In zones that do not charge cars, owners of campervans, motorhomes and some four-by-fours are often surprised to be charged. The reason is the vehicle category on the V5C: an N1 vehicle is a light goods vehicle, and a heavy motorhome may be classed as an HGV.
How each zone treats them
- Bath: M1 campervans and SUVs are not charged; N1 ones are £9. Private HGVs such as large motorhomes are £100, or £9 if registered with the council.
- Bradford: campervans and motorhomes £9 up to 3.5 tonnes, £50 over; Bradford residents can exempt one motor caravan.
- Sheffield: campervans, motorhomes and some SUVs and four-by-fours are chargeable; larger motorhomes can apply for a discount to £10.
- Portsmouth: only large motorhomes classed as HGVs are charged (£50).
- Tyneside: motor caravans can apply for a local exemption.
Challenging
If the V5C shows category M1 and the zone does not charge cars, no charge was payable. If the vehicle is N1 or heavier but you had an approved discount or exemption, send the approval. If it was a genuine misunderstanding with no exemption, the case is mitigation only.
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Questions people ask
My motorhome is a converted van. Which category is it?
Look at the V5C. DVLA may have changed the body type to motor caravan; the category (M1, N1 and so on) is what most zones use.
Sources
Last checked: 13 November 2026. Every fact on this page was checked against these official pages. How we check