Last updated 29 September 2026.
Caravans don’t have a V5C, so the checks you run on a used car don’t carry straight over to a touring caravan. What you have instead is CRiS, the industry register that links a caravan’s 17-character VIN to its registered keeper and records whether it has been stolen, financed or written off. This guide explains what CRiS is, what a CRiS check tells you, how dealers register new caravans and transfer used ones, and what to do when the paperwork is missing.
This is general guidance based on the scheme’s own published pages and caravan club advice as of September 2026. Fees and processes change, so check the linked pages before you rely on a detail.
What is a CRiS check?
A CRiS check is a history check on a used touring caravan, run on its 17-character VIN. It costs £17.95 and tells you:
- whether the caravan has been reported stolen to the police
- whether it has outstanding finance with a finance house registered with CRiS
- whether it has been written off by an insurer registered with CRiS
- whether it is registered to a named keeper, plus the number of previous keepers and the make, model and age
What is CRiS?
CRiS is the Central Registration and Identification Scheme, the national register of UK touring caravan keepers. The scheme describes itself as “similar to the DVLA” and says it is recognised by regulatory bodies, insurers and police forces (CRiS: registration). You will also hear it called the Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme. For the trade body behind it, see our guide to the National Caravan Council and the Approved Workshop Scheme.
It was set up by the National Caravan Council in 1992 (The AA), and the AA says it is administered by HPI. The National Caravan Council still lists cris.co.uk among its sites.
The big difference from cars is that registration is voluntary. Cars, vans and motorhomes are road-going powered vehicles and must be registered with DVLA, but there is no such legal requirement for caravans (The AA). The Camping and Caravanning Club points out that, because it is not compulsory, later owners may never have re-registered a caravan in their own name after it was first sold (The Camping and Caravanning Club: choosing a used caravan). So a caravan registered to someone other than your seller is common, and not a problem on its own.
CRiS talks about touring caravans throughout its site. Its check is sold as a history check “on any pre-owned touring caravan”, so if you trade static holiday homes, ask CRiS directly what it holds before you rely on it.
The 17-character VIN and window etching
Every CRiS-registered caravan has a 17-character VIN, sometimes called the chassis number or the CRiS number. CRiS says you’ll find it on the main habitation door, in the bottom right-hand corner of each window (sometimes not the front windows, depending on the model) and stamped on the chassis, often on the A-frame. There may be extra VIN markers in places such as the door frame or gas locker (CRiS: FAQs).
The VIN is built from the World Manufacturer Identifier, an axle description, the manufacturer’s model codes, a date letter and a unique serial number. The Camping and Caravanning Club explains that the 10th character gives the model year, and that a caravan model year runs from the previous September. So a 2010 model year caravan was built between 1 September 2009 and 31 August 2010. N means 1992, P 1993 and so on up to Y for 2000 (O, Q and U are not used), then 1 to 9 for 2001 to 2009, and A and B for 2010 and 2011, with the sequence carrying on through the alphabet after that (The Camping and Caravanning Club). Because the letters repeat, N can mean 1992 or 2022, so use the caravan’s condition and specification to tell the decades apart. Check the year on the advert against that character before you price the caravan.
A VIN shorter than 17 characters has two usual explanations, according to CRiS:
- the caravan was built before 1992 or outside the UK, never registered with CRiS, and carries a manufacturer’s serial number instead
- the VIN has been tampered with
That second reason is why the windows matter. Check that the chassis number matches the number on every window. If they differ, CRiS says to contact it straight away. A replaced window is an innocent cause of a mismatch, but you want that confirmed before you buy.
What a CRiS check shows
A CRiS check tells you whether a touring caravan has been reported stolen, has outstanding finance or has been written off by an insurer, and whether it is registered to a named keeper. The finance and write-off results cover specialist finance houses and insurers registered with CRiS (CRiS: CRiS check).
The CRiS FAQs add that the check confirms how many previous registered keepers the caravan has had, the make, model and age, and the name of the current keeper if you already know it. CRiS will not release a keeper’s name unless it has their authority, so you can confirm a name but not fish for one.
You do not need to be registered with CRiS to buy a check (Caravan and Motorhome Club: registering your caravan).
If you also take cars in part exchange, our guide to Cat S and Cat N write-off categories explains how the motor insurance categories work.
