RV walkaround checklist
RVs have a lot more to check. Don't drive off without going through this list.
Tap any zone on the RV to report damage. Zones with damage are highlighted red.
Set each item to Good, Damaged, or Missing. Expand for notes and photos.
Run the fridge, stove, water heater, and AC. Problems found later are much harder to dispute.
Look for soft spots or sealant cracks. Roof leaks are among the costliest RV problems because the damage spreads before you see it.
Video each slide-out extending and retracting. Mechanical issues here are expensive to repair.
Your inspection is saved in this browser on your device and isn't uploaded to RentRight. Clearing your browser data deletes it, which is another reason to export. The tool is built to work offline once it has loaded, which helps at rural depots and campgrounds with weak signal.
Water damage is slow to show and expensive to fix, so look up. If the rental allows roof access from the rear ladder, check the sealant around vents, skylights, the A/C shroud and the roof edges for cracks or gaps. If it doesn't, photograph what you can see from the ladder or ground and ask staff about the roof's condition. On a Class C, check the cab-over closely: soft spots, ceiling stains above the cab bed, or bubbling on the front cap (delamination). Photograph every ceiling stain inside, since a stain nobody recorded can turn into a water damage claim.
Film each slide-out going all the way out and back in. Note torn or missing seals, scrapes on the slide floor, and any grinding or hesitation. Then extend the awning, look for tears, mildew and bent arms, and roll it back in. Awnings are easy to damage in wind, so ask how the company wants it secured and retract it whenever you leave the site.
Photograph the generator hour meter and type the reading into the generator zone notes. Some companies bill generator use by the hour from that meter, so ask how yours charges. Note the propane level and photograph the monitor panel showing fresh, gray and black tank levels. If a holding tank isn't empty at pickup, get that in writing, because companies can charge when tanks come back full or the interior needs cleaning. Ask about those charges before you leave. Propane can limit your route too: some tunnels and bridges restrict vehicles carrying propane, so check your route and ask the company about any restrictions.
RV tires can look fine while aging out. Read the DOT code on each sidewall (the last four digits are the week and year it was made), look for cracking, and photograph dual rear wheels from both sides because the inner tire is easy to miss. On a travel trailer or fifth wheel, check the hitch, safety chains, breakaway cable and trailer lights. Ask for the RV's overall height and keep it on the dash: gas station canopies, drive-throughs and low branches are easy to hit in a vehicle this tall.
Run the fridge on propane and on shore power if you can, light the stove, switch on the water heater, furnace and A/C, run the water pump, flush the toilet and look under the sinks for drips. Test the entry step and leveling jacks. A fault you find on the lot is the company's to fix; the same fault reported on day three becomes your word against theirs.
Don't assume your credit card covers an RV. Card rental benefits are written for cars, and card benefit guides commonly exclude recreational vehicles, campers and trailers. Check your personal auto policy and the rental's own protection plan before pickup. Our credit card rental coverage guide explains what card benefits usually include.
Peer-to-peer platforms move quickly after a trip. Hosts can file damage claims soon after the booking ends, and platforms rely on the photos and check-in and check-out records made through their apps, so complete each step the platform asks for. Take your own photos alongside the platform's. At drop-off, repeat the walkaround with the same zones and photograph the dash (fuel and odometer), the generator meter and the tank panel. If a bill arrives anyway, DisputeItRight helps you write the dispute, and the car version of CheckItRight covers a tow vehicle or a rental car on the same trip.
Yes, as far as the rental allows. Roof and cab-over leaks cause water damage that may not show until later, and you don't want it pinned on your trip. If roof access isn't permitted, photograph the roof from the ladder or the ground, photograph any ceiling stains inside, and ask staff to note the roof's condition on the paperwork.
Photograph the generator hour meter and the tank monitor panel at pickup and again at return. Ask how the company bills generator use and what it charges if tanks come back full, then empty the black and gray tanks at a dump station before you return. If a tank isn't empty at pickup, get that noted in writing.
Usually not. Many card benefit guides exclude recreational vehicles, campers and trailers. Check your card's guide to benefits, your auto policy and the rental's protection plan before pickup.
Repeat the same zones you documented at pickup, plus the dash showing fuel and odometer, the generator hour meter, the tank monitor panel, the propane level and the interior. Peer-to-peer platforms can file damage claims within days of the trip ending, so dated return photos matter as much as pickup photos.
In your browser's storage on the device you used. It isn't uploaded to RentRight, so clearing browser data or switching phones means losing it. Use Download Report or Share Report to keep a copy and send it to the rental company.
Items not included with most rental RVs. Buy or pack before pickup, since campground and on-site stores usually charge more.
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