No, California Isn’t Banning Motorhomes. Here’s What You Need to Know
The Advanced Clean Trucks Act will impact chassis manufacturers starting January 1, 2025..
Image Caption: Class A Diesel Pusher Motorhome RV on a Scenic California Highway 101 Covered by Coastal Fog. Motor Coach Road Trip Vacation.
Update (12/12/25): After receiving a great deal of clarifying information from the California Air Resources Board, this article has been extensively updated with more information regarding the Advanced Clean Truck regulations and their impact on RV use and sales.
If you’ve been keeping up with current events in the RV industry lately, you’ve probably heard about California’s so-called motorhome ban that is set to go into effect on January 1, 2025. Because of the complicated and somewhat fluid nature of this story, there have been a lot of rumors and misinformation circulating online. Understandably, this has led to plenty of speculation and concern from the RV community, as we all wait to see how things sort out.
So what’s at the heart of this ban and how will it impact consumers? We’ve sifted through as much information as we can to get to the bottom of those questions. Here’s what you need to know about the California RV ban.
Image Courtesy of Andrey Armyagov/Shutterstock
Is California Banning RVs?
Let’s start with the most obvious question; is the state of California actually banning RVs? The short answer is no, but it is complicated. Let us explain.
Back in 2021, the state of California, under the advisement of the California Air Resource Board (CARB), passed a set of rules known as the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation. The goal of ACT is to cut the level of emissions produced by medium and heavy-duty trucks by placing regulations on the sale of vehicles built on large chassis like those produced by Freightliner, Spartan, and Ford. And while those platforms are mostly used to build trucks to haul cargo, they’re also commonly found in large RVs, too.
At its core, ACT is designed to promote the sale of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) by encouraging manufacturers of medium- and heavy-duty chassis to adopt electric platforms or other propulsion systems that are better for the environment. This goal is to have those manufacturers convert to selling 100% ZEV vehicles by 2036, gradually introducing those options over time. The regulation allows those manufacturers to purchase carbon credits or sell electric vehicles to help offset the sales of their gas-powered models. In theory, this would allow them to continue selling their platforms in California, but unfortunately, most of those manufacturers—with the exception of Ford—don’t have electric vehicles to help balance out their ledger. Because of this, we could see an impact on motorhome sales starting early next year.
It is also important to note that these regulations only apply to new vehicles starting with the 2024 model year. If you already own a medium or heavy-duty truck or large motorhome, California isn’t coming to take it away from you. However, the state’s regulations may keep some gas-powered RVs off dealer lots unless chassis manufacturers start offering EV models to help meet CARB goals and quotas.
Summer tourism with RV in the mountain. Campers parked in a row in a caravan parking area. Best option for travel. Motorhomes and campingcar. (Summer tourism with RV in the mountain. Campers parked in a row in a caravan parking area. Best option for t
Which Motorhomes Could Be Impacted?
Most of the headlines surrounding California regulations and how the impact RVs have centered on Class A motorhomes and, to a lesser extent, Class C models. But the Advanced Clean Truck regulations have clear-cut rules governing exactly which vehicles are covered based on weight. Any gas vehicle with a GVWR of 8,500 lbs. or more are subject to the regulations, meaning most Class B camper vans would also be covered by the rules.
Under the guidelines, RV dealerships can continue to sell gas-powered motorhomes, provided those coaches comply with the ACT regulations based on the efforts of chassis manufacturers to meet the ZEV sales goals established by CARB. In other words, Class A, B, and C models won’t just disappear from dealer lots, although they must adhere to the strict requirements set fourth in the ACT rules. The RVs that do meet those conditions will be clearly labeled so that they can be identified as complying with the regulations.
And to be clear, the RV industry isn’t the only one struggling with these new regulations. In addition to the trucking industry, school buses, tow trucks, delivery trucks, and other commercial vehicles could also potentially be impacted.
Photo Credit: sanfel/Getty
Do CARB Rules Impact Other States, Too?
Since it was CARB that drafted these regulations, California is obviously the first state in the country to adopt them. But there are ten other states that have also signed on for the ACT regulations, meaning these rules will most likely be coming to other places in the future.
