, have your vehicle confiscated for up to 3 months, and then if you end up in court, the court could decide to keep the vehicle permanently. Although it would be quite extreme. We all love to live the life of a van and travel in a van, but is living in a van legal in the eyes of the law? Thanks to our favorite Van Life influencers and the deliciously addictive content in our Van Life Instagram feeds, more and more people are throwing out the rulebook and trying an alternative life. Yes, it is legal to sleep in an RV on public roads, as long as your motorhome complies with all of the roadworthiness, insurance, and driver`s license regulations mentioned above and you do not obstruct any access roads.
The first thing you need to consider is the fact that it is not legal to sleep all over your vehicle. Local government restrictions on certain parking lots, rest areas and national parks/forests mean it is illegal to sleep there. In general, these restrictions are clearly marked and so if you park in one of these places for the night, you`d better keep going, there are plenty of other places after all. This is not a way of life that many choose. You must really enjoy being in your RV, most of the time or all the time.