Every year, I swear to my accountant that this is the year I’ll be organized. I’ll track every receipt, write things off properly, and file early. And every year? I do the exact opposite. Today is already February 7th, and the only tax-related thing I’ve done is open one random 1099 and immediately get stressed out.
If you’re anything like me, you’re trying to write off as much as humanly possible to keep your tax bill down. And if you own an RV, you might be wondering: Can I deduct anything related to my RV?
A lot of people don’t realize how many tax deductions they could be taking—or worse, they assume they can deduct something when they totally can’t.
So let’s break it all down so you don’t leave money on the table.
First, A Quick Disclaimer
I am not a CPA, tax attorney, or financial expert. I’m just someone who does a lot of research and wants to share what I’ve learned. I highly recommend talking to your CPA, tax attorney, or that one friend who actually understands taxes better than I do. But if you need a starting point, this guide will help.
Can You Deduct Your RV on Your Taxes?
Yes, but how much you can deduct depends on how you use your RV.
Key RV Tax Deductions
- Mortgage interest deduction if your RV is classified as a primary or secondary home
- Sales tax deduction in the year you purchase your RV
- Property tax deduction if your state charges personal property tax on RVs
- Business deductions if you use your RV for work or rent it out
- Depreciation if your RV is classified as a business asset
To qualify for these deductions, you need to understand how the IRS classifies your RV
Is Your RV a Primary or Secondary Home?
The Mortgage Interest Deduction
If your RV has:
- A sleeping area
- Cooking facilities
- A bathroom
…it qualifies as a home under IRS rules. That means if you finance your RV, you may be able to deduct the mortgage interest, just like you would for a house.
This applies if your RV is either your:
- Primary residence – If you live in it full-time
- Second home – If you own a house but use the RV for vacations or part-time travel (over 14 days per year)
So yes, your RV needs a bathroom to qualify as a home. Because apparently, the IRS has strong opinions about where you go to the bathroom. To take this deduction, your loan must be secured by the RV itself—meaning it can be repossessed if you don’t make payments.
What If Your RV Is in Storage Part of the Year?
Your RV can still qualify as a second home even if it’s in storage for part of the year, as long as you use it for personal travel at least 14 days per year.
What If You Have Another Second Home?
You can only claim one second home for mortgage interest deductions. If you own a cabin, beach house, or another property, you have to choose whether to classify the RV or the house as your second home.
The Rental Property Exception
However, if you own a second home that you rent out most of the year, it may not count as a second home for tax purposes.
The IRS rule states that if you rent a home for more than 14 days per year and personally use it for fewer than 10% of the total rental days, the property is classified as a rental business, not a second home.
Why This Matters for Your RV
If your cabin or beach house is classified as a rental property, then it does not take up your second-home slot for mortgage interest deductions. That means your RV can qualify as your second home instead, and you can still deduct the RV mortgage interest.
Example: How This Works
- You own a house in Arizona and a cabin in Colorado.
- You rent out the cabin for 300 days per year and only stay there for 10 days.
- Since your personal use is less than 10% of rental days, the IRS considers the cabin a rental business, not a second home.
- That means your RV now qualifies as your second home, and you can deduct RV mortgage interest.
This is a huge benefit for RV owners who also have rental properties, because it keeps the second-home deduction available for the RV.
Can You Deduct Sales Tax When You Buy an RV?
If you bought an RV this year, you may be able to deduct the sales tax instead of state income taxes. This is especially valuable if you live in a no-income-tax state (like Texas or Florida) or if your RV was an expensive purchase.
- How it works: The IRS lets you choose between deducting state income tax or sales tax—whichever is higher.
- Who benefits? If you live in a state without income tax, the sales tax deduction can be huge.
Example: You buy a new RV for $100,000 and pay 7% sales tax ($7,000). If you take the sales tax deduction, that’s $7,000 off your taxable income.
Many RV owners don’t realize this is an option.
Can You Deduct Campground Fees, RV Parks, or Land Where You Park Your RV?
One of the most common tax questions for RV owners is whether campground fees, RV park stays, or land where you park your RV are deductible. The short answer?
No, campground fees and RV park stays are not deductible for personal use. The IRS considers these to be vacation or living expenses, similar to hotel stays, and does not allow them as deductions.
However, there are a few exceptions where you might be able to deduct these costs.
1. Can You Deduct Campground Fees for Business Travel?
Yes, but only if you’re traveling for business. The IRS allows deductions for business travel expenses, including lodging, which means campground fees may be deductible if your trip is primarily for work.
- If you’re self-employed or run a business that requires travel, your campground stays may qualify as a business expense.
- If you attend a work-related conference, client meeting, or trade show, your overnight stays could be deductible.
- If you operate an RV-based business, such as a mobile consulting service or a travel blog where reviewing campgrounds is part of your work, you may be able to write off your campground stays.
If your trip is primarily personal—like a vacation where you also answer a few work emails—the IRS will not consider it business travel.
2. Can You Deduct Campground Fees If You Rent Out Your RV?
Maybe. If you rent out your RV and cover campground fees while it’s being rented, those costs may be deductible as rental expenses.
For example:
- If you keep your RV at a long-term campground spot for renters, those fees could be considered part of your rental business expenses.
- If you rent out your RV through a platform like Outdoorsy or RVshare and cover campsite fees for your renters, those costs may be deductible.
3. Can You Deduct Land Where You Park Your RV?
Only the property taxes, not the land purchase itself.
- If you own land where you park your RV and pay property taxes on it, those taxes are deductible—just like property taxes on a house.
- If you bought land to park your RV permanently, the cost of purchasing the land itself is NOT deductible—only the property taxes on that land.
Example: When Can You Deduct These Costs?
- You own land where your RV is parked and pay property taxes → Property taxes are deductible, but not the land purchase
- You stay at an RV park for a family trip → Not deductible
- You attend a business conference and stay at a campground → Deductible as a business expense
Can You Deduct Your Tow Vehicle?
- If your RV or tow vehicle is used for business purposes → Expenses related to the tow vehicle may be deductible.
- If the tow vehicle is owned by a business → Depreciation, fuel, maintenance, and insurance could be deductible.
- If you rent out your RV and the tow vehicle is used to move it for renters → Some expenses may qualify.
- If the tow vehicle is for personal use → It does not qualify for mortgage interest or property tax deductions.
Remember: If you use the standard mileage deduction for business travel, you can’t also deduct individual expenses like fuel and repairs.
Important IRS Rule
Even though a towable RV (travel trailer or fifth wheel) may qualify as a second home, the tow vehicle does not because it isn’t a dwelling.
This means:
- No mortgage interest deduction for a truck or SUV.
- No property tax deduction on the vehicle itself.
Example: When Can You Deduct It?
- You own a business and use your truck to travel to job sites → Deductible as a business vehicle expense.
- You rent out your travel trailer and use your truck to deliver it → May be deductible under rental business expenses.
- You use your truck to tow your RV on vacations → Not deductible.
Maximize Your Write-offs
If you own an RV and aren’t claiming mortgage interest, you might be handing the IRS free money—money that could be staying in your pocket. And if you use your RV for business or rental income, you could be missing out on even more deductions.
The key is tracking how you actually use your RV—whether it’s for personal trips, business travel, or as a rental—so you can take advantage of every deduction you qualify for. Because at the end of the day, the IRS doesn’t care what you think your RV is used for—they care what your records say.
And again, the above is a starting point for you. Consult your accountant, and don’t take tax advice from random people on the internet.
