Have you wondered about how to buy a campervan in Europe? Or if it’s even possible to buy a motorhome or RV in Europe as a non-European resident?
If you’re from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada or anywhere outside Europe, you’ve might think it can’t be done.
The good news? That’s a myth.
The reality is that while buying a campervan is easy, registering and insuring one as a non-resident is a little more complicated.
We’ve been living full-time in Europe in our own campervan for over two years. Before we bought, we researched the main options available and chose the system that worked best for us. And two years later, we still think we made the right choice.
In this guide we’ll compare the options, explain the pros and cons of each, and help you decide which one is right for YOUR travels.
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Why not rent?
The choice between renting and buying will really depend on how long you plan to travel for. For a two week to two month holiday, renting is almost always the better option. You simply collect the van, enjoy your trip and hand the keys back at the end. No paperwork. No ongoing costs. No worries.
A rental van will cost you around €100-€200 per day, depending on the size of the van, and the “optional extras” you decide to go with. Insurance is obvious, but be aware, some rental companies will even charge extra for bed linen and towels!
Once your trip starts getting longer, the figures begin to change.
If you’re planning to spend six months or longer travelling Europe, buying can work out cheaper than renting. And if you’re planning to travel full-time, or spend years exploring Europe like we are, owning your own campervan can save you a significant amount of money over the long term.
Why Buy a campervan in Europe?
When you own your campervan, it’s yours. You can set it up exactly how you like it. Install solar panels. Upgrade the fridge and toilet (all things we’ve done). Whatever makes life on the road easier for you.
There’s also no need to worry about mileage limits or return dates. You can stay longer if you fall in love with a place, or change your plans completely. That’s one of the biggest advantages of owning your own van. You’re free to travel at your own pace.
For us, our campervan isn’t a holiday vehicle. It’s our home. We sleep in it every day. We cook in it. We work from it. That simply isn’t the same experience as driving a rental camper for a few weeks. Having our van feel like “home” is important to us.
Then, when the time eventually comes to move on, you can sell the campervan and recover some of your investment. Unlike renting, where every payment is gone forever, buying gives you the opportunity to get a good portion of your money back.
That doesn’t mean buying is the right choice for everyone. But if Europe is more than just a short holiday, it’s definitely an option worth considering.
How to buy a campervan in Europe
Buying a campervan in Europe is the easy part.
The real challenge comes afterwards.
To legally drive a vehicle in Europe, it needs to be registered, insured, and kept roadworthy. Each country has its own rules, which is where things get complicated for non-residents.
Let’s break it down.
Buying the campervan
Anyone can buy a campervan. There are many websites where you can look to purchase a second hand (used) campervan. We used mobile.de (if you google “mobile.de in English” you’ll get the English version).
You can also buy from a dealer, who will help you with the paperwork and transferring the registration. Buying from a dealer often includes a warranty.
If you find one you like and can pay for it, the seller will usually hand over the keys without issue. Your nationality doesn’t really matter.
Paying for the van can sometimes cause headaches, we’ll come back to that.
Registering the campervan
This is where things get tricky.
Most European countries require a local address AND a national ID for registration. So it’s not simply a matter of registering your vehicle at your auntie’s address!
*NOTE: If you buy a campervan in the UK, you can probably use your auntie’s address (or a friend’s) making the UK much simpler. BUT, almost all campervans for sale in the UK are Right Hand Drive, which is more difficult for driving on the continent. For the purposes of this guide, we are focussing on buying a van in continental Europe.
You COULD register the van in your auntie’s name (or any other friend or relative) but that brings with it a whole other set of problems around liability and crossing borders.
Without a local address and ID, you may own the van but still not be allowed to drive it legally. This is why many people use specialist registration services that handle things for non-residents.
Insurance
Insurance is tied to registration.
Insurers usually need the vehicle properly registered before they’ll cover it. Once that’s sorted, getting insurance is usually straightforward.
Road tax and inspections
Depending on the country, you may also need to pay annual road tax and complete regular roadworthiness inspections.
Costs and rules vary a lot across Europe, so it’s worth checking this before choosing where to register.
How to legally own and drive a van in Europe
OK, so after ruling out buying a campervan in the UK, or, buying it in your European auntie’s name, there are three main options open to you. These are France (Euro Camping Cars), the Netherlands (Harro) and Germany (CarTurf).
France (Euro Camping Cars)
France has been a popular option for many years. Euro Camping Cars is a company set up in France by and Englishman to help foreigners (particularly English speakers) navigate how to register a campervan in Europe.
Basically the French system involves you setting up a company (Societe Civile) in France. You become a director of the company, which owns the campervan. The van is then registered and insured in the company name.
