Northern RV Guide

First-trip checklist

Alberta's RV pre-trip safety checklist laid out for your first trip with a new or new-to-you travel trailer or fifth wheel, plus the paperwork and campsite basics.

The Government of Alberta publishes a one-page RV safety checklist (PDF). Here it is laid out for your first trip, with a few extras from Alberta's RV and towing guidance. Print it, or keep it on your phone.

Weeks before

  • Check the trailer's weight label against your truck's ratings (see Matching RV weight to your tow vehicle).
  • Register and insure the trailer. Alberta's vehicle registration page explains how.
  • Check your licence. Alberta says a regular Class 5 licence covers most RVs, as long as they don't have air brakes (RVs and travel trailers).
  • Practise backing up and turning in an empty lot.
  • Book your campsite, or if you're camping on public land, check whether you need a Public Lands Camping Pass (see Alberta's Public Land Trail Guide).

Tow vehicle

  • Oil, coolant, transmission and brake fluid
  • Battery
  • Headlights, tail lights, brake lights and turn signals
  • Wheels, lug nuts and tires
  • Marker, ID and clearance lights
  • Fuses and circuit breakers

Trailer interior

  • Breakables stowed, and cabinets and cupboards closed for travel
  • TV antenna down
  • Appliances, lights and pilots off
  • Windows and roof vents closed
  • Doors closed and locked

Trailer exterior and hitch

  • All lights working: brake, tail, signal, marker and ID
  • Wheels, lug nuts and tires
  • Steps stowed
  • Hitch visually inspected, with safety chains or cables attached. Alberta requires two separate means of attachment; fifth wheels are exempt from the second.
  • Breakaway switch tested (it applies the trailer brakes)
  • Water and sewer hoses and power cords disconnected and stowed
  • Final walk-around, and wheel chocks picked up

On the road

Alberta's RV driving tips:

  • Leave more following distance.
  • Use lower gears on hills.
  • Watch for low clearances at gas stations and overpasses.
  • Check your mirrors often for vehicles in your blind spots.
  • Have someone outside guide you when you back up.

The checklist items above are from the Government of Alberta RV Safety Basic Checklist. The hitch rule is from Alberta's 2026 RV Towing Guide.

Guides in this section

Our first in-depth guides for this section are being written and fact-checked now. In the meantime, start with the overview above or browse all guides.