VAN-COMPARATOR Guide
Mandatory motorhome equipment, country by country
Hi-vis vests, warning triangle, V-16 beacon, motorway vignettes, winter tyres: the mandatory motorhome equipment in France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the USA.
Crossing three countries in a week is routine in a motorhome — and every border changes the list of equipment required on board. In a rental, the vehicle is supposed to be compliant for its country of registration; checking the rest before an international itinerary is on you. Here is the tour.
The common European base
Almost everywhere in Europe: a warning triangle and a hi-vis vest reachable from the driver's seat — one per occupant in several countries (Italy requires one for anyone stepping onto the carriageway), so pack as many as there are travelers. In France, towing a trailer or fitting a bike rack that hides the plate requires a duplicate plate and lights. Check this equipment at handover, along with the condition report.
The quirks that catch people out
Spain: since January 2026, the connected V-16 light beacon replaces triangles for Spanish-registered vehicles — in a French-plated vehicle your triangles remain valid, but a van rented in Barcelona must carry one. Germany: a first-aid kit (DIN standard) is mandatory, on top of triangle and vest. Austria and Switzerland: a motorway vignette is required the moment you enter the network (about €12 for 10 days in Austria, about CHF 44 per year in Switzerland) — and above 3.5 t, the heavy-vehicle charges (GO-Box, LSVA) apply. Italy: vest mandatory outside built-up areas for any occupant getting out. Scandinavia: dipped headlights on day and night, all year round.
Winter: tyres and chains
Germany requires winter tyres in wintry conditions (Alpine marking), France applies the Mountain Law (winter tyres or chains on board in 34 departments from November 1 to March 31), Austria mandates winter tyres from November 1 to April 15. For a winter rental, check the 3PMSF marking on the tyres before signing: being turned back at a pass for missing equipment is on you.
And in the United States?
No federal mandatory kit for a rental RV: compliance (extinguisher, detectors) is the rental company's job. Your obligations: a valid license and, for Europeans, the recommended IDP — see our guide what license for a motorhome. Finally, budget: vignettes and charges come on top of classic tolls, detailed in fuel and tolls.