Short answer: A good campervan checklist covers eight groups: documents and money, driving and safety kit, water and toilet, kitchen, bedding and clothes, electrics and charging, tools and spares, and personal bits. Pack the essentials that stay in the van permanently, then use a short trip list for food, clothes and anything you take back into the house. Below is the full list we use, by category.
How to use this campervan checklist
We split our campervan checklist into two halves. The first half is kit that lives in the van all the time: the hose, the levelling ramps, the first aid kit, the pans. Once it is in, it stays in, and you only check it at the start of the season. The second half is the trip list: food, clothes, chargers, the dog's bed, anything that comes back into the house between trips.
Weight matters too. Every item adds to what the van carries, and a van can be overloaded more easily than people think once water, gas, bikes and people are on board. If you are near your van's maximum weight, our guide to insurance, the DVLA and licence weight limits is worth a read.
One more tip: keep a small box by the door for the things that always travel with you but live in the house, such as phone chargers, medicines, the dog's lead and your wallet. When the box is in the van, you are nearly ready to go. When it is still on the kitchen table, you are not.
Documents and money
- Driving licence for everyone who might drive
- Insurance details and policy number, including any named drivers
- Breakdown cover membership number and phone number
- V5C details (a photo is useful; keep the original safe at home)
- MOT expiry date and road tax status
- Campsite booking confirmations and check-in times
- Bank card plus some cash and coins for honesty boxes, showers and older car parks
- A note of the van's height, width, length and weight, stuck where the driver can see it
Roam's My garage keeps MOT, road tax, insurance and breakdown dates together, stores your documents and reminds you before anything runs out. It is in the app now.
Driving and safety kit
- Smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm, tested before you leave
- Fire extinguisher and fire blanket near the cooker
- First aid kit, topped up
- Warning triangle and high visibility vests
- Torch or head torch with spare batteries
- Tyre pressure gauge and the correct pressures for a loaded van written down
- Levelling ramps or chocks
- Steering wheel lock or other security you normally use
- Pet restraint if a dog travels with you (the Highway Code asks for animals to be suitably restrained, see our dog guide)
Never bring a barbecue inside a van or awning, even after you have finished cooking. Carbon monoxide campaigns backed by camping clubs warn about exactly this, and recommend a working CO alarm in every caravan and motorhome.
Water and toilet
- Drinking water hose (food grade) and a few tap adaptors
- Water carrier or jerry can for topping up without moving the van
- Grey water container or a drain hose if your tank needs one
- Toilet, plus toilet chemical or the right bulking material for a composting loo
- Toilet roll that breaks down quickly
- Disposable gloves for emptying
- Washing up bowl, eco washing up liquid, a sponge and a tea towel or two
Where you can empty matters as much as what you carry. Our guide to water, waste and toilets covers chemical disposal points and what not to do.
Kitchen
- Gas bottle (check the level) and a spare if you have space, or charged cooking battery if you cook on electric
- Matches or a lighter, even with an igniter
- One good frying pan, one saucepan with a lid, a kettle
- Chopping board, a sharp knife, wooden spoon, spatula, tin opener, bottle opener
- Plates, bowls, mugs and cutlery for each person, plus one spare
- Food storage tubs and clips
- Oil, salt, pepper, a stock cube or two and your favourite spice
- Coffee or tea kit
- Bin bags and a small recycling bag
- Kitchen roll
We keep a fuller list in campervan kitchen essentials. Roam's Van recipes filters meals by what you cook with, shows what fits your van and builds one combined shopping list for the trip.
Bedding, clothes and comfort
- Duvet or sleeping bags rated for the season, pillows, a fitted sheet
- Extra blanket, even in summer
- Thermal or blackout blinds for the windscreen and cab
- Layers rather than bulk: base layers, a warm jumper, waterproof jacket
- Comfortable shoes and something easy to slip on for night time trips outside
- Towels (quick dry ones save space)
- Earplugs and an eye mask
- Camping chairs and a small table
- Washing line and pegs
Electrics and charging
- Hook-up cable and the correct adaptors if you use electric hook-up
- USB cables and plugs for each phone, laptop and camera
- Power bank charged as a backup
- Spare fuses for your 12 V system, in the sizes you use
- Battery monitor app or display checked before leaving
- A head torch, so you are not running lights off the leisure battery all evening
If you are unsure whether your battery and solar can keep up, try the solar and battery calculator.
Tools and spares
- Basic tool kit: screwdrivers, adjustable spanner, pliers, Allen keys
- Cable ties, duct tape, a small roll of electrical tape
- Jump leads or a jump starter
- Spare bulbs if your van uses them
- Engine oil and screen wash
- Small brush and dustpan
- Folding shovel if you might get stuck on soft grass
Personal and outdoor
- Medicines and prescriptions, plus a copy of the prescription
- Toiletries, sun cream, insect repellent
- Maps or offline maps downloaded, since signal can drop
- Walking boots, waterproofs, a day pack and a refillable water bottle
- Games, books, a speaker
- Dog kit: bed, lead, bowls, food, poo bags, towel, any medication
Before you drive off
- Roof vents closed, skylights shut, aerials down
- Cupboards latched, fridge door locked, loose items stowed
- Gas off at the bottle for travel unless your system is designed to run on the move
- Step in, hook-up cable unplugged, water hose packed
- Walk round the van once: chocks, chairs, the mug you left on the wall
- Check the height label one last time
Questions
What do people forget most in a campervan?
In our experience: tin openers, matches, the hook-up adaptor, tea towels and a spare toilet roll. Keep those in the van permanently so they never depend on remembering.
Do I need a carbon monoxide alarm in a campervan?
If you have gas appliances or a fuel heater, we would always fit one. Camping club safety campaigns recommend a CO alarm in every caravan and motorhome and say never to bring a barbecue inside.
How much water should I carry?
It depends on your tank and how you wash. As a rule of thumb, carry a full fresh tank plus a small carrier for drinking water, and plan a refill every couple of days.
Should I take a printed checklist?
A list on your phone works, but a laminated card in the van gets used more. Ours lives in the door pocket and we tick it off with a whiteboard pen.