Owner guides
How much is road tax for a motorhome?
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Just like any other vehicle on the road in the UK, a motorhome will need up-to-date road tax to be fully legal. But how much is road tax for a motorhome, what factors affect it, and what else do you need to be aware of? From charges to recent changes, our guide covers all the facts about motorhome road tax in the UK.
What is motorhome road tax?
Also known as Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), road tax is a government-required tax on all vehicles, motorhomes included. Motorhome road tax is charged in two ways: a one-off VED when a new motorhome is purchased, then an annual amount after the first year. From 2022, a daily “clean air zone” charge can also be imposed on motorhomes driving into certain cities or areas.
The VED fee is calculated according to vehicle weight, as well as other factors including age, emissions and (sometimes) engine capacity – we cover them all, plus the new clean air zone regulations, below.
How much is road tax for a motorhome?
As above, road tax/VED for motorhomes is charged in two ways: an annual fee, applicable to all vehicles on the road; and a one-off VED on the purchase of a new vehicle. The price of each ranges from about £165-£294.
Annual VED fees are calculated according to vehicle weight, as well as other factors including age and (sometimes) engine capacity. Here’s how this breaks down.
Gross vehicle weight/engine size
Road tax for motorhomes for a 12-month period is assessed according to gross vehicle weight (GVW), also known as revenue weight. This has two categories:
3,500kg and under (categorised as a private or light goods vehicle; aka TC11)
over 3,500kg (private heavy goods vehicle – TC10)
The TC11 category also has two engine size categories: not over 1,549cc and over 1,549. This gives three possible rates overall:
3,500kg and under; not over 1,549cc: £170 (single payment); £178 (12 monthly instalments)
3,500kg and under; over 1,549cc: £280-£294
over 3,500kg: £165-£172.25
Other factors
Even if it’s not brand new, the age and emission rate of your motorhome can also affect its road tax rate. You’ll pay a different rate of tax if these factors apply to your vehicle:
It was produced between 1 April 2017 and 11 March 2020
It’s in the M1SP category (vehicle category M1 – Special Purpose)
Its CO2 emissions are included on the “type approval certificate” (also known as a “certificate of conformity” or “individual vehicle approval”)
The gov.ukvehicle tax rates – motorhomes page has full details of motorhome categories and the corresponding tax bands.
Annual road tax charges for vintage vans
An unexpected bonus for owners of older motorhomes: a motorhome or campervan built or first registered more than 40 years ago is exempt from road tax. Just apply forhistoric vehicle tax exemption to stay legal.
Recent changes in motorhome road tax
The 2019 EU policy update
Motorhome road tax rules have fluctuated hugely in the past couple of years. The main change was a new EU regulation passed into UK law on 1 September 2019, which reclassified motorhomes and campervans for tax purposes as Light Commercial Vehicles (LVCs), rather than Private/Light Goods or Private HGV vehicles.
LCVs are required to provide a vehicle CO2 emissions figure for tax calculations – in other words, these types of vehicles are taxed based on their emissions, rather than size or other factor. This meant from 1 September 2019, the VED for new motorhomes and campervans went up from £265 per year before, to £2,135 in the first year – a massive 700% increase.
Luckily, this was overturned early the next year. As of 12 March 2020, owners of new motorhomes and campervans are no longer required to provide the vehicle CO2 emissions figure on registration, and all motorhomes and campervans are back in the Private/Light Goods VED/Private HGV VED categories.
Clean Air Zones
Many cities/regions in the UK will introduce Clean Air Zones (CAZ) in 2022, where fees are charged to vehicles exceeding the CAZ emission standards (similar to the congestion charge in London).
Charges are calculated by vehicle type and the minimum emission standard of the engine, and are likely to range from £10-£100 per day. In Manchester, for example, motorhomes under 3,500kg with a Euro 5 or earlier/Euro 3 or earlier diesel engine will be charged £10 per day within the zone (these vans also automatically qualify for a temporary exemption until 1 June 2023). Vans of 3,500kg+, with a HGV tax class, and with a Euro 5 diesel engine or earlier will pay £60 per day, from the date of the CAZ launch.
Cites can impose CAZ charges in any or all vehicles in each class:
Class A - Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles
Class B - Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, HGVs
Class C - Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, HGVs, vans, minibuses
Class D - Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, HGVs, vans, minibuses, cars
Check the gov.uk page for full info ondriving in a clean air zone. The RAC has a clean air zone map showing CAZs that are either confirmed or under consideration.
Make money from your motorhome
As we’ve outlined, road tax costs for motorhomes vary. Depending on the vehicle, motorhome owners will pay £165-294 annually in the UK for their road tax, plus within the same region as a one-off cost if buying the motorhome new. Add up to £100 a day for Clean Air Zone charges if you intend to drive in a CAZ zone.
But owning a motorhome can make a lot of financial sense if approached the right way. Firstly, don’t let your motorhome sit on your driveway or in astorage facility between trips: cover your tax fees with rentals instead! With Camplify, it’s easy to make money from your motorhome by hiring it out to holidaymakers.
Why Camplify?
Camplify connects owners like you with local and international holidaymakers – all of whom are verified to maximise the safety when you hire out your motorhome. Discover more of our advantages for owners below:
It's free to list your motorhome.
If you don’t have all-risk insurance, we can provide you with it when you sign up.
We give your van a 24/7 RAC breakdown cover.
You have complete freedom to approve or reject guests interested in renting your motorhome. Your wheels, your rules.
We provide you with tips and step-by-step guides on how to improve your service and your vehicle to get more and more bookings!
See how much you could earn if you rent out your motorhome with ourfree income calculator or sign up now to start enjoying the above advantages today.
If you still have questions, want to discuss your income potential with an expert or get more information on how to list your vehicle, call us on ☎ 0330 808 1811 or visit www.camplify.co.uk. We’ll be happy to help you with anything you need!