Report a problem

What is the problem?

Could not attach a screenshot — send without it

Two pitfalls for camper owners: extra weight fees and camping fines

28.07.2026 02:10 1 min 2 sources
t-online DEU + 1 more
Two pitfalls for camper owners: extra weight fees and camping fines
© Kampf um jedes Kilo: Wer mit vollem Gepäck in den Urlaub rollen möchte, zahlt für mehr Zuladung oft Hunderte Euro Aufpreis. (Quelle: IMAGO/bruno kickner)

In Brief

Manufacturers charge hundreds of euros for increasing permissible gross weight, though the vehicle is already designed for it. In Germany, parking is mistaken for camping — fines up to 5000 euros.

Camper owners face two costly issues. Manufacturers often charge hundreds of euros for increasing the permissible gross weight, even though the vehicle is technically already designed for a higher load. Experts doubt that administrative costs justify such sums and warn that raising the weight may disqualify the motorhome from the 100 km/h speed allowance.

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Germany), tourists often mistake a motorhome parking space for a campsite, risking heavy fines. Wild camping is prohibited in national parks, nature reserves, forests, and on the coast. Fines for a tent in protected areas can reach up to 5000 euros. Authorities recommend using legal parking spots, even if they are far from the water.

Aggregated by OpenVan.camp from the public sources listed below, with AI-assisted translation and summary. We always link to the original source. Machine translation may differ from the original -- check the source for important details. Images and content remain the property of their respective owners. Copyright information

Story sources

Hundreds of euros for a piece of paper: camper owners face expensive surcharge trap

06.07.2026 t-online DEU Original source

Common mistake can quickly become expensive for campervan owners

27.05.2026 nordkurier.de DEU Original source

🇩🇪 Germany — fuel prices

Updated: 25.07.2026

Super E10

$2.47 /l

€2.16 · £1.85/l

135 of 140

pricier than 96% of countries

Super Plus 98

$2.52 /l

€2.21 · £1.89/l

87 of 94

pricier than 91% of countries

Diesel

$2.48 /l

€2.17 · £1.86/l

134 of 141

pricier than 94% of countries

Premium Diesel

$2.77 /l

€2.43 · £2.08/l

38 of 41

pricier than 90% of countries

LPG

$1.26 /l

€1.11 · £0.95/l

50 of 55

pricier than 89% of countries

Popular route

Distance

Fuel cost

~

Est. time

~

Quiz: test yourself
Guess the vanlife lingo — 3 quick questions
1 / 3
Q1 In Germany, which search term is most useful for a simple motorhome overnight stop?

Best regions in the coming days

Schleswig-Holstein +19°·51 km/h
86
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern +22°·57 km/h
83
Lower Saxony +23°·44 km/h
81
North Rhine-Westphalia +26°·48 km/h
79
Hamburg +26°·46 km/h
78
Avoid now
Saarland +29°·44 km/h
68
Rhineland-Palatinate +28°·36 km/h
69

You May Be Interested

All News
DE Germany 7

Mandatory gas system check for motorhomes from June 2025

From June 2025, owners of motorhomes and caravans with gas systems must undergo the G607 check every two years. Missing it can result in a fine of 15 to 80 euros and increased risk of gas leaks and fires.

DE Germany 3

Theft at A24 rest stop and police prevention day: camper news digest

Thousands of euros were stolen from a camper at the Herzsprung rest stop on the A24. The Schwandorf highway police will hold a prevention day on July 11, 2026. Police in Lindhorst warn about three common mistakes: overloading, incorrect load distribution, and poor securing of items.

DE Germany 8

Motorhome parking fees rise in northern Germany in summer 2026

Some motorhome parking sites in Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Lower Saxony have raised prices in 2026. In Geesthacht the fee rose from €7 to €18, on Sylt by €0.50–€1, and in St. Peter-Ording by €2. Prices in Hamburg and Wismar remain unchanged.

News from Germany

All News

Alpencamper Eco Slide Out: bicycle trailer with slide-out module and bed for two

Alpencamper has introduced the Eco Slide Out, a bicycle trailer featuring a lateral slide-out module that expands interior space when parked. When folded, the trailer measures 2.14 m in length, 97 cm in width, and 1.30 m in height; after extension, it provides a bed measuring 1.40×1.96 m, suitable for two adults. Under the bed there is a 270-litre storage compartment and space for a portable dry toilet. The trailer weighs 52 kg and is built from aluminium and composite materials with thermal insulation. It is priced at 8,350 Swiss francs (approximately 8,900 euros), but the project's future is uncertain due to the company's recent financial difficulties.

Mercedes-Benz unveils new Marco Polo camper

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the next-generation Marco Polo luxury camper van at its Stuttgart headquarters, with European orders opening in August. Based on the V-Class, it features a reinforced two-layer aluminium pop-up roof with 10 cm more headroom at the rear, a new panoramic roof option, LED ambient lighting, and an eight-speaker sound system with subwoofer. For the first time, the entire conversion is done in-house: the chassis is built in Vitoria, Spain, and the camper fit-out takes place at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Ludwigsfelde, Germany.

New Dethleffs I 7027: drop-down single beds, spacious bathroom, rear lounge

Dethleffs has expanded its Trend line for 2027 with the I 7027, an integral motorhome featuring an unusual layout. Two longitudinal single beds on an electric drop-down mechanism are located at the front, while a U-shaped rear lounge seats up to six. The price starts at €97,999, positioning it below premium models but above base versions. The vehicle is built on a Fiat Ducato chassis with a gross weight of up to 3.5 t (optionally up to 4.25 t) and a 140 hp engine (optional 180 hp with automatic transmission).

Install OpenVan.camp

Get quick access and offline reading.

Install on iOS

  1. 1 Tap Share in Safari.
  2. 2 Choose "Add to Home Screen".
  3. 3 Confirm by tapping Add.

Already installed

The app is already installed on this device.

Install from browser menu

Use your browser menu to install or add to home screen.

→ Glossary