What Is a CRIS Number and Why Does It Matter?
What the Central Registration and Identification Scheme is, where to find your caravan's CRIS number, and what it tells a buyer.
Unlike a motorhome, a touring caravan has no DVLA registration number — it isn't separately taxed or MOT'd as a vehicle in its own right. Instead, the UK caravan industry uses its own system: CRIS, the Central Registration and Identification Scheme, run by CRiS on behalf of the National Caravan Council.
What CRIS actually does
When a new touring caravan is built by a participating manufacturer, it's issued a unique 17-character CRIS number and a corresponding registration document — similar in spirit to a car's V5C logbook. That number is permanently etched or stamped onto the caravan's windows and chassis, and every change of keeper, reported theft, or insurance write-off against that caravan is logged centrally against it.
Why it matters when you're buying
A CRIS check (the caravan equivalent of an HPI check on a car) can reveal whether a caravan has been reported stolen, written off, or still has outstanding finance against it — information a seller has no way to simply tell you is fine. It also confirms the caravan actually matches its paperwork, which matters because unlike cars, caravans of the same make and model can look almost identical.
Where to find it
The CRIS number is etched into every window of the caravan (look in a bottom corner) and printed on the CRIS registration document that should be handed over with the caravan. If a seller can't produce either, treat that as a reason to ask more questions before you commit, not after.
If you're selling a touring caravan to us, we'll ask for your CRIS number as part of the valuation — it's a normal part of identifying the caravan correctly, not an extra hurdle.
Not seeing the right one?
We buy motorhomes and caravans directly too — tell us what you've got and we'll make you an offer.