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Can I drive an American-style RV on a UK driving licence?

I am retired and thinking of buying a very large American motor home. I made enquiries at several sellers of RVs (Stingray RV, Itchyfeet and a several others) of whom some say you can drive them on a UK car licence, while others say you can't. I also subscribed to American RV magazine and bought a couple of other magazines and there are adverts by people selling secondhand RVs saying they can be driven on a car licence.

I looked at the DVLA website and their leaflets and it is not clear. I spoke to the DVLA and they couldn't really explain it either. So I wrote to the DVLA and have had replies from three different people which simply failed to answer the question I was putting to them. Useless.

Asked on 12 January 2012 by AG, via email

Answered by Honest John
In the UK, the overall width of a vehicle shall not exceed: A locomotive other than an agricultural motor vehicle: 2.75 metres = 9.02 ft. A refrigerated vehicle: 2.6 metres = 8.53 ft. Any other motor vehicle; 2.55 metres = 8.36 ft. A locomotive is an HGV, requiring an HGV licence. So the maximum width motorhome you can drive on a car licence is 8.36 feet wide. And some of them are wider, which is why they are still sitting in dealer stocks.
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