While this sounds complicated, Euro Camping Cars take care of all the paperwork and set up for you. They even have vans for sale – both new and used.
Pros
- Long-established company
- Full support during the registration process
- Assistance buying and selling
- Storage facility if you need to leave the van
Cons
- Higher set up costs
Costs
Your initial costs will include setting up the French company (€1800-2000) and registration of your vehicle (€650). The only ongoing cost is €150 per year for your French company address. France does not have a road tax, instead they have tolls on their motorways.
Insurance costs will be extra depending on the value of the vehicle.
Who it’s best for
The French system is ideal for people who want a proven, fully managed solution and don’t mind paying a higher cost upfront for the convenience.
The Netherlands (Harro)
Do any amount of research on buying and registering a campervan in Europe, and you’re bound to come across the name Harro. He’s a Dutchman who has been helping non-Europeans buy and register vehicles for years.
His main offering was traditionally a buyback system, where you would buy and register a van through him, and at the end of your journey he would guarantee to buy the vehicle back from you. While Harro still offers this service, he is now offering a registration and insurance service too.
As the ongoing costs of driving a Dutch registered vehicle are quite high (road tax can be over €1000 a year), Harro is now offering to register vehicles in Germany too (through his German partner companies).
Pros
- Three options: Buy and buy back, registration only, purchase assistance
- Full support during the purchase process
- Choice of Dutch or German registration
Cons
- Higher set up and ongoing costs
Costs
€3000 for the purchase assistance program. €1400 per year for the registration program plus a €1000 bond. Insurance costs will be extra depending on the value of the vehicle.
Who its best for
In our opinion, this is the best option if your Europe Road Trip is 6-12 months and has a set end date, as you can have a guaranteed buy back and not have to worry about selling the van yourself.
Germany (CarTurf)
CarTurf in Germany is relatively new to the scene, but they are quickly making an impact. CarTurf was set up by Marcus, an American expat living in Germany.
Once you’ve bought your campervan, CarTurf takes care of the registration process, arranges German number plates and organises insurance through a specialist provider. You remain the legal owner, while CarTurf acts as the Halter (registered holder) for registration purposes.
This allows the vehicle to be registered, taxed and insured in Germany, even if you don’t have a European address or residency.
CarTurf also handle the annual administration, vehicle tax and any official correspondence relating to the registration, leaving you free to simply enjoy travelling.
Pros
- No need to establish your own company.
- You remain the legal owner of the campervan.
- German registration and insurance without European residency.
- Most of the process can be completed remotely.
- Ongoing administration is handled for you.
- Storage available from €50 per month
Cons
Ongoing monthly administration costs
Costs
CarTurf charges a €249 set up fee to cover transferring the registration and organising license plates. The ongoing monthly admin fee ranges from €99 per month to €299 depending on the value of the vehicle.
You will also need to pay German Road Tax (depending on the size and emissions level of your vehicle) and insurance will be an additional ongoing cost.
Who its best for
In our opinion, this is an excellent option for people planning to spend months or years travelling Europe, particularly full-time vanlifers like us. CarTurf is also a great option if you’re planning to leave your van in Europe and return each year, as they have very affordable storage options.
If you want to own your campervan personally without establishing a company, and you’d rather have someone take care of the paperwork while you focus on the adventure, the German system offers a straightforward and well-supported solution.
Other Options
Bulgaria offers a similar solution to France, in which you set up a company that owns the campervan. This can be a good, budget friendly option, however, there is no dedicated company in Bulgaria to assist. You’ll need to find an accountant to take care of all the paperwork involved with setting up a company.
We spoke to several people who’ve gone down this route, however, none of them were prepared to recommend an accountant to us – which said enough!
In the past, Andorra offered an option where you could have a “temporary” registration that you could renew annually. Aussies Lockie and Ash chose Andorra for their first campervan.
By the time we were looking, Andorra had changed their regulations meaning that this option is only available for newer Euro6 (and hence more expensive) vehicles, which ruled this option out for us.
Why we chose CarTurf
We chose Germany/CarTurf for several reasons.
Firstly, there is probably the best range of second-hand (used) campervans available in Germany, meaning we’d have a great choice.
In Germany, all second hand vehicles sold by a dealer come with a statutory 12 month warranty, which meant were had less risk of buying a lemon.
Germany only requires a TÜV (safety inspection) every 2 years, unlike the UK which requires an MOT annually.
Marcus from CarTurf was really easy to deal with. He’s an American expat, so there were no language hurdles.
Lastly, there were no huge upfront costs, meaning all our money could go on the actual van.