Joining California in 2025 are Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington. In 2026, Vermont will also begin enforcing these regulations, while Colorado, Maryland, New Mexico, and Rhode Island will follow suit in 2027. Some of those states are considering delaying adoption to further study the economic impact, the current state of infrastructure, and emerging technologies. Those potential delays may lead to a grace period during which there will be little or no change to current rules and standards.
It is possible that some of those states could choose to back out of the ACT regulations or draft their own independent rules with to govern the use of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. But if they do stick with the Advanced Clean Truck guidelines, they must accept all of the provisions, meaning they can’t pick and choose which elements the decide to enforce. Instead, they must adhere to the full set of standards for those vehicles, including all provisions related to vehicle emissions.
Image Courtesy of guy-ozenne/Getty
What If I Buy My RV in Another State, Then Move to California?
Contrary to what you may have read elsewhere, the ACT regulations do not restrict registration of RVs or any other medium- or heavy-duty vehicles. That means if you buy an RV in another state and than move to California, you can still register and use your motorhome without restriction. That said, If your RV has less than 7,500 miles on its odometer, it is considered a “new” vehicle, which could put it in violation of other state laws not related to ACT.
As noted, all of the other states that adopt the ACT regulations must accept those guidelines in full. In other words, if you can’t register a new motorhome in California, you won’t even be able to do so in any of the states that are implementing these new rules. In 2025, that currently means Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington will all require medium- and heavy-duty chassis meet the CARB standards in order to be properly registered.
Photo Credit: cookelma/Getty
What Does the Future Look Like?
While much of the news surrounding the ACT regulations has come across as dire, the story isn’t all doom and gloom. CARB has reached out to a number of trade organizations—including the RV Industry Association (RVIA)—to gather more information and to look for possible solutions. After all, the goal is to lower emissions on medium- and heavy-duty trucks, which are sold in much higher volumes than RVs, busses, and so on.
That said, as of press time, the state of California is moving ahead with its planned regulations. That means, as of January 1, 2025, most medium- and heavy-duty vehicles—including motorhomes—will be subject to the new rules. Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington are likely to follow suit, although there is some movement in a few of those states to delay the regulations until 2026 or even 2027. That will buy those state governments time to further review the ACT guidelines and perhaps explore their own solutions independent of the California rules.
It is important to emphasize that California is not banning RVs or other medium- or heavy-duty vehicles. Instead, it is requiring the chassis manufacturers to meet certain emissions standards as a way of encouraging them to develop ZEV options. Remember, the goal is to lower harmful emissions moving forward, with a deadline of 2036 to hit its target numbers. But because several of those manufacturers don’t currently offer zero-emissions options, it may become difficult for them to continue offering vehicles built on their platforms for sale in California (and other states) until they can comply with the ACT standards. That has the potential to limit availability of certain models in the shot term, while the manufacturers explore new options moving forward.
As we’ve mentioned a few times, the California RV ban is in a fluid state at the moment. That means things could change in the future, potentially even before the January 1, 2025 deadline. We’ll continue to monitor the situation closely and share important updates in this article as they emerge. And for further information, be sure to check out RVIA’s coverage of the topic, too.
Also, if you want to separate myth from fact, CARB offers a great rundown of the situation here. It addresses the idea that vehicles are being banned outright, the number of ZEVs that must be sold, and the manufacturers ability to meet the new regulations. According to CARB, as a combined industry, chassis manufacturers reached their goals in 2023—two years earlier than expected.
The important thing to know right now is that motorhomes currently on the road are not being banned from use in California or any of the other ACT states. That said, If you are planning to purchase a new motorized RV in the near future, and live in one of the states mentioned above, you’ll want to pay close attention to how this all evolves.
Stay tuned for further updates as we learn more.
Kraig Becker is a writer in the RV, outdoors, and adventure travel space. Over the course of his career he has contributed to such outlets as Popular Mechanics, Outside Online, Business Insider, TripSavvy, Digital Trends, GearJunkie, The Adventure Blog, and countless others. And avid runner and cyclist, he enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and just about any other outdoor activity. His travels have taken him to seven continents and on many amazing adventures.
