Registration vs Ownership: What The Caravan Registry Actually Does
"Registering" a caravan and "owning" one aren't the same thing — and with caravans there are actually two kinds of registration to keep straight: the official CRiS record, and a community record like ours. Here's how they fit together.
The short version
CRiS records the official keeper. A community registration builds your own dated, evidenced record. Ownership itself is the legal fact — supported by both, guaranteed by neither alone.
The official layer: CRiS
CRiS ties a 17-digit number to a registered keeper and is the record police and buyers check first. Keep it current — if you buy or sell, make sure the CRiS keeper details are updated.
The community layer: your own record
On top of CRiS, a community registration lets you hold your own evidence — chassis number, photos, receipts, kit — in one dated place, and tag the van physically. If ownership is ever questioned, the weight of that evidence is what decides it.
Why both help you
CRiS answers "who is the keeper?" Your own record answers "which van, in what condition, with what history, and how do I reach the owner?" Together they make your van both provable and recoverable.
Bottom line: keep CRiS up to date, and back it with your own evidence and tags.