How we bought our campervan in Europe
In the weeks leading up to our arrival in Germany, we searched for campervans online, mainly using the website mobile.de. We also used the app Kleineanlage, which is a bit like ebay in German. (note you will need a German phone number to contact sellers with this app, even through the app’s messaging system. Also, the app is only in German)
Once we arrived in Germany, we looked at a couple of vans, two in dealers and one privately. Then we visited the dealer Best Car & Camper in Karlstadt am Main, which is just north of Würzburg. They have a huge range of campervans and motorhomes (called Wohnmobil in Germany).
They organised us a TÜV inspection so we felt confident the van was safe to be on the road (and this also meant we had a full 2 years before the next inspection was due).
They liaised with CarTurf to organise the registration for us. The whole process only took a couple of days, then we had our own number plates fitted to the vehicle and off we drove.
Top tips for a stress free process
Firstly, do your research. Know what sort of vans are available in your price range. Yes, you will pay a little more if you buy from a dealer, but remember, if you buy in Germany, you’re getting a 12 month warranty.
The most important thing (and this is where we had problems) is to get your money organised. We had left our money in our Australian bank account, and when it came time to pay for the van, the bank was restricting our withdrawls. We had to withdraw over several days, which was stressful and made the process lengthier than it needed to be.
We recommend opening a Revolut or Wise account (you’ll use this all the time in Europe), and transferring your money there before you leave your home country. This way you can go into your bank and explain why you’re transferring a large sum of money!
Take the time to get a full hand-over with the owner or dealer. We had Johan from BCC do a thorough walk around (with the lovely Carmen translating), and we filmed the whole thing so we could refer back. That really helped us with the unfamiliar systems!
FAQs
Can a non-European resident buy a campervan in Europe?
Yes. Non-European residents can legally buy and own a campervan in Europe. The biggest challenge isn’t purchasing the vehicle, it’s registering and insuring it.
There are companies in France, Germany and the Netherlands that offer legal solutions that allow non-residents to register and drive a campervan without becoming a European resident.
Which country is the best for buying a campervan in Europe?
There isn’t necessarily a “best” country. It depends on your travel plans and personal circumstances. We chose Germany because they seemed to have the biggest range of campervans and the best prices.
We also trusted the German regulations for safety inspections, and felt confident we weren’t buying a lemon!
Do I need a European address to register a campervan?
In most European countries, yes. That’s why specialist services such as CarTurf exist. They (and similar companies in France and the Netherlands) provide legal registration solutions that allow non-European residents to own and register a campervan without having their own European residential address.
Is it cheaper to buy or rent a campervan in Europe?
If you’re travelling for just a few weeks, renting a campervan in Europe is usually the most economical option. However, if you’re planning to travel for several months or live on the road full-time, buying a van can be significantly cheaper over the long term.
Owning your van also gives you the freedom to customise your vehicle, travel at your own pace and recover some of your investment when you eventually sell it.
Can I drive a European-registered campervan throughout Europe?
Yes. Once your campervan is legally registered and insured, you can generally travel throughout the European Union and many neighbouring countries. We have driven through a lot of the EU and also throughout the Balkans.
However, it’s important to check your insurance and registration documents before travelling outside the EU. We did have to buy additional insurance at the border when we entered Kosovo, as our German insurance didn’t cover us driving there.
Other countries as countries such as Morocco, Turkey and even the UK may have additional requirements. We needed to add Tunisia to our policy when we visited that country (there was no additional charge), and when we visit Turkey next year, we will be able to add that country for an additional premium.
Isn’t it just easier to buy a campervan in the UK?
Buying a motorhome in the UK is certainly easy, and you could register it at a family member or friend’s address without having to be a resident yourself. It can be tricky (and expensive) getting insurance without a proven driving record in the UK.
The main reason we chose not to buy in the UK is because almost all the campervans available there are Right Hand Drive. Definitely easier for us coming from Australia, but not so easy when we drive onto the continent!
Watch our video
If you’d prefer to watch this information in video format, we created a video on How to buy a van in Europe (as a non-European).
Final thoughts
Travelling around Europe in a campervan or motorhome is a great way to see the continent. You’ll not only save money on hotel accommodation, but you’ll be able to travel at your own pace. You can linger longer if you love somewhere, or leave early if you don’t.
We’ve found that continental Europeans are very welcoming towards campervans, and we’ve struck up conversations with locals along the way who are really interested in what we’re doing – especially in Germany when they learn we’re an Aussie/Kiwi couple travelling in a German van.
If you’re thinking seriously about buying a van and travelling Europe, check out our e-book “How to travel Europe by Campervan, Motorhome or RV“