UK caravan owners warned over new number plate rules for travel in France

People bringing caravans from the UK on visits to France must now be aware of new rules which require the caravan to have its own dedicated number plate. In the past, only a duplicate of the car’s plate was used.

This relates to any caravans or other trailers with a gross weight over 750kg – they must now be registered with the UK’s DVLA licensing authority before using them in most European countries.

While this is based on a recent UK law, it is intended to bring practices in line with the usual expectations in countries such as France, and is said to reduce risks of questions from the police, or fines, while travelling outside the UK.

Once registered, the caravan has its own unique number which should be displayed in addition to the car’s plates (see photo, above) avoiding placing the two close together. Putting a copy of the caravan plate on both sides of the caravan (and copy of car plate on the back) is a permitted alternative. 

You should also carry the caravan’s registration certificate with you while in France.

Prior to a rule change, leisure caravans did not need to be registered in this way and only had to show the car’s plate.

Reader Martin Daines, 80, who recently went through the process, said the registration was £26 and the additional number plate cost £19.99.

The retiree from Hertfordshire, England, said: “I’ve been caravanning for 55 years and enjoy it very much. My partner and I didn’t get to France last year so we plan to spend all of June touring and visiting friends when we used to have a holiday home that we sold due to Brexit.”

He added: “The new plates can only be made after registration of the caravan with DVLA who will issue a Trailer Registration Certificate which is required by the plate maker before he can make it.

“The production of all number plates is controlled in the UK and should only be made after submitting the correct paperwork.”

French registration rules relating to caravans state that caravans with a maximum laden weight of 500kg or more should have their own plates.

If a UK caravan is left permanently in France, such as being kept at a second home, it should therefore have French plates, even if it will regularly be towed by a UK-registered car.

The French convention is that the car’s plates are only shown on the caravan for small trailers (under 500kg).