Why You May Get Turned Away From An RV Park If Your RV Is Too Old

Getting an older RV — whether you're looking to live in it or just camp on occasion — may sound like an ideal option, but can lead to headaches instead. After all, RV and van life is often more expensive than originally thought, even if you go in prepared. What you might not expect is for campgrounds to turn your RV away due to age. Though it sounds unfair, there are actually a few pretty good reasons why certain campgrounds are so strict about the age of your RV, including protecting themselves and keeping the quality of their campground high. 

 As a rule of thumb, any RV over 10 years old has a good chance of being turned away, especially if you're looking to stay at a nice campground. Older RVs aren't always cared for properly. They can be dirty, sagging, dented, and unsafe. Fires, leaks, and breakdowns are also potential issues with older RVs in a campsite, which are hazards to other campers and the owners of the camp. Campgrounds want to keep visitors coming and not have anything to make them feel uncomfortable or like the space is low-quality. 

There's also liability for the campground. If the RV breaks down, it's not easy to get it out of a site without risking damaging parts of the grounds or other campers. Additionally, in cases when people set up their RV and then refuse to pay, eviction is a costly option. Generally, to recuperate the costs, the RV will be sold, but ones that are falling apart or damaged aren't likely to give them a good amount of money back. To keep campgrounds safe and bring more customers in, the 10-year rule was put in place in many locations.

Age is something you need to consider if you're looking to get a used RV. The year of a camper is one of the primary factors campgrounds look upon when deciding to let someone stay or not. This means it doesn't necessarily matter whether you have a junker from 10 years ago, or a completely revamped classic that is practically new. Most of the time, you can plan around this problem, picking out campgrounds in advance that will accept your RV. However, sometimes things happen (even if you follow the RV 3-3-3 rule on your next road trip) and you may need a place to stay at the last minute. It's sometimes already hard to find spots during these times, and you don't want to have to worry about it being even more difficult because of the age of your camper.

Thankfully, there are some ways to reduce the chances of your RV being denied due to its age. If your RV looks nice and kept up, campgrounds are more likely to give you a chance, even if they are older. Don't be afraid to send the campground a few pictures of your RV, showing the quality and the care you put into it. 

Additionally, there are several campground groups that don't enforce this rule often, especially when people are just passing through and not staying for a long time. Public campgrounds and groups you pay fees to join, like Harvest Host and Thousand Trails are generally more accepting, as well. Another benefit is that you can often park your RV for free overnight in public lands, though you might not have as many amenities.