Towing UK reg. Caravan with Dutch licenced car

In the UK caravans are not registered. They carry the same registration plate as the towing vehicle and as such I'd have expected you would simply attach a duplicate of your car registration to the caravan being towed.

Colin

If caravans are registered in The Netherlands and have their own number plate you can't put a duplicate of the car's registration plate on the caravan because the number would not correspond to any caravan registered in The Netherlands. It would amount to being a false number plate. Besides, UK caravans are covered for third party insurance by the policy on the car towing them. This is not the case abroad, so there wouldn't be any insurance, which, of course, is illegal.

The only way one can legally tow a UK caravan with a foreign registered car is to temporarily register the caravan, too, in one's home country and bring the number plate with you.

Caravans do not need to be registered in the UK so the only thing needed to tow in the UK is a registration plate matching the car (like any other trailer) - one attached with heavy duty velcro would allow you to swap with the Dutch one if needed. The other option would be to attach the UK style plate somewhere and leave the Dutch one visible as well - this is what HGV drivers do when towing a European trailer with a UK tractor unit.

Maybe the only other thing would be to check you are still covered with your insurance.

You may need to leave the Dutch registration uncovered in the Netherlands whilst towing?

The way I understand the OP's post, he does not have a caravan registered in The Netherlands but wants to rent or borrow one in the UK and tow that with his Dutch registered car. That wouldn't be possible so very easily. A UK car can tow a foreign caravan so long as the caravan has a duplicate number plate of the car, but that doesn't work the other way round.

I have a German registered car and a German registered caravan, each with their own specific number plates. That's no problem when I come to the UK although the plate on the caravan does not match the one on the car. The only issue that I have is when I arrive at a campsite and they ask me at reception for the registration number. When I reply, "do you want the registration number of the car or that of the caravan?" their faces go blank.

Ooops! Just reread the OP got it round the wrong way!

Thanks. The question was not about a dutch registered caravan... its about a dutch registered car towing a UK caravan. 😉

Yes, that was my understanding too. I have since learned that third party insurance for a trailer (caravan) is not compulsory in the UK, but I wouldn’t risk being without it.