Hi, ive just bought a van that's still registered as a panel van, but has been converted to have the normal 3 seats in tge front but a rear row of 4. Are there any pitfalls or anything I need to be wary of whdn informing dvla?

Thanks 

5 hours ago, john lamb said:

Are there any pitfalls or anything I need to be wary of whdn informing dvla?

Lots!!

Have all the seats got type approved seat belts fitted ? Do the seat belts give the driver a warning ? There are so many things that have to comply with safety regulations these days that converting a panel van in to a passenger vehicle is not a common occurrence anymore.

On 11/17/2025 at 3:57 PM, john lamb said:

Hi, ive just bought a van that's still registered as a panel van, but has been converted to have the normal 3 seats in tge front but a rear row of 4. Are there any pitfalls or anything I need to be wary of whdn informing dvla?

Thanks 

Unofix is spot on with what he's saying it's like a mine field now even down to how the seats are fitted to the floor. They will require it to be taken to 1 of there centres to inspect it to make sure it complys with there requirements.

This has come up a few times and the official position doesn't seem that clear:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/converting-a-van-to-carry-passengers-in-the-rear/converting-a-van-to-carry-passengers-in-the-rear

I recall a thread on a VW forum where the OP had tried to do the right thing when installing seats in his Transporter van and found himself passed from pillar to post and ending up no wiser.

Presumably the vehicle has already passed one or more MoTs already post-fitting? It would be worth looking at the MoT history on the Gov.uk site to see if anything was raised.

A few vids like this on YT:

 

22 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

This has come up a few times and the official position doesn't seem that clear:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/converting-a-van-to-carry-passengers-in-the-rear/converting-a-van-to-carry-passengers-in-the-rear

I recall a thread on a VW forum where the OP had tried to do the right thing when installing seats in his Transporter van and found himself passed from pillar to post and ending up no wiser.

Presumably the vehicle has already passed one or more MoTs already post-fitting? It would be worth looking at the MoT history on the Gov.uk site to see if anything was raised.

A few vids like this on YT:

 

When it come to the mot, it doesn't matter as long as there bolted down safely and the seatbelts work. It's when it's dvla looking at it that when it makes a difference had 1 myself that had back seats but wasn't registered as them fitted passed mot with them every time because they was safe and the belts worked fine ( never used them like ) when it comes to a van that is being converted to passenger from panel it basically has to be done to factory spec for it to pass and then there's insurance who want to know the ins / outs despite dvla saying yay or nay..long gone are the days of being able to just stick the seats in side ways like the old sherpa / ldv van, it's basically cheaper to just buy a used or new passenger van by the time you go through it.

To the poster if you want a passenger vehicle look for the torneo ( there the mini bus or an ex school mini bus you can alway reduce seats from them to match your licence that way.

Hi.

If you have any issues with insurance at all then please feel free to drop me a line,

Regards,

Dan.

Looks like all of us who made an effort to reply have simply wasted our time 🙁

 

Thanks for the replies.  Ive sent my V5 back to dvla, so see what happens now 😫. I have got a certified saying that everything has been done to factory specifications. 

And finally, apologies.  Ive been looking at the post all week, thinking it was waiting for admins approval. Genuine mistake on my part. 

3 hours ago, john lamb said:

Thanks for the replies.  Ive sent my V5 back to dvla, so see what happens now 😫. I have got a certified saying that everything has been done to factory specifications. 

And finally, apologies.  Ive been looking at the post all week, thinking it was waiting for admins approval. Genuine mistake on my part. 

Fingers crossed 🤞 for ya 👍