Carrying loads on a car or van roof

Roof bars, a roof box or a bike carrier give a car more room for luggage. Vans carry ladders, pipes and timber up there too. The rules for a roof load cover how far it sticks out and how it is held in place.

Sticking out sideways

The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 set limits on loads that stick out. Under regulation 82(2), nobody may carry a load with "a lateral projection or projections on either side exceeding 305mm". A load may stick out up to 305mm past each side of the vehicle.

The regulation has narrow exceptions, such as loose farm produce that is not baled or crated.

Sticking out in front or behind

Regulation 82(7) deals with loads that stick out to the front or rear. A driver whose load sticks out more than 1m behind the vehicle must make it clearly visible to other road users, from behind and from either side. Paragraph 4 of Schedule 12 sets that condition.

In front, the conditions start at more than 2m. For a racing boat propelled by oars, they start at more than 1m. Loads that stick out more than 2m bring further conditions, including markers. These are the rules for ladders or timber that run past the end of a van.

Held so it cannot fall or blow off

Regulation 100(2) says the driver must secure the load, if necessary with something more than its own weight. It must be in a position where it is not likely to cause danger or nuisance by falling or being blown off, or by moving.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has guidance for cars and vans on how to strap or clamp a load to a roof rack. It says loads that stick out a long way in front of the rack's supports, such as ladders and canoes, should also be tied down to the front of the vehicle.

How much the roof can take

DVSA says drivers should not put more on a roof rack than the manufacturer's recommended maximum weight. It also says never to load items straight onto the roof of a car. The roof is not designed for it, and there are not enough places to fix a load.

Roof loads and fuel

DVSA's syllabus for learner drivers covers eco-safe driving. It teaches drivers to take off roof racks and storage when they are not needed. It also explains how carrying luggage that isn't needed, such as a roof top box, can increase fuel consumption.

Useful links