Overnight stops with a roof box or tent: access checks
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Before you book a hotel or campsite, check how your loaded vehicle will enter, park and leave. Roof equipment can change which car parks and access routes are practical.
Measure the vehicle as you will drive it
Measure the height with the roof box or tent closed and mounted the way you will travel. Check the manufacturer's instructions for the equipment and the vehicle. Keep a note of the figures where the driver can see them, and update it if the setup changes.
Do not assume that a standard vehicle height or an advertised parking height describes your car as you will drive it.
Know your maximum authorised mass
The maximum authorised mass (MAM) is the weight of the vehicle or trailer including the maximum load it can carry safely on the road. You can find it in the owner's manual. It is normally shown on a plate or sticker on the vehicle (GOV.UK: Vehicle weights explained).
The Highway Code says you must not overload your vehicle or trailer (Highway Code, rule 98).
A vehicle that fits beneath a barrier does not show that your roof equipment or total load is within limits. Keep loading and weight checks in your pre-trip plan.
Secure the load
The Highway Code says you must secure your load and it must not stick out dangerously (Highway Code, rule 98).
Check the fixings before you set off again after each overnight stop. Plan where you will store a removed roof box or tent before you arrive.
Ask the accommodation specific questions
Give the property your vehicle dimensions and ask about the route from the road to your space. Check gates, covered entrances, underground parking and whether you need to reserve a different bay.
Ask whether a late arrival changes access. Save the reply with your booking so that anyone driving can see the arrangement.
Check the paperwork for a trip abroad
For a trip abroad, you need to take your Great Britain or Northern Ireland driving licence, your log book (V5C) and your insurance certificate (GOV.UK: Driving abroad).
Check that you have the right vehicle insurance for each country you drive through (GOV.UK: Driving abroad). Ask your insurer whether your cover reflects your roof equipment and your route. For the full list of documents and kit by country, see the driving in Europe checklist or the driving abroad checklist tool.
Keep an alternative
Find a legal parking option in case the booked arrangement does not work. Do not assume you can unload a roof box at the entrance.
If you are weighing up a campsite against a hotel, Camping vs hotels on a road trip compares the two.
An overnight stop should make the end of the day simpler. Getting a clear access answer before you book means you will not arrive tired at a property that has a room for you but nowhere suitable for your vehicle.
FAQs
Does the Highway Code cover roof boxes?
Rule 98 says you must secure your load and it must not stick out dangerously. Check your equipment's instructions as well (Highway Code, rule 98).
Where do I find my vehicle's maximum authorised mass?
It is in the owner's manual. It is normally shown on a plate or sticker on the vehicle (GOV.UK: Vehicle weights explained).
What do I need to carry when I drive abroad?
Take your Great Britain or Northern Ireland driving licence, your log book (V5C) and your insurance certificate (GOV.UK: Driving abroad).
More in Planning
Sources
- maximum authorised mass definition, owner's manual and plate or sticker (checked )
- documents to carry: driving licence, log book V5C, insurance certificate; check insurance for countries driven through (checked )
- Highway Code rule 98: secure the load, do not let it stick out dangerously, do not overload (checked )