Behind the Compliance Plate: Why Your Caravan Could Be Heavier Than You Think

Being overweight can stop you in your tracks, Have you van weighed!

When most people buy a caravan, they take the compliance plate at face value. If it says the tare weight is 2,800 kg and the ATM is 3,500 kg, that should mean 700 kg of payload to play with — easy, right? But the reality on the road is often very different.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen more caravans hitting the weighbridge and coming up hundreds of kilos heavier than expected. Why? Because tare weights rarely account for all the accessories, upgrades and water you end up carrying. Optional extras like solar panels, larger batteries, air conditioners, toolboxes or bike racks all add up. By the time a van leaves the factory, stops at a dealer for more fittings, and then finally reaches its owner, it can be a completely different weight to what’s written on the plate.

This isn’t just an accounting error, it’s a safety issue. When a van tips over its legal weight limits, braking distances increase, suspension works harder, and tyres are put under strain. Overloading can even void insurance claims or warranties if something goes wrong. And with roadside compliance checks becoming more common, an overweight van can lead to defect notices or fines.

At Offroad Grit RV, we take weight seriously from the very first sketch. When we CAD-design your custom van, we work out the weights as we go. By the time your design is finished, we can tell you your approximate tare weight and give you the chance to adjust it before a single panel is cut. This can mean making small but effective changes — for example, a single drawer can weigh up to 3 kg. Switch that to a cupboard door and you might save 2.5 kg. Multiply that across six drawers and you’ve just cut 12.5 kg without losing any major function. Those small decisions add up to a big difference on the scales and on the road.

We’re also rolling out a new production line alongside our bespoke builds next year, designed to make things even clearer and more efficient. Fewer surprises, more transparency, and tighter control over how each van is built and weighed. Our composite construction, heavy-duty suspension and smart layouts are all geared toward keeping weight down and performance up.

We believe transparency around weight is part of building trust. When you invest in a caravan, you should know exactly what you’re getting. No surprises. No guessing games. Just honest figures and the confidence to travel safely.

If you’ve already got a van, take it to a weighbridge. If you’re thinking of buying one, ask for the weigh-in certificate. It’s a small step that can make a massive difference to your travels.