Free resource — keep it handy on the day

Checklist: your first campervan trip

Everything to check before booking, at pick-up, on the road and at drop-off. Print it or keep this page open on your phone.

1. Before booking: licence and vehicle size

☐ Licence: a standard car licence covers vehicles up to 3.5 t — nearly every rental. Check the registered weight on the listing (some A-classes exceed it and require a C1).
☐ Size: note the height, width and length (often 2.7 to 3 m tall). Those three numbers decide car parks, height bars and toll class.
☐ Berths vs registered seats: 5 berths does not mean 5 approved travel seats — the number of seat belts is what counts.
☐ Included mileage, deposit and excess: the three items that change the real total price between platforms. Read them before comparing displayed prices.
☐ Extra driver, pets, bedding, kitchen kit: often optional extras — add them to the quote before comparing.

☐ Film a full walk-around (time-stamped video): bodywork, windscreen, rims, tyres, roof if reachable — and the interior, cupboards open.
☐ Have every scratch written down on the condition report before signing; a defect not recorded at pick-up will be charged to you at drop-off.
☐ Ask for the demonstration: gas, heating, fridge, water pump, toilet, 230 V hook-up, awning. Ten minutes that save a miserable evening.
☐ Levels and paperwork: fuel (photo of the dashboard), insurance certificate, breakdown number, registration document, blank accident form.
☐ Deposit: amount, method (pre-authorisation or charge), release conditions — in writing.

☐ Motorhome service areas: ideal for one-night stops (water, waste disposal, often electricity), plentiful in France and Germany (Stellplätze). Arrive by late afternoon in summer.
☐ Campsites: for stays longer than a night — sanitary blocks, reliable electricity, services. Book ahead in July–August.
☐ Wild camping: forbidden or strictly regulated in most European countries — check country by country, and when in doubt aim for an official stopover.
☐ Pick your evening stop before setting off: hunting for a spot at 9 pm is the classic first-trip trap.

☐ Fresh water: fill up at the start; budget 10–20 L per person per day used sparingly.
☐ Grey water and toilet cassette: empty them at dedicated service points — never in nature or a street drain.
☐ Leisure battery: it powers lights, pump and fridge off-grid — watch the voltmeter, drive or hook up to recharge.
☐ 230 V: cable and CEE blue-plug adapter included? Check at pick-up.
☐ Gas: full bottle at the start, valve closed while driving, level checked before a remote weekend.

☐ Excess: note the amount and what it covers; excess reduction (offered by the platform or your bank card) is decided before departure.
☐ Roadside assistance: number saved in your phone, conditions read (towing, replacement vehicle).
☐ Height is your new enemy: covered car parks, petrol stations, branches, height bars. Stick a “2.9 m” note on the dashboard — the rental companies' own trick.
☐ Anticipate: longer braking, noticeable crosswind, wide mirrors. Do the first 50 kilometres on quiet roads, not in a city centre.

☐ Fuel: return the vehicle at the agreed level (usually full) — the operator's refill always costs more.
☐ Tanks emptied: grey water AND toilet cassette — the most frequently charged cleaning extra.
☐ Interior cleaning: swept, dishes clean, fridge emptied and defrosted if required.
☐ Return inspection: film the walk-around again, have the return sheet signed, keep a copy.
☐ Deposit: note the announced release period and follow up in writing if it slips.