RV park requirements

[S.G.]

Hello. I'm new to this whole RVing thing. I've never camped or done anything in the trailer I just bought. Before I jump into this RVing thing, I'd like to know a couple of critical things regarding RV parks.

1. Do I have to have trailer insurance to stay at an RV park?
2. Can I pay in cash? (I've never had a credit card nor do I ever want one)

 

[LarsMac]

A lot of RV parks are good with cash.
I've never been asked to prove insurance at an RV park.
Though if it's a licensed vehicle/Trailer, most states require a licensed vehicle to have insurance, I think.

 

[DonTom]

. Do I have to have trailer insurance to stay at an RV park?
2. Can I pay in cash? (I've never had a credit card nor do I ever want one)

1. No.

2. A few will only accept cash. But I would not leave home without a dozen or so credit cards.

I don't think any require a credit card. It is supposed to be illegal to not accept cash as payment. That's why your dollars say "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private".

But what if you need to reserve a spot via cell phone? How do you send the cash?

-Don- Okeechobee, FL

 

[IBTripping]

Welcome to the Forum. Many car/truck insurance companies include a towed trailer under the liability portion of your vehicle insurance. I've never heard of any campground that requires proof of insurance. And, cash is good at most places. Do you have any trips planned?

 

[Isaac-1]

Insurance requirements for trailers varies by state, some states require it, some don't, never heard of any RV park requiring it, though some do have rules against home built RV's etc. Most will accept cash, though I have ran into a couple of exceptions that were credit card only, one that comes to mind was a public RV campground at a municipal park where payment and reservations had to go through a 3rd party processor. Kind of odd, you could not show up and get an RV site at the check in office, but you could make a reservations and pay for it online while standing there on your smart phone. I think I have ran into credit card only payment policy at a commercial campground somewhere, but don't remember where.

 

[S.G.]

1. No.

2. A few will only accept cash. But I would not leave home without a dozen or so credit cards.

I don't think any require a credit card. It is supposed to be illegal to not accept cash as payment. That's why your dollars say "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private".

But what if you need to reserve a spot via cell phone? How do you send the cash?

-Don- Okeechobee, FL

Liking this quote of yours: [It is supposed to be illegal to not accept cash as payment. That's why your dollars say "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private".]

I'm just gonna wing it. I don't do reservations because I don't do credit cards. That's why I'm curious about the cash situation.

 

[S.G.]

Welcome to the Forum. Many car/truck insurance companies include a towed trailer under the liability portion of your vehicle insurance. I've never heard of any campground that requires proof of insurance. And, cash is good at most places. Do you have any trips planned?

Yes. I'm moving across the country from California to Tennessee. It's all going to be a learn on the run type of situation. I'm also doing this at the worst time possible. Winter/January. Hahaha

 

[SeilerBird]

But what if you need to reserve a spot via cell phone? How do you send the cash?

Zelle or Paypal can send cash or stop in a 7-11 and buy a refillable debit card.

 

[Kirk]

I have only once run across an RV park that didn't accept either cash or checks, but it was a self-service park that reserved and registered by internet or text. There was no attendant physically in the park but they were nearby. It is very common for parks to require some type of card to reserve a site before arrival.

[It is supposed to be illegal to not accept cash as payment. That's why your dollars say "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private".

Is it legal for a business in the United States to refuse cash as a form of payment?​

There is no federal statute mandating that a private business, a person, or an organization must accept currency or coins as payment for goods or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether to accept cash unless there is a state law that says otherwise.

 

[RRR]

I have been asked for proof of insurance once about 3-4 years ago at what I would call a lower end facility, a Thousand Trails on the Oregon coast. This was the same place that did a walk-around of the rig. (I think they did a closer inspection than I did when I bought it.) There was also several trailers that had tarps over them and moss growing on the sides.

I suspect that person was a new hire, never saw them again.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Last winter we stopped at some parks that did everything online including checking in due to COVID, so there was no cash or check option. One of our overnight stops was cash or check only, but we were directed to stay in the RV and someone came out to check us in, only approaching close enough to to take the money at arms length. I wonder if some of those rules will be reinstated this winter when we head south...

 

[Old_Crow]

Last year when I went back to Arkansas, the COE park that I usually stay at had changed to all online transactions. I had to sit in the coach, parked outside the office, and book my stay through recreation.gov Got my reservation number, gave it to the guy in the office over the intercom and then took my site.

 

[ziplock]

changed to all online transactions.

Now that they have found out that people are willing to do this to make reservations, order food, pay bills, etc......it will only get worse.

I like paying cash, and doing something at the spur of the moment, but that is not as easy if you must pay FIRST, then drive there.

Oh yeah, or sit outside the place and on-line into the place.

Yuck. I'm OLD!

 

[CharlesinGA]

Some states, South Dakota being one, requires reservations, even for same day. There is no walkup, you go out and make the reservation, then come back in and check in. Its a ploy to collect the $6 or $7 reservation fee. Florida also has a reservation fee and I think they have gone to same day reservations also, no walkup. Word has got around, states can make more money charging the reservation fee.

Charles

 

[Isaac-1]

Sounds like the DMV here, pay online and you get online service fee, pay in the local DMV office and pay the local office service fee, the only way to avoid a service fee with the DMV here is by paying in person at the headquarters office at the state capital

 

[LarsMac]

Yes. I'm moving across the country from California to Tennessee. It's all going to be a learn on the run type of situation. I'm also doing this at the worst time possible. Winter/January. Hahaha

Well, good luck and safe travels. Watch the weather, and stay south til you get to the Mississppi. Even then, the swamps can get pretty cold and dismal in January.

 

[TheBar]

Times they are a changing. Cash is quickly becoming obsolete. Credit cards and some think crypto currency may be our only options before long. The best explanation of the value of money comes from a member of the Canadian parliament here.

The attendant at the COE park we frequent said they were told all federal campgrounds will be switching to credit card only. For the safety of the attendants. They also cannot make or change reservations at the campground office. They quit accepting any form of payment at the campgrounds last year. This year they installed a kiosk beside the office to make it easier for walkups.

 

[Old_Crow]

Now that they have found out that people are willing to do this to make reservations, order food, pay bills, etc......it will only get worse.

I like paying cash, and doing something at the spur of the moment, but that is not as easy if you must pay FIRST, then drive there.

Oh yeah, or sit outside the place and on-line into the place.

Yuck. I'm OLD!

If it makes you feel better, the campgrounds I manage in the summer are all either reservation or cash. None of them has the cell or internet service required to take cards.

 

[Gizmo]

1) We have never been asked to see insurance when checking in to RV Parks, nor have I heard of it being a requirement to check into a park. Having said that one generally needs to have insurance on trailers.

2) Although we have already paid by CC, I have seen at a few parks other customers paying cash for their stay. I can't imagine any park not accepting cash. The only problem I see for you is making reservations which generally require a CC to reserve. While you can walk in without a reservation you may find these day's many parks are full as RV travel has exploded. We use to travel without reservations but in the last couple years have found not making reservations was a mistake.

 

[A Traveler]

I cannot imagine life today without a credit card! I haven’t paid for anything other than fast food with cash or a check for years. Some of the bills in my wallet have been in there for months, maybe years.