| Check Your Driving Licence...
As you may imagine, the size of a motorhome effects the overall weight of the vehicle, know as Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM).
MAM, GVW & PMW
The term Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM), used in the context of driving licences, is the maximum weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely while used on the road. This is also known as Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) or Permissible Maximum Weight (PMW). It will be listed in the owner’s manual and is normally shown on a plate or sticker fitted to the vehicle.
Holiday on Wheels Motorhomes
The motorhomes supplied by Holiday on Wheels fall into two distinct vehicle weights:
-
Vehicles weighing up to 3,500 KG (3.5 Tonnes)
-
Vehicles weighing up to 7,500 KG (7.5 Tonnes)
What vehicle weight can I drive?
All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 have an entitlement to drive vehicles up to 7.5 Tonnes (plus vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes) until their licence expires. This means you are generally entitled to drive any motorhome listed on the Holiday on Wheels website.
Drivers who passed their test on or after 1 January 1997 have a standard entitlement to drive vehicles up to 3.5 Tonnes only. This means you are NOT entitled to drive motorhomes above 3.5 Tonnes unless you have upgraded your licence (see bottom of page).
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are licenced to drive the motorhome you have chosen... please ensure you check your entitlement before booking. To obtain further information about driving licence entitlement, see: www.direct.gov.uk
Below is a chart listing the entitlement letters that appear on the back of your driving licence and what those letters mean:
Licence Entitlements up to 3,500 KG MAM (3.5 Tonne)
|
Category |
Description |
Minimum Age |
|
B |
Entitles you to drive motor vehicles with a MAM of up to 3,500 KG with no more than eight passenger seats, with or without a trailer - weighing no more than 750 KG. |
17* |
|
B |
As category B but with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg. The total weight of the vehicle and the trailer together can’t weigh more than 3,500 kg. The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle. |
17* |
Licence Entitlements up to 7,500 KG MAM (7.5 Tonne)
|
Category |
Description |
Minimum Age |
|
C1 |
Entitles you to drive motor vehicles weighing between 3,500 kg and 7,500 KG, with or without a trailer - weighing no more than 750 kg |
18* |
|
C1+E |
As category C1 but with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg. The total weight of the vehicle and the trailer together can’t weigh more than 12,000 KG. The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle. |
21* |
There are exemptions to the minimum ages specified which we have not indicated for reasons below.
*PLEASE NOTE: Although we have specified minimum ages of entitlement, all hirer's/drivers must be 25 years of age at the time of booking and must have been qualified for a minimum of 24 months to conform to Holiday on Wheels Insurance Terms and Conditions. Copies of drivers licences at time of booking will be required and a copy will be kept on our files for a period of no more than 12 months. Holiday on Wheels respects current Data Protection laws.
How to upgrade your licence
If you passed your driving test on or after 1 January 1997 and you want to learn to drive a vehicle above 3.5 Tonnes GVW, you may be able to apply for the higher category. Once you have obtained provisional entitlement on your driving licence you can take the test for that category. For example, a driver must hold a full car licence (category B) before being able to apply for a provisional licence to drive a vehicle above 3.5 Tonnes GVW.
For further information regarding staging or upgrading of vehicle category entitlements, see:
Or you can write to:
Drivers Customer Services (DCS)
Correspondence Team
D12
DVLA
Swansea
SA6 7JL | 