How a dealer runs a CRiS check
You run a CRiS check online at cris.co.uk or by phoning the CRiS contact centre on 0203 282 1000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm. Have the 17-character VIN and a debit or credit card ready for the £17.95 fee (CRiS: FAQs). CRiS also has an organisation login on its site for businesses with an account.
A sensible routine for every used tourer you take in:
- Read the VIN off the caravan yourself. Take it from the chassis and a window, not from the seller’s paperwork or advert.
- Check it is 17 characters and that the windows and chassis agree. CRiS warns that 0 and O, or 5 and S, are easy to confuse, so compare the windows with the paperwork if the system does not recognise the VIN.
- Run the check before you agree a price, not after you have paid.
- Compare the keeper. If the seller is not the named keeper, find out why. As above, an old keeper can simply mean nobody re-registered it.
- Keep the result with the caravan’s records and your purchase invoice.
If the check comes back showing the caravan as stolen, CRiS’s advice is not to panic. Contact CRiS with the VIN, and it will take details of the purchase and liaise with the police and insurers (CRiS: FAQs).
Registering new caravans and transferring ownership
For a brand new caravan, the dealer registers the buyer with CRiS, free of charge. CRiS tells new-caravan buyers not to register themselves, because the notification has to come from the dealer and they would be charged (CRiS: registration). Make it part of your handover checklist, so the customer’s CRiS Registration Document arrives without them chasing you.
For a used caravan, keepership moves in two halves:
- The seller fills in the CVR7 (Notification of Sale or Transfer) section of the registration document with the new keeper’s details, signs and dates it, and posts it to CRiS (CRiS: FAQs). They can also tell CRiS online or by phone. There is no fee for telling CRiS about a sale (Caravan and Motorhome Club).
- The new keeper registers by phone, online, or by filling in the CVR8 section and posting it with a cheque for £20.95 to CRiS Ltd, Unit 1, First Floor, Greenways Business Park, Bellinger Close, Chippenham, SN15 1BN. The £20.95 is a one-off fee for as long as they are the keeper (CRiS: FAQs).
When you buy a used tourer in, ask the seller to complete their part in front of you. When you sell one on, tell your customer how to register it and what it costs. Many insurers want CRiS registration before they process a claim, which is a good reason for your customer not to leave it (CRiS: registration).
When the documents are missing
Missing CRiS paperwork is common and fixable, but run a CRiS check first. CRiS’s advice for a used caravan with lost documents is to perform a check, and only register once you are satisfied with the report and have bought it (CRiS: FAQs).
The other cases you will meet:
- The registered keeper has lost the document. They can order a replacement online or by phone for £15.95 including VAT and postage, using the VIN (CRiS: replacement documents). Since 2016 CRiS has issued anti-counterfeit documents with a keep safe card.
- A pre-1992 caravan. Touring caravans made before 1992 are not automatically registered. CRiS runs a provenance check on age, details and the security register, then creates a unique VIN and sends a VIN CHIP® marking kit with the registration document.
- An imported caravan. Imports are not automatically registered either. CRiS has a separate import process that adds a 17-character VIN.
- The VIN does not match the document. Contact CRiS with both numbers so it can work out where the difference came from.
If a private seller has no documents, no ID and wants to meet you somewhere other than their home, walk away. The Camping and Caravanning Club says never to buy a caravan presented anywhere other than the seller’s home or a genuine storage site, and to ask for ID and proof of ownership (The Camping and Caravanning Club).
Security marking and theft
Newer caravans carry electronic identity chips as well as the etched VIN. The Caravan and Motorhome Club says caravans from 1998 may have one or more hidden chips the police can read with a scanner, and that the latest can be read from up to 15m away, even when the caravan is moving (Caravan and Motorhome Club: what is CRiS?).
CRiS sells VIN CHIP® kits to retro-fit older tourers, with RFID chips, tamper-evident window labels and microdots, and says VIN CHIP® is a Police Preferred Specification product under Secured by Design (CRiS: VIN CHIP®).
If a caravan is stolen from your forecourt or storage, CRiS’s order is: report it to the police and get a crime reference number, tell your insurer, tell the provider of any tracker fitted, then call CRiS so it can record the caravan as stolen (CRiS: advice).
