Camperizing a van is an idea that is increasingly exciting more and more road enthusiasts. This is the preferred mobility option for those tourists willing to discover the most remote and fascinating places during their excursions, without giving up the comforts of home. An adventure for which, in addition to arduous conditioning work, a series of procedures are required so that the vehicle meets all the safety conditions and guarantees its coverage in case of unforeseen events or accidents.
Whether you choose to convert an old van or a newly acquired van, whenever you modify its previous characteristics to turn it into a home vehicle, you must pass an approval procedure. To dispose of the objects of a home, such as tables, beds, as well as furniture anchored to the body, then you must classify your vehicle as a motorhome or as a home van.
The main difference between one type of vehicle and another is that while the motorhome focuses on achieving the maximum degree of comfort, the home van is limited to guaranteeing minimum habitability conditions. Other distinctions are found in the speed limits —120 km/h for the motorhome and 90 km/h for the home van— and in the obligation to pass the ITV annually in the first case and every six months in the second, once reached ten years old. In both cases, the maximum number of occupants is 9 seats.
The regulations of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce establish the reforms in campervan vehicles that must be included in the vehicle’s technical sheet and in the homologation project. Among the actions considered important are those that have to do with the transmission, the axles, the suspension, the steering, the bodywork or the union of the towing vehicle with trailers or semi-trailers.
Before getting down to work, it is recommended that the first thing we do is consult with an approval company or a registered industrial engineer to take care of the technical project from the beginning. The project will compile the descriptive memory, plans, photographs and the budget, that is, all the documentation that shows that the camperization has been carried out in order and that we must present to the ITV.
We will also need a certificate from the construction manager confirming that it has been carried out under his supervision and responsibility, a certificate from the workshop in which the camperization has been carried out (which will be provided by the engineer or the specialized company), the electricity and gas bulletins issued by authorized installers and a copy of the circulation insurance.
The date on which you sign the certificates is important because, once appraised, you must make an appointment to go to the ITV within 15 days. As you can see, before embarking on the adventure you will have to pay the toll of the bureaucracy, which will add up to around 800 euros at the end of this process.
