Approved Touring Caravans

Taking the risk out of buying, taking care of our customers

Buying an NCC Approved Touring Caravan is the way to ensure that it's safe and legal to use.

Why "approved"?

A touring caravan is a complex combination of leisure vehicle, accommodation compartment, several different kinds of appliances (cooker, heater etc) and gas, electricity and water systems.

With all this in one place, your safety is paramount. To ensure that a caravan complies with UK legislation and safety regulations there are literally hundreds of items to be checked in such a complex product.

A "legal" Product

A touring caravan sold in the UK, like any other product, must firstly conform with UK legislation which governs its safe use. These laws are not always the same as those in other European countries. Caravans approved by the NCC have been checked to ensure they comply.

A "safe" Product

In addition, there are extensive independent European and British minimum health and safety Standards which govern a touring caravan. To be really sure of its safety, your caravan should also have been manufactured to comply with these. Caravans approved by the NCC have been checked against British Standard European Norm 1645.

How do you know which touring caravans comply and which don't?

The straightforward answer to this question is those that carry an NCC "Approved Caravan" badge.

In 1964, the NCC set up The NCC Certification Scheme for leisure accommodation vehicles to provide the means of assessment - based on product conformity inspection of pre-production prototypes against UK Regulations and European and British Standards, backed up with unannounced surveillance checks on subsequent production to ensure it continues to conform.

A product that complies gets the "Approved" badge and the user gets an NCC Certificate. The manufacturer gets approval for the model for three years before re-inspection is required, taking the product through the whole process again up until production of that model ceases.

It should be emphasised that relative build quality is not part of this assessment process (for example, cars are manufactured and approved in the same kind of way, too). Build quality, product life, styling and degree of comfort are commercial matters for the manufacturer to decide upon, after health and safety requirements are met.

The NCC Certification Scheme for leisure accommodation vehicles "Approved" badge is the established demonstration of compliance with both UK law and also the Standards.

Can I buy a touring caravan that isn't approved?

Yes, it is possible, but do you really want to take the risk with your and your family's lives? If the caravan is not approved by the NCC, then you should satisfy yourself that it meets UK legal requirements and best practice health and safety standards. It might be initially cheaper to buy a non Approved touring caravan, although possibly not in the long run.

The NCC Certification Scheme for leisure accommodation vehicles doesn't just deal with products that are manufactured in the UK. We are working with continental European manufacturers to provide you with a wider choice of touring caravans that have been assessed to comply with UK requirements.

Current Approved Touring Caravans