Without 10 Year Rule: Finding RV Parks That Accept Older RVs
This is not just being applied to older members of each generation. It is also applied to older RVs. For some reason, people just do not like older RVs or trailers, including conversions in their RV parks. It is not very inclusive or relationship building.
Every RV park has its own rules and when they are private campgrounds, there is little you can do about it. While most RV parks allow older Rvs into their property, there are still some that draw the line at 10 years and they do not bend on that rule.
To learn more about this topic, just continue to read our article. It explores the issue so you can avoid these parks or at least be aware of them when you are getting ready to travel. Take some time to read our content and pass the information on to your friends with older RVs.
RV Parks For Older RVs 101
Does The Age Of RV Matter?
To some people, yes it does but to others no, it doesn’t. This is a very subjective question as there will be people on both sides of the issue with great arguments.
However, the logic for the supporters of the 10-year rule does not pan out when you look at when that ten-year line is drawn. The time of this writing is 2022 and ten years ago, is only 2012.
In that year and in the years previous to that, there were some great RVs and travel trailers made. Technology has not progressed that much in 10 years nor have RVs and trailers changed so much that anything older than 2012 looks like it came from 1912.
But some people just do not see it that way and out of the millions of RV owners, they decide to make everyone pay because only a few did not take care of their RVs.
As you can tell, we are not in favor of this rule even though the owners of those parks may have legitimate reasons for rejecting pre-2012 RVs, etc. Not every pre-2012 RV owner is the same and they should not be singled out for things beyond their control and they had no part of.
What is The RV 10-Year Rule?
The first thing we need to do is clarify that this rule is not in every RV park or campground. The State, federal and county parks do not have this rule, and out of the approx. 20,000 places to camp in the country, and very few RV parks have or enforce this rule.
We are not painting with a broad brush here. Just be aware that there are parks with this rule and they will block your entry just on the looks of your RV alone.
When booking your reservation, you should ask them about this rule and let them know the age of your RV. The 10-year rule for some parks is that they do not allow any RV inside their campground which is from 2011 and earlier.
These campgrounds may ask for a photo of your RV and that photo better be good or you may face denial even though your RV was made in 2015. Then there are campgrounds that institute a 15-year rule.
If your RV was made in 2007 or after, you will be welcome in those parks but that does nothing for those people who own pristine RVs made between the years 1990 and 2006, as an example.
Why do RV Parks Have Age Restrictions?
There are legitimate reasons why many RV Park owners have this rule. And we understand that no one really wants to have an ugly, old, RV or trailer parked in the next camping spot.
But unlike traditional real estate, no one’s RV value goes down because it is parked next to an old clunker that looks like it came right from the junkyard. As we said, there are legitimate reasons why some RV parks restrict older RVs.
Legitimate reasons:
1. RV parks can be subject to local tenancy laws- this is a fact and it may take up to 8 to 10 months to evict someone who has not paid their monthly rental fee. (this would be city by city or state by state).
2. Older RVs can break down- when that happens some people just abandon them there and walk away. That provides a headache for the park owners.
3. Older RVs have caused damage in the past- that damage is costly to repair. During repairs, the owners are losing rental money as some pads may not be able to be rented during the renovation.
Those are very good reasons that justify the rule. But unfortunately, that punishes a lot of innocent RV owners who would never do such things. Or avoid paying for damages they may have caused.
It is calling a lot of people who may have never visited that park guilty of something they knew nothing about. That is something we think is unfair.
Non-legitimate reasons:
1. The park owners or managers do not like the look of your RV
2. The park owners are trying to project a certain image to draw in the ‘richer’ owners.
3. The park is very popular and the owners can afford to pick and choose their clientele.
In other words, RV park owners can come up with any reason they want to keep your RV out of their private park. To avoid these parks, look on their websites to see if they mention this rule or not.
Does The 10-Year Rule Apply To Travel Trailers?
Yes, it seems that it does. But there is a loophole in the rule. This loophole occurs when the travel trailer maker does not change the design of the trailer for 20 or 30 years.
Owners will not know a 1990 from a 2020 travel trailer if you keep the older model in great shape. The reason they won’t know is that the design has remained the same for 3 decades.
The good news for both travel trailers and RV owners will make exceptions to their rules. Not all owners of these parks are hard-hearted as they know many of their customers want to look at nice trailers, etc. While they camp on their property.
If your trailer is in good shape and has nice colors, most likely you can get an exemption as well. Just make sure any photos you send to these park owners are honest and show how your trailer really looks.
Then if you can’t afford a newer than 10-year-old trailer or RV, just avoid these parks. There are plenty of other ones that do not have this rule or enforce it if they do.
Remember most RV parks etc., are privately owned and they have a lot of leeways when it comes to setting their rules and what kind of trailer they will allow on their property.
RV Parks Without a 10-Year Rule
These are too numerous to mention. Las Vegas alone has over 9 and the list of the 9 best is as follows:
Circus Circus RV Park
Main Street Station RV Park
Arizona Charlie’s RV Park
KOA at Sam’s Town
Thousand Trails RV Resort
Lake Mead RV Village
Hitchin’ Post RV Park
Canyon Trail RV Park
Red Rock Canyon Campground
Then do not forget about the many states, federal and county parks. None of them have or enforce this rule. Each state has more than enough of these parks for you to have a great vacation without worrying about how your RV or trailer looks to an owner of a private park.
