Renting an RV for the First Time? A Pickup-to-Return Checklist

A rented RV is a vehicle, a small house and a set of utility systems in one. Most first-trip stress comes from things nobody showed you at pickup: where the propane shutoff is, how the dump valves work, or whether the tires are old. This checklist puts the checks in order and links the official source for each one, so you can ask the owner or rental company the right questions.

What should you check before you book?

• The RV type. RVs include travel trailers, fifth wheels, folding camping trailers, truck campers and motorhomes, according to the RV Industry Association (RVIA). A towable needs a tow vehicle rated for it; a motorhome doesn’t.
• Its length. Campgrounds list maximum vehicle lengths per site. Check before you book (see our Recreation.gov booking guide).
• Your license. A standard license covers many RVs, but some states require a different class for large ones. Our license guide shows how to check your state.
• The VIN. Ask for it and run it through NHTSA’s recall lookup before you pay. Our recall guide explains what the result does and doesn’t cover.
• The RVIA seal. RVIA says most public and private campgrounds in the United States require that RVs have its seal affixed. Ask whether the RV has one.

What should you check at pickup?

• Walk-around photos and video of every side, the roof edges you can see, the awning, the tires and the interior, with the date showing.
• Tires. Read the four-digit date code on each sidewall and check pressure against the vehicle’s label, not the number molded on the tire. See our tire age guide.
• Alarms. Press the test button on the carbon monoxide, propane (LP) and smoke alarms. Ask where the propane shutoff valve is. See our CO and propane guide.
• Tanks and hookups. Ask for a demonstration of the fresh, gray and black tanks, the dump valves, the sewer hose, the power cord and the water hookup. See our tank guide.
• Manuals. Ask for the RV’s owner’s manual and the manuals for the generator, water heater, furnace and fridge, or where to find them online.
• Paperwork. Read what the rental agreement says about mileage, generator hours, cleaning, dumping the tanks before return, pets, smoking and damage. Ask what insurance or protection the rental includes; we don’t sell or recommend insurance.

What should you do on the road?

• Check tire pressure cold, before driving. NHTSA defines “cold” as not driven for at least three hours.
• Know the RV’s height and watch for low bridges, canopies and drive-throughs.
• Run a generator only where its exhaust can’t get into the RV, and keep the CO alarm working.
• Dump tanks only at designated dump stations, as the EPA advises.

What should you do at return?

• Empty and rinse the tanks if the agreement requires it, and refill fuel and propane to the level it states.
• Take the same walk-around photos and video you took at pickup.
• Ask for a written check-in note that lists any issue found, before you leave.

How do you budget the trip?

Add up the rental, campsite fees, fuel, propane, dump-station fees and any mileage or generator charges in the agreement. For fuel, use your own route and the DOE/EPA trip calculator; our fuel cost guide walks through it. Thinking of buying instead? Read rent or buy first.

Which questions should you ask the owner or rental company?

1. What is the RV’s VIN, and when did you last check it for recalls?
2. How old are the tires, and when were they last replaced?
3. When were the carbon monoxide, propane and smoke alarms last tested or replaced?
4. Is the propane tank or cylinder full at pickup, and how full must it be at return?
5. Do I need to empty the black and gray tanks before return, and is there a fee if I don’t?
6. How many miles and generator hours are included, and what does each extra mile or hour cost?
7. Who do I call if something breaks on the road, and what am I allowed to repair myself?

Write the answers down, or ask for them by email, so you have them in writing.