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 further details on the technical descriptions of vehicle types please see the relevant EU directive.
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 securely fitted to the living compartment. Tables that can be removed easily are acceptable.
Primarily a caravan should provide mobile living accommodation where a person (of average height) can move around comfortably while standing.
The living accommodation area should allow for a comfortable living environment for a person, or persons, for an extended period.
This would generally require the use of the whole of the rear compartment of a vehicle behind the driver's position. The living area must provide occupants with ready access internally to cooking, eating, sleeping and related facilities.
It is 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 the requirement for mobile living accommodation. When converting a vehicle to a motor caravan you must ensure that the conversions are sufficient to fulfil these requirements.
Vehicles are 'day vans' and do not qualify as motor caravans if the modifications do not sufficiently alter the interior of the rear compartment.
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 living 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 by the customer. 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.