Keep in mind that while these parks allow older RVs, etc., they may have some other rules. For example, they may limit your stay and one reason for that is that they just do not have enough camp or parking sites.
Also, you need to remember that some of these parks will limit RVs to 30, 40, or 50-foot lengths. That is not because of the age or looks of the RV but because they built their spaces for smaller units.
The best advice we can give you is to be prepared, have photos ready just in case you are asked for one, and be flexible. Not every owner is the same and when one park owner makes an exception or likes the look of your RV, etc., another may not.
How Many RV Parks Have a 10-Year Rule?
So far, the best we can do is state that Arizona and Florida are 2 states that are strict about this rule. That may be because they are popular go-to RV spots so they can afford to be picky. Also, they are trying to present a unique image to the world.
There are parks throughout the states that will have this rule. Some do it just to have a written rule when they need it. Those owners will make exceptions for clean RVs and trailers.
Utah seems to be another state that has regulations that implement this rule. Usually, this rule is implemented by individual parks and those are hard to list as they may change or no one mentions their names.
We ran into a couple of owners one of who said he found only 2 such parks in 11 years of RVing. Another owner said in 20 years, he came across only 1 such park. Neither mentioned the names of those parks.
Another owner came across a Class A RV park only and they had that rule. However, his RV was older than 10 years but was allowed to stay because his rig looked new.
What this is telling you is that even though these RV parks have this rule, they will allow entry on a case-by-case basis, and naming them would only do them harm. The ones that are strict will have the rule on their web pages so you know upfront what to expect.
Finding RV Parks That Accept Older RVs Near Me
This is something that you would have to do on your own. You would have to do an internet search and pick the campgrounds that sound nice and seem like a place you would want to camp. Then you would have to look at their websites to see if they have that rule or not.
The good news is that most RV parks and campgrounds do not have this rule. That will make your search very easy and you should be able to find a campground or RVC park near you where you can relax and not worry about the state of your RV.
There are just too many around the nation to put an effective and exhaustive list here. Plus, some of those RV Parks may have changed their rules or gone out of business, or changed hands and we would have no way of knowing it.
Since you know where you want to camp near you, it is best that you do your own search. Keep in mind, as we said before the 10-year rule is not the only restriction you have to worry about.
There is still the length of the RV and class restrictions. You need to ask the tough questions or read their websites very carefully to make sure your RV will be accepted.
Arizona RV Parks No Age Restriction
When you do a search using the sub-section’s heading, then be prepared to get a list of parks that do not restrict tenants to 55 years and older. There are plenty of RV parks in this state that does not have that age restriction.
When we did the research for this section, most of the websites only said something like this “This rule is more common in states like Arizona and Florida where many RVers head to spend the winter. You might also find this rule more so at “higher” end RV Resorts in these areas”( https://gratefulglamper.com/rv-campgrounds-10-year-rule/ )
They do not cite a specific law or give any other details. When we looked at a website that was speaking about Arizona RV laws, they did not mention any 10-year rule that is in effect. It said-
“RVs are unlike any other type of property and the landlord and tenant laws that govern them are equally unique. The state of Arizona has specific laws pertaining to RV parks. These govern everything from the duration of stay and utility fees to park rules, evictions, and other responsibilities.” ( https://legalbeagle.com/6312431-smoke-detector-regulations-arizona.html )
In other words, you may have to call the parks and talk to them. Or check deeper legal sources to find out the exact rule and how it applies in this state. If you call for reservations, you may be asked to send a photo of your RV, etc. That photo may be the only reason why you are turned down.
Look at their websites and see if you can find that rule before calling.
How do You Get Around The 10-Year RV Rule?
There are many ways you can think of to get around this rule. Yelling at the owner or manager is NOT one of them. Here are 5 ways to help you avoid this problem. However, not all 5 ways are practical.
1. Keep your RV well maintained- don’t let it get rusty, or have the paint peeling or cracking, and so on. Keep it looking good all the time. Especially trailers with a long history of having the same design.
2. Own a vintage RV- but make sure you keep it in good shape as well. Renovated Vintage RV owners seem to have an easy time getting around that rule.
3. Own and travel in an RV that has a classic look- One that has not changed for 20 or 30 years. It is hard to tell them apart at times.
4. Buy a new RV- this is the most impractical option you have. New or newer RVs are still very expensive and it is not worth the cost just to stay in an RV park that rejects your current model.
5. Go to another RV Park- there are plenty of them around and it is no use staying at one that does not want you there. Find a friendlier RV park or campground. That will enhance your vacation and make it ten times better than if you stayed in a park with that rule.
Some Final Words
Life is too short to worry about the 10-year rule. Many Rvers feel the rule is unfair and targets them even though they did nothing wrong. The best thing to do is carefully read the different websites. Find a Park that is close to where you want to be and does not have that rule.
You will have more fun when you do that. Plus, you can relax knowing that your fellow campers are not looking down their noses at you. Many owners of $200,000 RVs are the main people who complain about the looks of their neighbors’ RVs.
