What's the difference between a CL and a CS site?

A CL is certified by the Caravan and Motorhome Club; a CS is certified by the Camping and Caravanning Club. Both allow up to five pitches without a full site licence. The main practical differences are which Club's members you attract, the directory you're listed in, and small variations in the rules each Club sets for its sites.

Which is more profitable, CL or CS?

Neither is inherently more profitable. Income depends on occupancy, pitch fee, and length of season, not the certifying Club.

How many pitches are allowed on a CS site?

A maximum of five pitches at any one time, the same as a CL. The five-pitch cap is a feature of the underlying UK site licence exemption and applies equally to both schemes.

Can I take non-members on a CL or CS?

Both schemes allow non-members, though the guest must still comply with Club rules. Members typically get priority and sometimes discounted rates, but you're not restricted to members only.

Do CLs and CSs have the same rules?

Broadly yes, but each Club sets its own expectations on issues like pitch spacing, facilities, advertising, and inspection frequency. The differences are small but worth reading carefully before you apply.

CL Site vs CS Site · What's the Difference?

Q: Can I run both a CL and a CS on the same land?

Yes, and some owners do. The two certifications are issued by different organisations, so there's nothing technically stopping you holding both. However, you cannot exceed five caravans or motorhomes at any one time in total. Running both roughly doubles your directory exposure but doesn't double your capacity.

If you've been researching how to put a small piece of land to work as a campsite, you've probably come across two acronyms that sound almost identical: CL and CS. They're both small-site schemes, both allow up to five pitches, and both let you operate without the full caravan site licence that a commercial park needs. So what's actually different about a CL site vs a CS site, and how do you choose?

The short answer is this. A CL is a Certificated Location, certified by the Caravan and Motorhome Club. A CS is a Certificated Site, certified by the Camping and Caravanning Club. They exist because UK law allows exempted organisations to run their own small-site schemes without requiring each site to get a full local authority licence. Both schemes work brilliantly. Which one suits you depends on the guests you want, the rules you're happier working to, and, honestly, which Club you're already most comfortable with.

CL Site vs CS Site at a Glance

Certifying Club: CLs are certified by the Caravan and Motorhome Club; CSs by the Camping and Caravanning Club.
Pitch limit: Both allow a maximum of five at any one time.
Tents: CLs generally don't take tents. CSs do.
Site licence needed: No, in both cases. Both schemes rely on a Club exemption.
Typical guest: CLs lean towards experienced caravanners and motorhomers. CSs attract a broader mix including family campers and tenters.
Directory: Each scheme lists you in the respective Club's directory and app.
Inspections: Both schemes inspect regularly.

What Both Schemes Have in Common

The similarities matter more than most people realise. Whichever scheme you pick, you get the same core framework:

A maximum of five pitches at any one time. This is a hard cap set by the underlying legal exemption, not by either Club.
No full caravan site licence required from your local authority, because the Club certifies you in its place.
Annual inspections by the Club to keep your certification in good standing.
Listing in the Club's directory and app, which is where most of your bookings will come from in your first year.
Standard requirements around fresh water, waste disposal, insurance, and sensible pitch layout.
The option to take non-members, though members typically get priority and may pay different rates.

If you're new to all this, it's worth reading our starter guide on how to start a CL site first. Much of the application process and land preparation is the same whichever scheme you choose.

What Makes a CL Site Different

A Certificated Location is run under the Caravan and Motorhome Club's scheme, and the Club has a particular personality. Its members tend to be touring caravan owners and motorhomers, often retired or semi-retired, usually experienced, and generally looking for peaceful, rural pitches that feel a bit off the beaten track. CL guests are almost always fully self-contained, meaning they bring their own shower, toilet, and cooking facilities, so you don't need to provide those.

CLs do not generally accept tents. If you want to host tenters, a CL is not the right scheme. There are small exceptions for trailer tents and some awning arrangements, but the spirit of the CL is caravans and motorhomes only.

CLs also feel slightly more formal in terms of Club expectations around pitch spacing and signage. In practice that's rarely a barrier. If your pitches are laid out sensibly and you display a simple Club-approved sign, you'll meet the requirements easily. We cover the practical day-to-day side in our guide to managing a CL.

