How does it work?

CRiS is a great facility to use if you are buying a leisure vehicle. Though it doesn’t do a good job at preventing theft. It’s also costly, impractical, and ineffective.

We created Caravan ID to address the identification and security shortcomings of CRiS.

We aim to make all leisure vehicles identifiable on the road. We also provide a secure and free way to check leisure vehicles, reducing theft. In the UK, thieves steal more than 4000 caravans every year. Most of these are CRiS registered. Caravan ID has a 100% no-theft record for all leisure vehicles registered with us.

Identification is the key. Owners struggle to distinguish between vans, especially when they pass by quickly. To identify a specific van, it needs to have something distinctive and noticeable. That’s where Caravan ID helps.

Caravan ID uses the last six digits of a vehicle’s VIN. It provides decals for easy identification and theft prevention.

To check a CRiS, you need to be very close to see the small VIN etchings and stickers on the vehicle windows. However, even if you can read it, knowing the CRiS information will cost you around £17.95 per enquiry.

With Caravan ID you enter the vehicle’s six-digit number into our app using your phone or computer. It’s free and you can do it as many times as you want. The app will give you all the information you need to identify the vehicle.

With Caravan ID, you can identify your caravan and use our free lookup services. It also acts as a strong theft deterrent.

Our team includes people with decades of experience in senior security, ISO and other relevant roles, managing physical, cyber and information security risk as applied to leisure vehicles. We are uniquely qualified to identify risk, impact analysis, and detection of security incidents. More importantly, we have listened to the opinions and suggestions shared by the caravan and RV community to deliver the peace of mind required to protect their vehicles.

Joining is free and simple.
1. Complete the online a membership application form.
2. Visit our Online Shop if you wish to purchase overt ID items such as decals (optional).

Joining CaravanID is completely free so there’s no reason not to sign up now.

Yes. This is essential if we’re to avoid someone registering a previously stolen van or one owned by someone else.

Membership applications require verification of your identity and ownership of the van you are registering.

All information will be held securely and in full compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). It will not be resold or shared.

Because your ID is related to your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) it cannot be transferred to another van. If you sell or replace the van the ID goes with it and may be transferred to the new owner. Conversely, if you buy a van that is already CaravanID registered you can transfer the ID to yourself*. In both cases, any decals or identification markings fitted can continue to be used.

If you buy a van that has not been registered with CaravanID you can register it yourself completely free HERE.

CaravanID membership includes registration and a web presence on our site but does not include decals or other identification markings, which can be ordered from our Online Shop.

*Proof of ownership will be required for all new registrations and transfers.

CID provide an optional ID card complete with your membership and van details. This convenient, hardwearing credit card sized ID is easy to keep in your purse or wallet. CID cards come complete with your name and photograph printed on it , it can be used as proof of identity if checked by the police.

Cards can be ordered here.

By design, our decals are difficult to remove and, depending on the pack you have chosen, there are several of them, meaning that it would take a potential thief quite a while to remove them all.

In addition, our cut decals consist of multiple individual parts that would need to be removed separately. Multiply the time required to do this by the number of decals in your pack and you will see how difficult it would be for a thief to remove them and hide the identity of your van. It only needs ONE to remain visible to identify and recover your van! Even then there are window etchings and your VIN plate that can be used.

Decals and other membership items are not included with the free registration but you can purchase them from our Online Shop.

Depending upon the type of item ordered and the fact that our decals and ID cards are bespoke, orders are typically processed and despatched within 5-14 working days.

Our members insisted they did not want anything that would permanently mark their vans so yes they can be removed without causing damage. That said, removal is not so simple for would be thieves who will have neither the time or the equipment to do so.

Anything can be copied, however, to do so does not create a matching Caravan ID database record or lookup, which would flag up the faked decal in moments.

The Caravan ID system optionally places up to 14 unique identifying marks on your van, many of which can be read from a distance. Anyone with a smartphone can use that number to check if it’s been reported stolen and in the case of caravans, that it’s being towed by an authorised vehicle. In short – your van will immediately be recognisable from all the similar vans out there (which is why we highly recommend the purchase of our decals).

Competitor systems don’t do any of this and merely provide identification using your van’s full chassis or VIN number, which can usually only be read if you are close up. This may be useful for the police who may have the ability to look it up and identify the owner, but it means little or nothing to you or to anyone else seeing your van.

Competitor systems are defeated when your van is stolen and the number plates are changed, this renders the vehicle ‘just another caravan on the road’ with no quick or easy way to identify it, or to find out if it’s stolen. The only hope of quick recovery is the unlikely event that the police ‘pull it’ for some reason and check the chassis number.

This would rely on thieves having colour matched paint or alternative decals with them. Caravan ID decals are unique and are linked to your vehicle, signs that one has been tampered with or covered should instantly ring alarm bells and result in a call to the police.

We do. QR codes are used on all window decals and ID cards. Scanning them will take you directly to your vans lookup page.

Please see the information regarding our optional DOT and TAG features.

A unique VIN is issued to every van by the manufacturer (not by any registration scheme). But unlike the optional CID decals, a VIN cannot be seen from a distance, nor have we have the ability to look it up.

CaravanID uses the last 6 digits of your VIN as a unique and visible ID, we record the full VIN alongside your van details where legitimate interested parties can look it up quickly and for free.

Well it can certainly help as there is nothing at all in place at the moment. As long as even one CID decal remains on the van, checking is as simple as typing the ID number into a phone or computer. Border authorities will be far more inclined to do this than hunt for a chassis number that they can’t look up. What’s more, other caravanners will be able to check. All of us working together is the real strength of this initiative.

Your PERSONAL information is physically segregated from your PUBLIC information on our servers and remains encrypted at all times. PERSONAL information will not be publicly displayed or shared with anyone other than authorised police personnel or other official agencies for the purpose of crime prevention or offender detection.

Apart from our system administrators and yourself NO. You can edit your own information by logging in to the site, looking up your own ID and clicking the EDIT button. For that reason it is essential you do not share your username and password with anyone else, they may make changes you (or CID) do not approve of.

CaravanID is driven by the needs and desires of our members. We are constantly looking for ways to improve what we do and prevent thefts so please check the website regularly for updates.

Simply go to the Lookup Page on the Website and enter the ID of the van you are searching for.

If you lose or forget your password you can change it yourself HERE. If you prefer, email us from your registered email address and we’ll reset it for you.

Yes of course. We already have active members in several European countries as well as the UK.

CaravanID is open to anyone and everyone, wherever you live in the world. Let’s face it, we tour abroad and owners from other countries tour in the UK. We aim to be a truly global community, providing security and protection wherever you are.