RV Relocation Service: Methods, Costs and What Fits Where

What is RV relocation service?

RV relocation is moving a recreational vehicle between two points without driving it yourself, either towed behind a truck or driven by a qualified operator.

The pricing model is the first thing to understand, because it is not the same as car shipping. A car occupies one slot on a trailer that carries eight or ten. An RV occupies an entire truck and driver. That is why RV rates are quoted per mile by class rather than as a flat route price.

Our published figures: Class C from about $2.50 per mile, fifth wheels around $3 per mile, and Class A units over 40 feet about $4 per mile.

Towaway versus driveaway

Two methods, and the difference matters most for what it does to your odometer.

For a motorhome you intend to keep, towaway protects resale value by keeping mileage off the clock. Driveaway is often cheaper and appropriate for units already carrying high mileage.

Class, length and what they do to the quote

Your rig’s class is the single biggest pricing input, and length is the tiebreaker within a class.

• Class B camper vans. Smallest footprint, most carrier options.
• Class C motorhomes. Our baseline at about $2.50 per mile.
• Travel trailers and fifth wheels. Around $3 per mile; hitch type matters for towaway.
• Class A under 40 feet. Large but within standard routing.
• Class A over 40 feet. About $4 per mile, and frequently permit territory.

Measure your unit rather than quoting the brochure. Roof-mounted air conditioners, satellite domes, ladders and racks all add real height, and height is what triggers permit and routing requirements.

Permits, routing and oversized loads

Oversized transport is not a surcharge invented by the carrier — it is a regulatory process with real costs.

A rig exceeding standard width, height or length needs state permits along the route. Depending on dimensions, that can also mean restricted travel hours, prohibited routes and escort vehicles. Each state issues its own, so a multi-state move means multiple permits.

What follows practically:

• Routing is not the shortest line. Low bridges and restricted corridors force detours that add miles.
• Travel windows can be limited. Some permits prohibit night or weekend movement.
• Accurate dimensions are not optional. A permit issued for the wrong height is void.

Our RV transport services page covers how we handle permit work.

Preparing an RV for transport

RV preparation is longer than car preparation, because an RV is a vehicle and a dwelling at once.

1. Secure everything inside. Cabinets latched, drawers locked, loose items removed.
2. Retract awnings, slides, steps and antennas. Anything that extends will catch something.
3. Drain fresh, grey and black water tanks. Water is heavy and sloshes.
4. Turn off propane and close the valves. Many carriers require this in writing.
5. Disconnect or remove batteries as the carrier specifies.
6. Photograph the exterior from every angle, including the roof if you can access it safely.
7. Check tire pressure, especially on a unit that has been parked.

Confirm the weight limit for contents before loading anything. Exceeding it can void a permit.

Booking RV transport that goes smoothly

The carrier pool for RVs is small, and that changes how far ahead you should book.

• Book weeks out, not days. Right-equipment carriers are scarcer than car haulers.
• Give exact measured dimensions including height with everything mounted.
• Declare running condition. Driveaway requires a roadworthy unit; towaway does not.
• Confirm what insurance covers for your method. Towaway and driveaway carry different exposures.
• Plan for seasonal peaks. Snowbird corridors compress capacity in both directions.