Living in a motorhome full time

Plenty of people sell up and live in a motorhome or campervan all year round. The log book, the driving licence, the electoral register and the GP surgery all still ask for an address, and each has its own way of handling that.

What the 1960 Act calls a caravan

The Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 has its own definition of a caravan. In Part I of the Act, a caravan is any structure "designed or adapted for human habitation" that can be moved from one place to another, "and any motor vehicle so designed or adapted".

The log book

"You must update your vehicle log book (V5C) if you change your address," GOV.UK says. It's usually free to update it.

DVLA's online service is for a new UK address, and you can also apply by post. GOV.UK says, "You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA when your address changes."

The driving licence

The same move means a new address on your licence. GOV.UK says, "You must update your provisional or full driving licence when you move." It also says, "It does not cost anything to change your address with DVLA."

You can still drive while you're waiting for your new licence.

Voting with no fixed address

GOV.UK says, "You can register to vote if you don't have a fixed address." There is a paper form for this, with versions for England, Wales and Scotland. The form is written for people who are homeless or have no fixed address.

To register, the form asks you to "give an address where you would be living if it were not for your current situation, or an address where you have lived in the past". You send the completed form to your electoral registration office. GOV.UK finds that office from a postcode, and the form says the office can help you fill it in.

Registering with a GP

In England, the NHS says a GP surgery will ask for your name, date of birth and address. It also says, "You do not need ID, proof of address or proof of immigration status."

The NHS adds that if you do not have a permanent address, you can register using a temporary address or the address of the GP surgery. You can also register with a surgery as a temporary patient for up to 3 months.

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