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Taking the VIN from the advert or paperwork | Read it off the chassis and windows yourself, and check they all match. |
| Checking after you have paid | Run the CRiS check before you agree a price or hand over money. |
| Walking away because the keeper is out of date | Registration is voluntary, so an old keeper is common. Ask why, and rely on the stolen, finance and write-off results. |
| Letting a new-caravan buyer register it themselves | The dealer registers new caravans, free. The customer would be charged if they did it. |
| Ignoring a short VIN | A VIN under 17 characters means pre-1992, imported, or tampered with. Find out which. |
Selling to consumers also brings duties beyond the history check. The Camping and Caravanning Club reminds buyers that a dealer sale gives them the right to goods of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. Our guide to the Consumer Rights Act 2015 for used dealers covers the 30-day right to reject, repairs and the six-month rule.
Buying a used caravan? What to check
If you are buying a used touring caravan from a dealer or a private seller:
- Ask for the VIN and check it matches the windows, the chassis plate and the paperwork before paying a deposit.
- Run a CRiS check for £17.95, online or on 0203 282 1000.
- See the caravan at the seller’s home or a proper storage site, and ask for ID and proof of ownership.
- After you buy, register it in your name with CRiS, and keep the registration document with you rather than in the caravan.
Ask for its habitation check history too, including the latest damp report.
How Haswent helps
Haswent runs caravan and motorhome dealers in the same stock system as cars and vans. You can track each unit’s costs and days in stock, and keep files such as service paperwork and your check results against it, choosing which ones customers can see. Online appraisals let customers send photos and details of their part exchange from their phone before they visit.
Contact us for a demo.Sources
- CRiS: registration
- CRiS: CRiS check
- CRiS: frequently asked questions
- CRiS: replacement documents
- CRiS: VIN CHIP®
- CRiS: advice on stolen caravans and travelling abroad
- National Caravan Council
- The Camping and Caravanning Club: choosing a used caravan
- Caravan and Motorhome Club: what is CRiS?
- Caravan and Motorhome Club: registering your caravan
- The AA: caravan registration and identification scheme
Frequently asked questions
What is a CRiS check?
A CRiS check is a history check on a used touring caravan, run on its 17-character VIN through the Central Registration and Identification Scheme. It shows whether the caravan has been reported stolen, has outstanding finance or has been written off by an insurer registered with CRiS, and whether it is registered to a named keeper. It costs £17.95 online at cris.co.uk or by phone on 0203 282 1000.
Do caravans have to be registered?
No. Unlike cars, vans and motorhomes, touring caravans do not have to be registered with DVLA, and CRiS registration is voluntary. New UK caravans are registered with CRiS when they are first sold, but later owners do not always re-register them, so the keeper on record may be out of date. Many insurers want CRiS registration before they process a claim.
Where is the VIN on a caravan?
CRiS says the 17-character VIN is on the main habitation door, in the bottom right-hand corner of each window (sometimes not the front windows) and stamped on the chassis, often on the A-frame. There may be extra markers in places such as the door frame or gas locker. The chassis number should match the number on every window.
Who registers a new caravan with CRiS?
The dealer. When a brand new caravan is sold, the dealer submits the registration and the buyer is registered free of charge. CRiS asks new-caravan buyers not to register themselves, because they would be charged.
How do you transfer a caravan to a new owner?
The seller completes the CVR7 notification of sale section of the CRiS registration document, signs and dates it and posts it to CRiS, or tells CRiS online or by phone, free of charge. The new keeper then registers online, by phone or by posting the CVR8 section with a cheque. Registration is a one-off fee of £20.95 for as long as they are the keeper.
What if a used caravan has no CRiS documents?
Run a CRiS check first to make sure the caravan is not recorded as stolen, on finance or written off. Once you are satisfied and have bought it, you can register it in your name. If the registered keeper has only lost the document, they can order a replacement for £15.95 using the VIN.
Why does a caravan VIN have fewer than 17 characters?
CRiS says a shorter number usually means the caravan was built before 1992 or outside the UK and was never registered, so it carries a manufacturer's serial number instead. It can also mean the VIN has been tampered with. CRiS can register pre-1992 and imported caravans and give them a 17-character VIN after a provenance check.