Motorhome Hire in the UK: Compare Types, Berths and Prices

Motorhome hire in the UK means picking a vehicle with its own bed, kitchen and usually a washroom, then touring at your own pace. It suits couples who want space, families and groups of up to six or more. Expect roughly £50 to £300 a night depending on size and season, with a compact 2-berth week at around £490 to £875. This page compares the types of motorhome, the berths and seat belts, the licence limits and what the price usually covers, so you can narrow the choice before you search.

Types of motorhome you can hire

The word "motorhome" covers four quite different vehicles. Which one you want depends on how many of you there are and what roads you plan to drive.

Large van conversions

A panel van extended or fitted out with a fixed bed and a small washroom. They are the narrowest and shortest of the group and cope well with country lanes. Smaller, car-sized conversions are a different kind of hire, with their own page linked near the end of this one.

Coachbuilt motorhomes

A purpose-built living area fitted onto a van chassis. They are the most common hire motorhome in the UK, from 2-berth to 6-berth, and the layouts are the widest. The over-cab bed (a "Luton" peak above the cab) adds a double without lengthening the vehicle.

Low-profile coachbuilts

These have no over-cab bulge, so they are lower and more aerodynamic. They suit couples and small families who want fewer height worries and slightly better fuel use, but most give up the over-cab double (some have a drop-down bed instead).

A-class motorhomes

An A-class has a large flat windscreen and a body that runs the full width of the front. You get the biggest interior and the most premium finishes, and also the largest footprint on the road. If you are weighing one up, see luxury and premium motorhomes.

Berths, seats and seat belts

A berth is a sleeping space. A belted seat is somewhere you can travel while the vehicle is moving. The two numbers are often different, and this is the check people most often miss.

A 6-berth motorhome may have only four or five belted seats, because some beds (for example an over-cab bed or a dinette that converts to a bed) are not places to sit while driving. Plan for everyone to travel in a belted seat (hire terms usually require it), and children need the right restraint for their height or weight. GOV.UK sets out that children must normally use a child car seat until they are 12 years old or 135 cm tall, whichever comes first. Check that the listing says how many seats are belted and whether child seat fittings (such as ISOFIX) are provided.

A practical rule is to book on the number of belts first and the number of beds second. A family of five with two teenagers needs five belts and five good beds, not a 6-berth with four belts.

Layouts: what to look for

• Fixed rear bed: the bed stays made up all week and there is storage underneath. Comfortable for couples, but the bedroom takes up the back third of the vehicle.
• Rear lounge: a seating area across the back that converts to a bed at night. It gives the best daytime space, but you make and unmake the bed daily.
• Over-cab bed: an extra double above the driver's seats. It suits children and teenagers and keeps the rest of the layout free.
• Rear garage: a storage space under a raised fixed bed, big enough for bikes or a large amount of luggage. It is handy for groups and active trips.
• Washroom: a toilet and shower compartment. Check whether the shower is separate and how much hot water the tank gives you.

For two people travelling light, a smaller coachbuilt with a fixed bed is usually plenty. Read hiring a motorhome for two if that is you.

Licence and weight limits

This is the part that decides whether you can hire a particular vehicle. GOV.UK's licence categories give the following limits:

• A car (category B) licence passed on or after 1 January 1997 covers vehicles up to 3,500 kg maximum authorised mass (MAM) for petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles.
• Since 10 June 2025, a category B licence also covers fully electric or hydrogen (zero-emission) vehicles up to 4,250 kg MAM in Great Britain, with no extra training. Hybrids do not qualify, and electric motorhomes are still rare on hire.
• Category C1 covers 3,500 to 7,500 kg MAM.

The weight to look for is MAM, sometimes shown as MTPLM or "gross weight", not the empty weight. Many hire motorhomes are plated at 3,500 kg or under, so a standard licence is often enough. Heavier A-class and large coachbuilts are the ones that can exceed it, so check each listing. See the GOV.UK driving licence categories for the full wording.

If you passed your car test before 1 January 1997, your licence usually carries C1 as well. That entitlement normally lasts until your licence runs out at 70. To keep it after that, you apply by post on form D2 with a D4 medical report signed by a doctor and an optician, so check your own licence rather than assume. Our guide on special licences for campervans and motorhomes goes through it in detail.

Speed limits are lower for heavier motorhomes

Motor caravans have their own limits, set by unladen weight. GOV.UK's speed limit table shows the figures for a motor caravan over 3.05 tonnes unladen:

• Single carriageway: 50 mph (60 mph at or under 3.05 tonnes).
• Dual carriageway: 60 mph (70 mph at or under 3.05 tonnes).
• Motorways: 70 mph, the same as a car.
• Built-up areas: 30 mph, or 20 mph in Wales, the same as a car.

Ask the owner for the unladen weight if it is not on the listing.

Motorhome hire prices in the UK by season

Owners set their own rates, so the ranges below are typical per-night figures rather than a quote. Short stays in school holidays sit at the top; midweek and winter hires sit at the bottom.

