Car Derived Vans

What is a ‘car derived van’?

A car-derived van is exactly what it sounds like: a van that’s based on a regular passenger car, and usually a small one. As such, they are generally the smallest type of light commercial vehicle (LCV) you can buy.

On this page you’ll find more information about the definition of a car-derived van – also known as a CDV – and information about speed limits and safe driving of CDVs.

What’s the definition of a car-derived van?

Schedule 6 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 describes a car derived van as a goods vehicle which is constructed or adapted as a derivative of a passenger vehicle and which has a maximum laden weight not exceeding 2 tonnes.’ Car derived vans are designed to weigh no more than 2 tonnes when loaded and are based on car designs, or the vehicle is built from a platform which has been designed to be built as a car or a van.

What makes a Car Derived Van?

• designed to weigh no more than 2 tonnes when loaded fully
• based on car designs or the vehicle is built from a platform which has been designed and developed to be built as a car or a van by the same manufacturer

As a general rule, from the outside, these vehicles will look like the size of a car, but on the inside the vehicle will look like and function as a van, because:

• there will be no rear seats, rear seat belts or mountings
• there will be a payload area with floor panel in the rear of the vehicle
• there will be no side windows in the rear of the vehicle – or if present, side windows will be opaque and fixed (with no means of opening or closing)

If your van is a CDV, it will be recorded as such under ‘body type’ on the vehicle’s registration document (V5C). If there is any other entry under ‘body type’ the vehicle is not registered as a car derived van and will be subject to speeds lower than the national limits.

Speed limits:

Car derived vans are the only light commercial (goods) vehicles which are subject to the same speed limits as a car. All other light commercial (goods) vehicles, including small vans, are restricted to maximum speed limits applicable to goods vehicles not exceeding 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight:

• 50mph on single carriageways
• 60mph on dual carriageways
• 70mph on motorways

Dual Purpose Vehicles:

A dual purpose vehicle is a vehicle constructed or adapted for the carriage both of passengers and of goods and designed to weigh no more that 2,040kg when unladen, and is either:

• Constructed or adapted so that the driving power of the engine is, or can be selected to be transmitted to all wheels of the vehicle,
• permanently fitted with a rigid roof, at least one row of transverse passenger seats to the rear of the driver’s seat and will have side and rear windows – there must also be a minimum ratio between the size of the passenger and stowage areas.