What Driving Licence You Need for a Motorhome
Complete 2026 Guide

Category B — enough for most motorhomes

A category B licence, the one almost every driver holds, lets you drive vehicles with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 3,500 kg and a maximum of 8+1 seats (8 passengers plus the driver). This is exactly the category that most rental motorhomes in Romania fall into.

It's no coincidence: manufacturers and rental companies deliberately choose chassis rated at 3,500 kg precisely so the vehicle can be driven by anyone with a B licence. In practice, if you have a car licence you can drive a standard motorhome with no extra course or test.

When you need C1 or C

If you choose a large motorhome weighing more than 3,500 kg, you need a higher category:

• Category C1 — for vehicles between 3,500 kg and 7,500 kg. These are the large, luxury integrated motorhomes with lots of equipment and big tanks.
• Category C — for vehicles over 7,500 kg. Very rarely offered for rent in Romania.

These heavy models are the exception, not the rule. If you want a simple holiday, as a couple or with the family, you will almost certainly drive a motorhome under 3.5 t on your B licence.

Motorhome with a trailer or a towed caravan

Here things change a little, because the whole combination (vehicle + trailer) is taken into account:

• Plain B licence — you can tow a trailer or caravan with a MAM of up to 750 kg. You can also tow a heavier trailer as long as the combined mass of the whole set does not exceed 3,500 kg.
• Code B96 — allows a combination of up to 4,250 kg. It is obtained through a short course and a practical test, with no separate theory exam.
• Category BE — for heavier trailers/caravans, with a combination of up to 7,000 kg.

For a classic motorhome (without a trailer), these codes don't concern you — you only need them if you tow a separate caravan or a car trailer.

Age, experience and foreign drivers

• Minimum age — 18 for category B. Many rental companies additionally require a minimum length of licence holding (usually 1–3 years) for insurance reasons.
• Driving experience — you don't need a special motorhome course, but if this is your first time with a larger vehicle, choose a more compact model and drive a few acclimatisation kilometres before the long stretches.
• EU drivers — a licence issued in an EU country is valid in Romania with no formalities.
• Non-EU drivers — you generally need an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside your national licence.

What to check before you rent

To avoid surprises, check these points with the rental company:

• The maximum authorised mass (MAM) on the registration certificate — confirm it is under 3,500 kg if you want to drive on a B licence.
• The number of approved seats — it must cover the number of people you're travelling with.
• The licence-holding period required by the company and any insurance conditions.
• Additional drivers — if you want to take turns driving, add both drivers to the contract.

The Romanian Campers fleet — you drive on a B licence

At Romanian Campers we've chosen models designed to be accessible: most motorhomes in the fleet are rated under 3,500 kg, so you can drive them on an ordinary category B licence, with no extra course or test. They also have an automatic gearbox, which makes driving far more relaxing, especially if it's your first motorhome holiday. We'll happily confirm the exact weight and equipment of each model before you book.

If you're just discovering the world of motorhomes, we also recommend our complete guide to renting a motorhome and our motorhome rental in Bucharest page.

See the fleet and book a motorhome you can drive on your B licence — simple, no hassle.