Lawmakers introduce tax deduction fix for RV trailers

Reps. Jackie Walorski, R-Indiana, and Dina Titus, D-Nevada, introduced bipartisan legislation Wednesday to equalize the tax breaks for different types of recreational vehicles, including travel trailers and campers.

The Travel Trailer and Camper Tax Parity Act (H.R. 3552) would fix a provision in the Tax Code to restore the full deductibility of inventory financing interest for all types of RVs, including motorhomes, travel trailers and campers, as Congress originally intended, according to the bill’s proponents. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs of 2017, a deduction for interest paid on RV dealer inventory inadvertently excluded nonmotorized travel trailers. The House and Senate versions of the legislation specifically intended to include towable RVs as motor vehicles, but the final version of the TCJA simplified the definition of motor vehicles. That means the full tax exemption now only applies to RV motorhomes, putting the RV travel trailer industry at a disadvantage and forcing larger dealers to use different accounting rules for trailers and motorhomes. Around 88% of RVs sold are travel trailers, according to the RV Industry Association.

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The legislation is being introduced at a time when travel is expected to increase significantly this Memorial Day weekend compared to last year. Thanks to COVID-19 vaccines, more Americans are making plans to travel this year, and airlines are reporting increases in bookings for the holiday weekend. The pandemic sparked a 4.4% increase in RV sales last year in North America, offering families a safer way to sightsee while avoiding airplanes and hotels where they could risk infection. The recent Oscar-winning movie, “Nomadland,” portraying life in RV parks, is likely to inspire further sales increases this year.

“From manufacturers and suppliers to distributors and dealers, the RV industry supports tens of thousands of jobs in northern Indiana and across the country,” Walorski said in a statement. “These made-in-America products will play a vital role in our economic recovery, but one provision in the Tax Code is putting certain RVs at a disadvantage. This commonsense bill would fix that by restoring tax parity so all types of RVs — including travel trailers and campers — are treated equally.”

The RV Industry Association said the legislation would help RV trailer dealers remain competitive with other types of recreation products that are currently able to fully deduct the interest paid on their inventory.

“The RV industry generates over $1 billion for Nevadans each year,” Titus said in a statement. “Travelers who use both towed and motorized RVs create jobs in our state and there is no reason these vehicles should be taxed differently. This bipartisan bill would help boost regional tourism in Nevada and across the country.”