Season matters more than size for many trips. A 4-berth in October can cost less than a 2-berth in August. For the full breakdown, including weekly and monthly rates, see how much a motorhome costs to hire.

What is included, and what costs extra

The nightly rate is only part of the price. Read the listing for each of these before you compare:

• Insurance and excess: insurance comes with every booking made through Outdoorsy. The excess is the amount you pay first on a claim, typically £500 to £2,500. There is also a refundable deposit of about £500 to £1,500. Our guide to insurance for campervan and motorhome hire explains the options.
• Mileage: some owners include a daily allowance and charge for extra miles, others include unlimited mileage. A long tour can make this the biggest difference between two similar listings.
• Roadside assistance: this is an optional extra, not part of the standard booking, so decide whether you want it.
• Kitchen and bedding: some listings supply linen, crockery and camping chairs, and some charge for them.
• Gas, toilet chemicals and hook-up cable: check whether they are provided or whether you buy your own.
• Extras: bike racks, an additional driver, a pet fee and delivery are usually added to the total.

For a line-by-line list, see what is included in campervan hire.

Hiring for families and groups

Families do best with a 4-berth or 6-berth coachbuilt, because the layouts keep children in their own beds and give adults a lounge once the kids are asleep. Two practical checks help.

• Count belts, not beds. As above, make sure everyone has a belted seat and the right child restraint.
• Think about the washroom. A separate shower and toilet helps a lot with four or more people.

Groups of friends often choose a 6-berth, but a long vehicle on narrow roads needs more concentration, so share the driving only if more than one of you is named on the booking. If you are bringing a dog, see dog-friendly motorhomes.

Popular UK pickup areas and routes

Owners list from every part of the country, and the busiest areas for hire follow the holiday regions. Start with the UK hire overview to see where listings are available.

• South West England: Devon and Cornwall, with long coastal routes. Narrow lanes favour smaller coachbuilts. Browse England.
• Scotland: Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness are common pickup points for the Highlands and the North Coast 500. Start at Scotland, or compare Glasgow and Inverness.
• Wales: Eryri (Snowdonia) and the Pembrokeshire coast, where roads can be steep and narrow. See Wales.
• Lake District and the north: reached from Manchester and the North West. See Manchester.

For ideas on where to drive, our UK road trip routes include itineraries that work in a motorhome.

Choosing a reputable owner listing

On a marketplace the vehicle and the owner matter as much as the price. Before you book, look for:

• reviews from past hirers that mention the same things you care about, such as cleanliness, handover and how problems were dealt with;
• recent photographs of the actual vehicle, including the washroom and bed;
• a clear description of what is included and a stated mileage policy;
• a detailed handover, so you are shown the gas, water, electrics and toilet before you drive away;
• a response time that suggests the owner will answer if something goes wrong.

For the other side of the market, read about private hire from a local owner.

Is a motorhome right for you?

A motorhome is a good fit if:

• you are travelling with children or friends and need beds, a washroom and room to stand up;
• you plan several days on the road and want to keep your gear in one place;
• you want to cook and eat inside in changeable weather.

It is a poor fit if:

• you mostly want to park in towns, small car parks or narrow lanes;
• it is just two of you and you want a vehicle that drives like a large car;
• you are on a tight budget, since fuel, campsite pitches and mileage all rise with size.

Prefer something smaller? See our page on compact camper vans.

How hire works

1. Search for vehicles near your pickup point and dates.
2. Open the listing and check berths, belted seats, mileage, the insurance excess, delivery and the owner's rules.
3. Book through our partner Outdoorsy. Insurance and payment protection come with every booking.
4. Collect the motorhome, or have it delivered where the owner offers that.
5. Take the handover walk-through, then return it as agreed with the tanks emptied and the interior clean.

If this is your first trip, the step-by-step guide to your first trip covers planning from start to finish.

Frequently asked questions

How many people can a motorhome carry compared with how many it sleeps?

The two numbers can differ. The berth count tells you how many can sleep; the number of belted seats tells you how many can travel. Always check both on the listing.

How fast can I drive a motorhome?

Motor caravans up to 3.05 tonnes unladen weight follow the same limits as cars. Above that weight the limits drop to 50 mph on single carriageways and 60 mph on dual carriageways, according to GOV.UK; the motorway limit stays at 70 mph.

Is there a minimum hire length?

Owners decide, and the minimum is shown on each listing. Some ask for a longer minimum at peak times, such as school holidays, so message the owner if your dates are short.

Can I take a hired motorhome abroad?

Only if the owner agrees. Outdoorsy leaves travel restrictions to each owner, so before you book, confirm that the insurance, and any breakdown cover you add, apply in every country you plan to visit. Read taking a motorhome abroad from the UK before you plan a ferry crossing.

What happens if I need to cancel?

Each owner picks one of Outdoorsy's three standard policies (Flexible, Moderate or Strict), shown on the listing. Under all three, cancelling more than 30 days before departure refunds the rental amount; closer to the date you may get half or nothing back. Service fees are not refundable.

Find one for your dates: search motorhomes near you.