Caravan dimensions: width, height and length
Updated . 7 min read • Buying Guide
The typical caravan we list is about 2.3 metres wide and 6.9 metres long including the drawbar. The legal maximum width is 2.5 metres.
Each typical figure is the middle one: half the vans we list measure more and half measure less. Without the drawbar, the typical body is about 17 feet 6 inches (5.3 metres).
- Maximum width - 2.5 metres (including the awning and mudguards, excluding mirrors)
- Maximum height - 4.3 metres (to the highest point, air conditioner included)
- Maximum length - 19 metres, car and van together (no single cap on the van alone)
The legal limits
Australian Design Rule 43/04 sets the limits a maker builds to. State light vehicle rules use the same figures on the road, following the national model rules. Check your own state's rules if you need the exact wording.
| Measure | Limit | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 2.5 m | The body at its widest, awning and mudguards included. Mirrors and lights are excluded. |
| Height | 4.3 m | Road surface to the highest point, air conditioner included. |
| Car and van together | 19 m | The whole combination, loaded. |
| Drawbar | 8.5 m | Coupling to the axle group. |
| Rear overhang | 3.7 m | Behind the axle group. |
No rule caps the van alone at one length. The Commonwealth's trailer guidance is Vehicle Standards Bulletin 1 (VSB1). It works the drawbar and overhang limits through to a practical maximum of 12.2 metres for a conventional caravan.The longest van on our site is 10.2 metres including the drawbar, so in practice the 19 metre combination and your own driveway decide.
What makers build
These are the vans we list, measured by their makers. "Typical" means the middle figure: half the vans we list measure more and half measure less. Full-size vans vary more in length than in width, which is why most model names start with the length.
- Width runs from 1.71 metres to 2.5 metres, and the typical van is about 2.3 metres. The widest is right on the 2.5 metre legal limit.
- Travel length runs from 3.43 metres to 10.2 metres including the drawbar, and the typical van is about 6.9 metres.
- Body length, without the drawbar, runs from 8 feet to 27 feet, and the typical van is about 17 feet 6 inches (5.3 metres).
- Travel height runs from 1.35 metres to 3.64 metres.
Each model's own measurements are on its page.Browse the caravans and open any one to see them. Our caravan floor plan layouts page shows what fits in each length.
How a caravan is measured
Two lengths matter, and people often mix them up when they measure a driveway. Body length is the box you live in, without the drawbar. Overall length adds the drawbar and rear bumper, and that is the length that has to fit where you park it.
Model names usually quote body length in feet. A 19-6 has roughly a 19 foot 6 inch body, about 5.9 metres before the drawbar. The van's overall length can run a metre or more past that.
To measure overall length, run the tape from the tip of the coupling to the furthest point at the back. That includes a spare wheel, bike rack or bumper box.
Width is measured across the widest point of the body, and the legal 2.5 metres converts to about 8 feet 2 inches. When you measure your own space, leave room to open the door and walk around the van.
Check your van's travel height
You notice width and length the first time you tow. Height tends to cause trouble later, at a carport, a service station awning or a low branch over a bush track.
Measure your own van once, loaded, from the road to the top of the air conditioner. Keep the number where you can see it from the driver's seat. The figure in the brochure is a starting point. Aerials, solar panels and roof racks all sit on top of it.
If you are choosing a car and van together, the tow calculator checks the weights.
Caravan dimension questions, answered
How wide is a caravan in Australia?
The legal maximum is 2.5 metres. The typical caravan we list is about 2.3 metres wide. Pop-tops, campers and smaller vans are narrower.
Are all caravans the same width?
No. The vans we list run from 1.71 metres to 2.5 metres wide, and the typical one is about 2.3 metres. Campers and small vans are the narrowest. No caravan may be built wider than 2.5 metres, awning included.
What is the average caravan length?
The typical caravan we list is about 6.9 metres long, including the drawbar. Half are longer and half are shorter, from 3.43 metres to 10.2 metres. The typical body, without the drawbar, is about 17 feet 6 inches.
Does caravan length include the drawbar?
Overall length includes the drawbar. Body length is the van alone, without it. Most model names quote body length in feet, so a 19-6 is about 5.9 metres before the drawbar. Overall length also counts the coupling and anything on the back, such as a spare wheel or rack.
How high is a caravan?
The legal maximum is 4.3 metres, and very few caravans come close to it. Pop-tops travel lower than full-height vans.
How is a caravan measured?
Body length is the box you live in, without the drawbar, and overall length adds the drawbar and rear bumper. Width is taken across the widest point, awning included, and height from the road to the top of the air conditioner.
What is the standard caravan width in feet?
The 2.5 metre legal maximum is about 8 feet 2 inches. Australian model names usually quote body length in feet, so a 19-6 has roughly a 19 foot 6 inch body. That is about 5.9 metres before the drawbar.
Do caravan dimensions include the awning and air conditioner?
Yes. The width limit includes protrusions such as a side-mounted awning, and the height limit includes a roof-mounted air conditioner. Mirrors, lights and reflectors are excluded from the width by the road rules.
Is there a maximum caravan length in Australia?
There is no single limit for the van alone. The road rules cap the car and van together at 19 metres, the drawbar at 8.5 metres and the rear overhang at 3.7 metres. The Commonwealth's trailer guidance, VSB1, works those limits out to a practical maximum of 12.2 metres for a conventional caravan. The longest van on our site is 10.2 metres including the drawbar.
Where do these limits come from?
Australian Design Rule 43/04 binds the maker when the van is built. State light vehicle rules apply the same limits on the road. A caravan under 4.5 tonnes is a light trailer, so the heavy vehicle rules and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) do not cover it.