RV propane refill: the basics

If your motorhome or camper runs its furnace, water heater, stove, or fridge on propane, refilling works differently than it does for a grill tank — and an exchange cage is simply not an option.

Your RV tank is filled in place

Most motorhomes carry a permanently mounted ASME tank bolted to the frame. It isn't removed and can't be swapped — a refill station's attendant drives or walks the fill hose to your rig and fills the tank where it sits, by the gallon. Travel trailers with removable DOT cylinders (often 20 or 30 lb) can be filled either mounted or carried in, depending on the station.

On this site, 2,865 verified stations are flagged RV-friendly — look for the “RV Friendly” badge on city and location pages. Stations earn that flag when their own published information confirms they fill RV and motorhome tanks.

Before you roll in, check these five things

• Access and clearance. A refill station needs room for your rig to pull alongside the propane dispenser. Big farm-supply and rental-yard locations usually have it; a small storefront may not. The location pages here link to directions so you can scope the layout on a map first.
• Is the propane attendant on duty? Refills require a trained attendant, and at some locations the attendant works set hours even when the store is open. Call ahead — every location page lists the phone number.
• Know your gauge. ASME tanks are filled to 80%. If your gauge reads in percent, the attendant tops it to that 80% mark, and you pay for the gallons added.
• Turn everything off. Pilot lights, appliances, and the engine off before filling; everyone out of the rig during the fill. The attendant will walk you through it.
• Tank condition matters. A rusted or damaged mounted tank, or an expired removable cylinder (recertification is due 12 years from the stamped manufacture date), can be refused. Better to learn that in your driveway than mid-trip.

When to fill

Propane is easiest to find — and often cheapest — before peak heating season, and topping off before a long trip beats hunting for a station at a quarter tank in unfamiliar country. Because ASME tanks can be topped off by the gallon, there's no penalty for filling early: you only pay for what's added.

Find an RV-friendly refill station → (look for the RV Friendly badge)