Conversions
Specific vehicles
Motor caravans
A motor caravan is a special purpose European Union (EU) category M vehicle with an EU Body Work Code SA (for an explanation of the technical description of vehicle types please refer to the EU directive defining vehicle types).
It must be constructed to include living accommodation which contains at least the following equipment:
- seats and a table
- sleeping accommodation (which may be converted from the seats)
- cooking facilities
and
- storage facilities.
This equipment must be rigidly fixed to the living compartment. The table may be designed to be easily removable.
The primary purpose of a motor caravan is to provide mobile living accommodation where a person (of average height) could move around comfortably in a standing position.
The living accommodation space should be of a size and area to allow a comfortable living environment for a person, or persons, for an extended period of time.
This would generally require the use of the whole of the rear compartment of a vehicle behind the driver's compartment. It would require that the occupants have ready access to storage, preparation, cooking, eating, sleeping and related facilities, from within the living accommodation space.
It would be expected that the living accommodation space in the rear compartment would have side windows. Where cooking is by means of gas, a Gas Installer Certificate should also be available.
Motor caravans that are purpose built fulfil this requirement for mobile living accommodation. Vehicles converted to motor caravans must fulfil the requirement to provide living accommodation. The rear compartment must be modified sufficiently to contain all the fittings and fixtures reasonably expected of a motor caravan.
Vehicles are 'day vans' and do not qualify as motor caravans if the modifications do not significantly alter the interior of the rear compartment to include fittings and fixtures. Likewise, vehicles are 'day vans' if they only modify the boot storage area to provide exterior access to cooking facilities. Revenue will not accept a candidate in which the preparation, cooking, storage or other facilities, are reasonably accessible only from outside the vehicle.
Ambulances
An ambulance is an EU category M vehicle with an EU Body Work Code SC. Generally, an ambulance:
The basic requirements to obtain ambulance classification are:
- an EU Body Work Code of SC
and
- an ATC Certification that the vehicle meets the requirements of CEN 1789:2007.
Revenue must be satisfied that the criteria set out in CEN 1789:2007 have been fulfilled. This applies even if the vehicle has been previously registered as an ambulance in another State (for example, it is unlikely that an estate car or MPV will have the potential to qualify as an ambulance).
Please direct any queries about conversion work and standards to the NSAI.
For further information on ambulances please refer to the European Committee for Standardisation of Ambulances.