Changes to trailer registration for overseas travel

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) advises that anyone planning to tow a caravan or other trailer weighing more than 750kg in the European Union must now register it under the Government Trailer Registration Scheme, and display a separate registration plate.

The cost of registering a caravan or other trailer for the first time is £26 via the website www.gov.uk/register-trailer-to-take-abroad. The additional registration plate will cost around a further £20.

Until recently, only commercial trailers and those weighing more than 3,500kg needed to be registered in line with post-Brexit agreements.

However, on 26 August 2025 the DVLA updated its requirements for those taking a caravan or other trailer into the EU.

DVLA confirmed to the Club in October 2025 that the change brought the guidance in line with the requirements of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic 1968.

The DVLA stated: ‘Although not mandated in the UK, most countries expect trailers over 750kg to be registered to avoid the risk of enforcement action’.

The Club understands German authorities have begun imposing fines on a small number of UK tourists towing unregistered trailers, which prompted DVLA to revise its guidance and state that registration is mandatory.

How to register your caravan or trailer for overseas travel

Visit the DVLA application portal and follow the steps below for your caravan or other trailer (https://www.gov.uk/register-trailer-to-take-abroad):

• You will need a Government Gateway and trailer account to process your application
• Locate your trailer’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This number is often etched into caravan windows, for example
• You will need to know your trailer’s empty and full weights. These are usually found on a data plate near a caravan’s entrance door, or on a dedicated plate on a trailer’s drawbar
• Add your caravan or trailer to the DVLA register. Note that the Government Trailer Registration scheme is a separate requirement to the existing Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme (CRiS)
• When entering the trailer brand. select ‘Manufacturer not listed’ as currently there are no caravan manufacturers in the dropdown menu
• Enter ‘Weights captured earlier’ and then select your type of trailer
• Once you’ve paid the £26 registration fee, you will receive a confirmation email. This contains a PDF copy of your Trailer Registration Certificate (TRC), and a paper copy should arrive within five working days.

Guidance on additional trailer registration plates

• With the Trailer Registration Certificate and confirmation of your name and address, find an approved supplier to create the registration plate
• The trailer registration plate must be displayed while travelling through most EU countries. Exceptions are Ireland, Malta, Cyprus and Spain
• Display the plate at the rear of the trailer, positioned as far as practical from the vehicle’s existing yellow registration plate
• If there is no suitable place for the additional registration plate at the rear, two plates will be required, with each one placed on the sides of the trailer near its rear.
• The characters should read horizontally
• Illumination of the new trailer plate is not required

For more help and advice on overseas travel, check out the Club’s expert guide to the rules of the road when driving in Europe:

https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/advice/discover/rules-of-the-road/