Motorhome & RV Guide: Driving in Europe

Everything you need to know before hitting the road with your motorhome, campervan, or caravan in Europe.

Last updated: April 2026

Weight Classes & Driving Licences

Motorhomes in Europe fall into weight categories that determine which driving licence you need, speed limits, toll rates, and which roads you can use.

B96 & BE for caravans

If you tow a caravan with a car, the combined weight matters:

• B licence — car + caravan up to 3,500 kg total
• B96 — car + caravan between 3,500 and 4,250 kg (one-day course, no test in most countries)
• BE — car + caravan over 4,250 kg (requires a separate test)

Speed Limits by Country

Speed limits for motorhomes vary significantly across Europe and often depend on the vehicle's weight. Below are limits in km/h for motorhomes under 3.5 tonnes (same as cars in most countries) and over 3.5 tonnes.

Country	Built-up	Rural road	Motorway	>3.5t motorway
Sweden	50	70–90	110–120	90
Norway	50	80	100–110	80
Denmark	50	80	130	80
Finland	50	80	120	80
Germany	50	100	none*	80–100
Netherlands	50	80	100–130	80
France	50	80	130	110
Spain	50	90	120	90
Italy	50	90	130	100
Austria	50	100	130	80
Switzerland	50	80	120	100
Croatia	50	90	130	90
Slovenia	50	90	130	80
Portugal	50	90	120	90
Poland	50	90	140	80
Czechia	50	90	130	80
United Kingdom	48 (30mph)	97 (60mph)	113 (70mph)	97 (60mph)

* Germany: no general motorway speed limit for vehicles under 3.5t, but 130 km/h recommended. Over 3.5t: 80 km/h on rural roads, 80–100 on motorways depending on lanes.

Tolls & Vignettes

Some countries charge tolls per use, others require a prepaid vignette (sticker or electronic). Here's an overview:

Vignette countries (time-based sticker/e-vignette)

Country	Type	Where to buy	Price guide (2026)
Austria	Digital vignette	asfinag.at, petrol stations, border crossings	~€10 (10 days), ~€40 (2 months), ~€96 (year)
Switzerland	E-vignette (2024+)	e-vignette.ch, border crossings, post offices	CHF 40 (year only, valid Dec–Jan)
Czechia	E-vignette	edalnice.cz	~CZK 270 (10 days), ~CZK 430 (30 days)
Slovenia	E-vignette	evinjeta.dars.si, petrol stations	~€16 (7 days), ~€32 (month)
Hungary	E-vignette	ematrica.hu	~HUF 5,420 (10 days)
Slovakia	E-vignette	eznamka.sk	~€12 (10 days)
Romania	E-vignette (Rovinieta)	roviniete.ro	~€4 (7 days)
Bulgaria	E-vignette	bgtoll.bg	~BGN 15 (7 days)

Toll-per-use countries

Country	System	Notes
France	Toll booths / télépéage	Pay at booths or get a Liber-t badge for automatic payment. Rates depend on vehicle height (over/under 3m) and axles.
Italy	Toll booths / Telepass	Pay at booths. Motorhomes over 3m height or with 3+ axles pay more.
Spain	Toll booths (some motorways)	Many motorways are free. Toll roads mainly along the coast and Basque Country.
Portugal	Via Verde / toll booths	Some motorways use electronic-only tolling — register at portugaltolls.com or buy a prepaid card at the border.
Croatia	Toll booths	Pay at booths on the A1 motorway and other major routes.
Poland	e-TOLL	Pay via the e-TOLL app or at petrol stations. Applies to motorways and some expressways.
Norway	AutoPASS / EPC	Automatic number plate recognition. Register at autopass.no for discounts, or an invoice is sent to your home country.

Toll-free countries

Sweden, Denmark (except bridges), Finland, Germany (under 3.5t), Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom have no general motorway tolls for vehicles under 3.5t.

Emission Zones & Euro Classes

Many European cities have Low Emission Zones (LEZ) or Environmental Zones that restrict older, more polluting vehicles. Your vehicle's Euro emission class determines access.

Euro emission classes

Dates shown are for new type approvals. First registration dates may be 1–2 years later.

Country-specific stickers & registrations

Country	System	Where to get it
Germany	Umweltplakette (green sticker) — required for most city centres. Euro 4+ diesel / Euro 1+ petrol get green.	Online (~€6–15), TUV/DEKRA, or at the border. One sticker valid for all German cities.
France	Crit'Air vignette — numbered 1–5 by emission level. Required in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg, and many more cities.	certificat-air.gouv.fr (~€4). Takes 1–3 weeks by post. Print a temporary PDF if travelling soon.
Belgium	LEZ registration — Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent have LEZs. Foreign vehicles must register online (free).	lez.brussels, slimnaarantwerpen.be
Netherlands	Milieuzones in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and others. Diesel Euro 4+ and petrol Euro 1+ typically allowed. Enforcement by camera.	No sticker needed — automatic plate recognition.
Spain	Distintivo Ambiental in Madrid and Barcelona. Foreign vehicles can register online.	DGT website
Italy	ZTL (traffic-restricted zones) and Area B/C in Milan. Rules vary by city. Some ban diesel Euro 4 and below.	No national sticker — check each city's rules.

