VASP registration is how a converted van becomes a motor caravan in the eyes of the French authorities: the regional DREAL inspects the vehicle and issues an individual approval report, which you then use to apply for a new registration certificate through the ANTS website. The living area must contain, as a minimum, seats and a table, sleeping accommodation, cooking facilities and storage, all fixed rigidly in place. The inspection itself costs €86.90 according to the DREAL for the Pays de la Loire region, and most of the work lies in preparing the file, including the gas certificate and the weighing.
1. A motor caravan needs four fixed features: seats and table, beds, cooking, storage.
2. A self-builder has the gas installation certified by an approved body before the DREAL inspection.
3. After approval, the registration certificate is updated within a month on the ANTS website.
What VASP registration means for a converted van
VASP stands for véhicule automoteur spécialisé, a specialised motor vehicle. The technical glossary that the DREAL Pays de la Loire publishes for van conversions defines it as the vehicle type linked to the “caravane” body on a French registration certificate. A van that goes through VASP registration therefore changes both its type and its body description on the logbook.
The definition of a motor caravan comes from EU law. Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/858, as retained on legislation.gov.uk, describes it as a category M vehicle with living accommodation that contains, as a minimum, seats and a table, sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats, cooking facilities and storage facilities.
The DREAL application sheet adds the condition that matters most for a self-build: the equipment must be rigidly fixed to the living compartment. Only the table may be designed to come out easily. A bed, kitchen unit or storage box that simply sits in the back does not meet the definition, so check every fixing before you put a file together.
The base vehicle matters too. Our guide to choosing a van to convert covers the checks worth making before you buy, several of which come back at the approval stage.
The documents in a VASP registration file
For VASP registration, the DREAL Pays de la Loire application sheet for converted vans lists fifteen documents. Not all of them apply to every project, since some depend on the work carried out, but this is the full list to work through:
- the application for approval and the converter’s statement of works;
- a table of regulatory supporting documents;
- the load distribution calculation and the weighbridge ticket;
- a statement on the fitting of seats and seat belts, with test reports under UN Regulations R14, R16 and R17;
- a technical report on any additional heater or awning;
- the current registration certificate and the certificate of conformity or descriptive notice;
- a roadworthiness test report for used vehicles over 4 years old;
- the manufacturer’s agreement for structural changes such as a pop-top roof or modified suspension;
- dimensioned drawings and photos of the conversion;
- a certificate of conformity with standards EN 1949 and EN 721;
- electromagnetic compatibility evidence under UN Regulation R10.
This is one region’s sheet. Before you start, download the sheet from the DREAL that covers your area and compare the two, to confirm the documents required and how appointments are booked.
Gas, windows and the bulkhead: the VASP registration checks
Gas is covered by two standards. The DREAL requires conversions to comply with EN 1949, which deals with liquefied petroleum gas installations, and EN 721, which sets the safety ventilation requirements. It also points to NF EN 1646-1 on leisure accommodation vehicles.
Where the work is not done by a professional converter, the sheet states that compliance is shown by a certificate from an approved body, either the Qualigaz association or Bureau Veritas. Book that inspection before your DREAL appointment, and keep the installation accessible so it can be checked.
Any windows you add must be approved glazing, identified by their marking. The DREAL only accepts unapproved glazing for small plastic panes under 200 cm², too small to contain a 150 mm circle, and outside the driver’s field of view.
Cutting the bulkhead between cab and living area is only allowed with the vehicle manufacturer’s authorisation or proof of structural strength. If your layout has a walk-through, ask for that authorisation before you touch the metal.
Weighing the van for VASP registration
The VASP registration file includes a weighbridge ticket, and the DREAL specifies the state the van must be weighed in: in running order, meaning fitted out, with the tanks at least 90 % full apart from the waste water tank, and a full gas bottle on board.
That weight is used to work out the remaining payload. The DREAL glossary gives the formula: maximum authorised mass, minus the weighed mass, minus 75 kg per seat. Here is an example, with figures to replace with your own:
| Step | Example |
|---|---|
| Maximum authorised mass on the logbook | 3,500 kg |
| Weight in running order | 2,900 kg |
| Seats × 75 kg | 2 × 75 = 150 kg |
| Remaining payload | 3,500 − 2,900 − 150 = 450 kg |
That margin has to cover luggage, food, kit and anything you add later. A heavy build, a large battery bank or an oversized water tank all eat into it. If your battery is not chosen yet, our method to size a van battery bank helps you avoid carrying more capacity than you need.
The cost of VASP registration and the new logbook
According to the DREAL Pays de la Loire, VASP registration costs €86.90 to approve, paid on the day the vehicle is presented, by cheque only, made out to the DREAL’s revenue officer. On top of that come the costs of building the file, such as the gas certificate or a roadworthiness test for a van over 4 years old, which depend on the provider you use.
Once you have the individual approval report, the registration certificate has to be changed. The French government’s Service-Public website gives a deadline of one month after the work. The application is made online through the ANTS website, with form cerfa no. 13750 and the report issued by the DREAL. You receive a temporary certificate valid for one month, and driving without completing the process risks a fine of up to €750.
Insurance follows the logbook. The French insurer Groupama points out that an insurer can refuse to pay out on a claim, and treat it as a fraudulent declaration, if the vehicle was insured on a registration certificate that does not match what it really is. Tell your insurer as soon as the new certificate arrives.
Getting ready for the VASP registration inspection day
Treat the VASP registration appointment like an MOT where you wrote the checklist yourself. Put the documents together in the order of your DREAL’s sheet, on paper and as files, and add a contents page that matches each requirement to the document that answers it. An inspector who finds the gas certificate or the weighbridge ticket straight away can spend more time on the van and less on the paperwork.
Present the van exactly as the file describes it: the same furniture, the same equipment, in the same places as on the drawings and photos. Make the furniture fixings, the gas bottle and its locker, the ventilation required by EN 721 and the markings on any added windows easy to reach. Empty the cupboards so they can be looked into without unpacking everything on the spot.
Bring the payment as well. The DREAL Pays de la Loire asks for a cheque for €86.90 made out to its revenue officer on the day. If you are a UK resident without a French bank account, check with your DREAL in advance how you can pay, since a cheque is the only method that sheet accepts.
Once you have the approval report, keep a copy with the receipts for the build. They are useful for your insurer and again if you sell the van, since a buyer will want proof that the conversion was approved.
Your VASP registration by type of project
| Project | What to plan for |
|---|---|
| Simple build with no gas and no structural change | Fixed equipment, drawings and photos, weighing in running order, seat and belt paperwork if you add seats |
| Build with a gas kitchen | Everything above, plus the EN 1949 and EN 721 certificate from an approved body |
| Pop-top roof, windows or a walk-through | Written manufacturer approval, marked glazing, proof of strength for the bulkhead |
Start by downloading your DREAL’s sheet, tick off the documents that apply to your build, then get the gas certified and the van weighed before you ask for an appointment. VASP registration is easiest when it is planned from the first sketch of the layout, since fixed furniture, marked windows and a certified gas system are simpler to build in than to add once the van is finished.