For ultimate convenience and to legally be able to freedom camp in New Zealand, you will need
a self-contained campervan. But what does self-contained mean? We'll go through what
self-contained campervans in New Zealand are in this video.
Hey guys, we're Robin and Laura, the team behind BackpackerGuide.NZ, help you plan an
epic trip in NZ. In this video, we'll tell you what you need
to know about self-contained campervans for road tripping in New Zealand. First, we'll talk about
what exactly does self-contained mean, then why you would consider travelling in a self-contained
vehicle, how to get the self-containment certification, as well as where to dispose your waste and
whether you should rent or buy a self-contained campervan.
And stick around for the end of this video when we give you 5 Essential Tips for Travelling
in a Self-Contained Vehicle in New Zealand. Plus, we publish videos all about travelling
in NZ every single day so if you're new here, hit that subscribe button.
And with that, let's get on with the video. Let's get straight to the big question: what
is a self-contained campervan? Self containment NZS 5465:2001 is the certification
used to show that a campervan can contain water waste for up to 3 days. This includes
water in the form of water supply, grey water which is sink and shower water, and septic
waste. In detail, Robin will list the features a campervan must meet to be self-contained.
A fresh water tank which holds 12L per person for 3 days
A sink via a smell trap or water trap connected to a water tight sealed waste water tank
A grey slash black waste water tank which holds 12L per person for 3 days. It needs
to be vented and monitored if capacity is less than the fresh water tank
An evacuation hose which is 3m for fitted tanks or long enough to connect to a sealed
portable tank A rubbish bin with a lid
And a toilet, either portable or fixed, needs to have a minimum of 3L per person for 3 days
and be able to be used inside the campervan with the bed made up.
Just as a side note, per person is measured on the amount of people a campervan can sleep,
for instance, a 3-berth campervan needs will need to meet the minimum tank storage requirements
for three people even if your actually travelling alone.
Even if a campervan has all these features, it is not classed as certified self-contained
until it has received a warrant under the New Zealand Standard for Self Containment of Motor
Caravans and Caravans, NZS 5465:2001. So, why use a self-contained campervan to
travel New Zealand? By storing the waste water in the van, rather
than dumping it on the floor, it is much more environmentally friendly. Plus, it's safer
for public health. There are also personal benefits, such as
being able to use all of New Zealand's campsites for your trip. Many campsites, including the free
ones, do not allow vehicles without the self containment certificate. There are approximately
340 free campsites to take advantage of. With this, you have more freedom to explore this
amazing country without having to be on a constant lookout for showers, toilets and
water. You are also able to freedom camp on public
land where permitted. Usually, signs will indicate where there is no camping allowed.
Otherwise, if there are no signs, you can usually assume freedom camping in a certified
self-contained campervan is allowed. Local councils are often changing their freedom
camping bylaws, which differ between districts across New Zealand. We say if you want to freedom camp
on public land, do some research first to see what the rules for the areas are you plan
on visiting in New Zealand. Because the rules surrounding freedom camping
are a little bit flaky, we have a whole video on what you need to know about freedom camping
linked up in the description below. How do you know if a vehicle is self-contained?
To know whether the campervan you are purchasing or renting is self-contained, look for the
sticker on the front left-hand side of the windscreen.
If you have managed to get your own campervan, that you think meets the requirements but
does not have the self containment certification, you can get an inspection and certification
for around 55 New Zealand dollars if you are a member of the New Zealand Motor Caravan
Association. Alternatively, there are other issuing authorities
for the self-containment certification, including: any registered plumber, a company called All
Points Camping, which again, we'll link to, and other motorhome companies.
As mentioned before, the vehicle needs to meet certain requirements to obtain a certification
sticker, Just as a quick reminder, it needs… A fresh water tank
A sink via a smell trap or water trap connected to a water tight sealed waste water tank
A grey slash black waste water tank Evacuation hose
A rubbish bin with a lid And either a portable or fixed toilet that
can be used inside the vehicle when the bed is made up.
Next up, where do you dispose your water waste? By having a self-contained campervan it is
your responsibility to empty the waste water when needed in a safe and an environmentally-friendly
way. The answer to this is to use dump stations to dump waste water.
There are heaps of dump stations in NZ to safely dispose of your campervan water waste.
You can ask the information centres for their locations. They are often also featured on
most local maps, as well as camping apps. Just look out for this icon which indicates
a dump station. Now, should you rent or buy a self-contained
campervan? Visiting NZ on a short trip? Well, renting
a campervan is the fastest and most convenient way to hit the road. Campervan rental companies
should explicitly say whether their vans are certified self-contained. Beware, some will
say they are self-contained but this doesn't always mean they are certified. For more information
on renting a campervan, check out the link below to our essential guide to renting a
campervan in NZ. Staying in NZ for more than a couple of months?
In this case, it will be much more cost-effective to buy a self-contained campervan and sell
it at the end of your trip. This is, however, quite time-consuming so leave yourself a couple
of weeks at both ends of your trip to allow time to buy and sell. Get more information
on our Travel by Campervan in NZ Guide. So we hope that's cleared up what exactly
is a self-contained campervan for you! But, as promised, here are 5 essential tips for
travelling in a self-contained campervan in NZ!
Number 1. If renting a campervan, bear in mind that there are a lot of inclusions. Usually
all your kitchenware, bedding and even towels are included so there's literally no reason
to pack the kitchen sink. However, this does mean that when buying a self-contained vehicle
yourself, you might need to buy these things as they are not always included so factor
that into your budget. Number 2. Most self-contained motorhomes in
NZ use diesel, which while they have a cheaper fuel price than petrol, there is actually
a tax on diesel called a Road Usage Charge which you’ll even need to pay if renting
as well as buying. It's between 62 and 68 NZ dollars per 1,000km travelled.
3. If buying a self-contained campervan actually test that all the water tanks, toilet, etc.
works! Even if it has the self-containment certificate is still valid, it doesn’t necessarily
mean that everything is still in working order. 4. When renting a campervan, be aware that
the season vastly affects the prices. We go through the best times to rent vehicles in
our ultimate guide to renting a car video. And finally, number 5. Remember to include
the cost of the ferry crossing between the North Island and South Island into your budget.
The larger your campervan, the more expensive it will be. We give a general price guide
in our ferry crossing article in the description below.
That's it for our self-contained campervan guide. We hope it answered all your questions
but if there was anything missing, make sure to leave your questions below and we'll be
sure to answer them! And, if you found this video useful, give
it a cheeky thumbs up so we'll keep making more New Zealand travel tip videos for you
guys. Oh yeah, and subscribe so you can see those videos!
If you're looking for places to visit in your campervan, don't miss NZ's Biggest Gap Year
where we're challenging ourselves to do 365 activities in 365 days, which is sure to give
you some epic bucket list inspiration. Until next time, keep exploring!