Required Equipment by Country

Every European country has slightly different rules about what you must carry in your vehicle. Here are the most common requirements:

Country	Warning triangle	Hi-vis vest	First aid kit	Fire extinguisher	Headlamp stickers
Sweden	Yes	Recommended	Recommended	Recommended	No
Norway	Yes	Yes	Recommended	Recommended	No
Denmark	Yes	Recommended	Recommended	Recommended	No
Finland	Yes	Yes	Recommended	Recommended	No
Germany	Yes	Yes	Yes	Recommended	No
France	Yes	Yes	Recommended	Recommended	Yes (RHD)
Spain	Yes (x2)	Yes	Recommended	Recommended	No
Italy	Yes	Yes	Recommended	Recommended	No
Austria	Yes	Yes	Yes	Recommended	No
Switzerland	Yes	Recommended	Recommended	Recommended	No
Croatia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Poland	Yes	Recommended	Recommended	Yes	No
UK	Recommended	Recommended	Recommended	Recommended	No

Spain requires two warning triangles for Spanish-registered vehicles. Foreign-registered motorhomes need one. France requires headlamp beam deflectors for right-hand drive vehicles.

Alcohol Limits

Blood alcohol limits vary across Europe. Penalties are severe in most countries — fines, licence suspension, or even imprisonment.

Winter Tyres & Snow Chains

Country	Winter tyres	Snow chains
Sweden	Mandatory 1 Dec – 31 Mar (min 3mm tread). Also required when conditions demand it.	Not required but recommended in mountain areas.
Norway	Mandatory 1 Nov – first Sunday after Easter. Studded tyres allowed but require extra fees in some cities.	Must carry chains for vehicles over 3.5t in winter.
Finland	Mandatory 1 Nov – 31 Mar (min 3mm tread). Studded tyres common.	Not required.
Germany	Situational — required in winter conditions (ice, snow, slush). No fixed dates, but M+S or 3PMSF marked tyres needed.	Required on some alpine passes (signed).
Austria	Mandatory 1 Nov – 15 Apr in winter conditions. Fine: €5,000 if involved in an accident without them.	Must carry chains if signed. Required on many alpine roads.
France	Mandatory in 48 mountain departments 1 Nov – 31 Mar (Loi Montagne). Either winter tyres or carry chains.	Required on roads marked with B26 sign.
Italy	Varies by region. Generally 15 Nov – 15 Apr on motorways and main roads.	Required on many alpine roads (signposted).
Switzerland	No legal requirement, but you can be fined if you block traffic due to inadequate tyres. Insurance may not cover you.	Required on roads marked with the chain sign.

Gas, LPG & Ferry Rules

LPG/Autogas refilling

LPG is widely available across Europe, but connector adapters vary by country:

• ACME (screw) — Germany, Belgium, Ireland, most of Eastern Europe
• Dish / Dutch — Netherlands, Scandinavia, France, Spain
• Bayonet — United Kingdom, Spain (some)
• Euronozzle — Italy, France (newer stations), gradually becoming standard

Gas bottles

Refilling foreign gas bottles can be tricky. Many countries only exchange their domestic bottles (e.g., Primagaz in Scandinavia, Campingaz in France). Consider a refillable system like Gaslow, or carry an adapter for LPG stations.

Ferry rules for gas

• Most ferries require you to turn off all gas appliances and close the main gas valve before boarding.
• Some Scandinavian ferries (Stena Line, DFDS, Color Line) may require you to declare LPG cylinders.
• Gas cylinders must be properly secured and within legal size limits (typically max 2 bottles, total 26 kg).
• Vehicles with LPG/autogas systems must have a valid gas installation certificate in some countries.

Overnight Parking & Wild Camping

Rules for overnight parking vary dramatically across Europe:

Country	Overnight parking	Notes
Sweden	Generally allowed (Allemansrätten)	Right of public access allows one night in most areas. Not in private gardens, cultivated land, or near houses. Some municipalities restrict motorhome parking.
Norway	Generally allowed (Allemannsretten)	Similar to Sweden. Stay 150m from nearest house. Max 2 nights in one spot.
Finland	Generally allowed (Jokamiehenoikeus)	Everyman's rights. One night, away from houses.
Denmark	Restricted	Wild camping is not allowed in motorhomes. Use designated areas or "quick stops" (max 1 night at some rest areas).
Germany	One night to restore driving ability	Parking overnight on public roads is tolerated for one night to "restore driving ability". No camping behaviour (awning out, chairs, etc.).
France	Tolerated on public roads	Similar to Germany. Many municipalities provide free aires de camping-car. Some towns ban motorhome parking — look for signs.
Spain	Regional rules	Generally tolerated for one night in many areas. Barcelona and some coastal towns have bans. Inland usually fine.
Italy	Tolerated	Many dedicated aree di sosta. Some towns have parking bans for motorhomes — fines can be €200+.
Croatia	Not allowed outside campsites	Wild camping is illegal. Fines up to €400. Use campsites or designated areas.
Portugal	Restricted (since 2021)	Motorhome overnight parking outside designated areas is banned in coastal and protected areas. Use official áreas de pernoita.

Size & Dimension Limits

Standard maximum dimensions for motorhomes on European roads:

• Width: 2.55 m (2.60 m with mirrors retracted for some countries)
• Height: 4.00 m (no EU-wide limit, but bridges and tunnels may be lower — especially in the UK and older city centres)
• Length: 12.00 m for a rigid motorhome, 18.75 m for car + caravan combination

Rear overhang & bike racks

If your bike rack or cargo carrier extends beyond the vehicle body, rules vary:

• Spain & Italy: A reflective rear marker board (striped red/white) is mandatory when any load (bikes, box) overhangs the rear. Fines €80–200.
• Other countries: Generally recommended. The load must not extend more than 1 m behind without markings, or be wider than the vehicle.