NCC Approved Workshops: What They Are and How to Check

When caravan and motorhome owners talk about an "NCC approved" or "approved workshop", they almost always mean the Approved Workshop Scheme (often shortened to AWS). It is the main industry scheme for caravan and motorhome servicing in the UK, and it covers both fixed workshops and mobile engineers.

This guide explains what the scheme is, what being approved actually involves, why it can matter for your warranty, and how to check an engineer's status yourself.

Who runs the Approved Workshop Scheme?

The scheme is run jointly by the National Caravan Council (NCC), the trade body for the UK caravan and motorhome industry, together with The Caravan and Motorhome Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club. That is why you will hear it called the NCC scheme, the Club-approved scheme, or simply AWS: they all refer to the same thing.

It was set up to help owners find reliable local workshops with competent, properly trained staff. According to The Caravan and Motorhome Club, it has over 460 member workshops across the UK, a mix of fixed-base workshops and mobile engineers.

What does "approved" involve?

Approval is not something a business can simply claim. Member workshops must:

• Pass an independent annual inspection to stay in the scheme, assessed against the scheme's standards.
• Use qualified technicians, trained to the standards the scheme requires for caravan and motorhome work.
• Follow an industry code of practice, covering how they quote, carry out and report on work.

The Caravan and Motorhome Club also says member workshops normally guarantee repairs for six months, and must take reasonable steps to protect any unexpired manufacturer warranty.

Why it matters: warranties

This is the reason most owners care. Many caravan and motorhome manufacturers require an annual habitation check or service to keep the body and water-ingress warranty valid, and many specify that it must be done by an approved workshop. If the check is done elsewhere, or missed, a later damp claim could be refused.

Your handbook or warranty booklet will say exactly what is required. If your vehicle is still under warranty, check the wording before you book, and keep every service report.

Once a vehicle is out of warranty, you are free to use any competent engineer. Many owners still prefer approved workshops for the independent inspection and the written report, which also helps when you come to sell.

Mobile engineers and the scheme

The scheme includes mobile engineers as well as workshops, so you can get an approved habitation check or service at your home or storage site. For a habitation check or routine service, a mobile engineer can do most of the work a workshop can. Larger jobs, such as major damp repairs or chassis work, may still need a workshop.

How to check an engineer is approved

Don't rely on a logo on a website or van. Logos can be out of date, and a business's membership can lapse. Instead:

• Use the official finder. The Approved Workshop Scheme's own website, approvedworkshops.co.uk, has a search for member workshops near you. If the business isn't listed there, ask why.
• Ask for their membership details and check the business name matches the one on the finder.
• Check gas credentials separately. Gas work on caravans and motorhomes should be done by someone qualified for LPG work on leisure vehicles. You can check an engineer's Gas Safe registration on the Gas Safe Register website.
• Ask for a written report. Any good engineer, approved or not, gives you a written record of what was checked and found.

A note about our listings

Our directory lists caravan and motorhome engineers, but we don't verify memberships or accreditations, and a listing doesn't mean a business is approved. If approval matters to you, for example because of your warranty, confirm it using the steps above before you book.

Approved workshop vs independent engineer

There are good engineers on both sides. As a rough guide:

• Choose an approved workshop if your vehicle is under warranty and the warranty requires one, or if you want an independently inspected business.
• An experienced independent engineer can be a good choice for out-of-warranty vehicles, especially for specialist work. Ask about their training, experience and insurance, and ask for references.

Whoever you choose, get the price and scope agreed up front and insist on a written report. Our servicing costs guide shows typical prices, and our habitation check guide explains what should be covered.

Find an engineer near you

Browse engineers for a habitation check or full service, or start with your nearest town, such as Leicester, Birmingham, Oxford or Taunton. Then check approval on the official finder before you book.