The Caravan Registration and Id Scheme (CRiS)

Caravan Security CRiS

Vehicle theft peaked in 1992, but since then has been steadily declining. Still upto 1900 touring caravans are stolen each year in the U.K., and there are over 10,000 unsolved cases of caravan theft.

The Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme was established in 1992 in an attempt to combat the high numbers of touring caravans that are stolen each year. CRiS was set up by HPI and the National Caravan Council (NCC). HPI have a long history of checking the registration of cars as they have been doing it since the company was created in 1938.

Every caravan manufactured after 1992, by members of the NCC, now has a 12 digit Vehicle Identification Number (V.I.N.). This number is put on the chassis and on the windows. And since August 1997 all are fitted with an electronic tag that is embedded somewhere within the main bodywork. This means the police can easily access the information about your caravan should there be an incident. Similarly if the police find a caravan that has been stolen they can easily identify it by using the V.I.N. number.

The advantages of this scheme to buyers and sellers are numerous. Firstly if you are buying a pre-owned caravan you can check that the CRiS numbers all match, thereby identifying its provenance. Secondly you can contact CRiS and have the history of the caravan checked. This enables you to see if it is has been stolen, if it is an insurance write off, if the seller is the registered owner or if there is outstanding finance on it.

CRiS charge £14.95 for this service, but by using it you can rest easy knowing that purchasing the caravan will not cause you any problems later on. Although it is imperative that you make the check before purchasing the caravan.

When buying a CRiS registered caravan you must ensure that you are issued with a Touring Caravan Keeper Registration Document (CVR2). This will be essential should you wish to sell your caravan or should it be stolen. When selling a caravan you must make sure that it becomes registered under the new owners name, CRiS charge a £12.00 fee for this, normally payed by the purchaser.

Of course there are many caravans that were manufactured before 1992. If you own one don’t panic you can still register with CRiS and are advised to do so. Not just for the obvious security benefits but because many insurers will not insure a caravan that is not CRiS registered and it should add value to your caravan.

You can contact CRiS seven days a week on 01722 411 430.

8am – 8pm Monday – Friday
9am – 5pm Saturday
10am – 5pm Sunday