What Makes a CS Site Different

A Certificated Site runs under the Camping and Caravanning Club. The Club is older than its caravan-focused counterpart and has a broader, more mixed membership. You'll find families with kids, wild-camping tent enthusiasts, cyclists touring with small tents, and caravanners and motorhomers all under the CS banner. Our standalone explainer covers what a CS site is in more depth.

The headline difference is that CS sites accept tents. This matters because it opens up a different type of guest: tent campers, who often make shorter bookings, travel in larger parties, and tend to be more weather-dependent than caravanners. They also tend to need a toilet of some kind, which in practice means CS sites often have at least a chemical toilet or a simple compost loo available.

CS guests, on average, book shorter stays and are a bit more seasonal than CL guests. Your peak weeks will lean more towards school holidays and good-weather weekends than the longer, slower touring visits typical on a CL.

Which Club's Members Are You Actually Attracting?

This is the single biggest practical difference, and it's the question most new owners under-weight.

The Caravan and Motorhome Club has hundreds of thousands of members, skewing towards caravan and motorhome owners. If your land suits tourers — firm ground, clear approach, scenic setting — a CL listing puts you directly in front of them.

The Camping and Caravanning Club also has hundreds of thousands of members, but the mix is broader. Their directory brings you in front of tent campers, family campers, and a younger demographic on average. If your land has a flat grassy area suitable for tents and you're relaxed about having a more mixed crowd, a CS works well.

If you're unsure which audience would suit your site, look honestly at the physical features you can offer. A rugged farm with hardstanding and good views is practically made for a CL. A grassy paddock with a gentle slope and a water tap is a classic CS profile.

Fees, Costs and Admin

The fees to apply and maintain certification with each Club differ slightly, and both Clubs adjust them from time to time. Always check the current figures with the Club's small-site team when you're ready to apply. In both cases, the annual cost is small relative to even one busy weekend's pitch income, so the fee rarely drives the decision.

Admin is broadly similar. You keep a booking record. You respect the inspection process. You respond to the Club if a guest complains. You maintain your public liability insurance, which applies to both schemes equally.

Whichever scheme you pick, you'll want a reliable way to track bookings from day one. CampSuite is free for both CL and CS sites, because a five-pitch owner shouldn't pay software fees that were designed for 200-pitch holiday parks. It replaces the paper diary, prevents double bookings, and handles deposits and card payments when you're ready for them.

Can I Run Both a CL and a CS on the Same Land?

Yes, and it's not unheard of. Some owners hold both certifications to maximise their directory exposure. The catch is that the five-pitch limit applies in total, not per scheme. If you have a CL and a CS, you can still only have five vans or tents on your land at once. What you gain is simply two listings, two directories, and two pools of members to draw bookings from.

For most owners, holding both is unnecessary admin. Pick the scheme that matches your land and your preferred guest type, and commit to it for a full season before reconsidering.

How to Choose Between a CL and a CS

Here's the decision framework most owners eventually land on:

Choose a CL if your land is better suited to caravans and motorhomes, you'd rather not deal with tent campers, you already know and like the Caravan and Motorhome Club, or you want an easier, lower-facilities operation.
Choose a CS if your land suits tents (soft, level, reasonably sheltered), you're happy to have a broader guest mix including families, or you want to tap into the tent-camping market and attract a more seasonal crowd.
Consider both if your land genuinely works for both, you're comfortable with the extra admin, and you want to test which audience produces more bookings in your first full season.

Most owners pick one, run it for a year, and stick with it. The choice is less important than getting going. Both schemes work.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you already know which scheme fits, follow your Club's small-site team through the application process. Our step-by-step guide to starting a CL walks through what to expect, and much of it applies to CS applications too.

If you're still weighing it up, visit a couple of local sites of each type as a paying guest. Thirty minutes on a CL and thirty minutes on a CS tells you more than an hour reading rules. You'll know immediately which one feels right for the land you have and the guests you want to welcome.

CL Site vs CS Site: What's the Difference?