A dump station, also called a sanitary dump station, is where you empty an RV's holding tanks into a sewer drain. Some are free, many charge a fee, and some are for customers or campers only. This page explains where dumping is allowed, how to tell whether a station is free or public, and the tools you can use to find one, including our own maps. Sources were checked on October 25, 2026.
Where you can and can't empty tanks
- National parks: federal rules ban "draining refuse from a trailer or other vehicle, except in facilities provided for such purpose." 36 CFR 2.14, via Cornell LII
- Parks repeat this in their own rules. Shenandoah says trailers and RVs must empty sewage and wastewater at dump stations. NPS: Shenandoah campground regulations
- Elsewhere: state and local rules apply, so the safe rule is to use a designated dump station.
Free vs fee vs customers-only
There are three common types of station:
- Free and open to the public: anyone can use it at no charge.
- Fee: anyone can use it, but you pay. Campgrounds, RV parks and some travel centers often charge non-guests.
- Customers or permit holders only: for example, a campground station for registered campers, or a station at a storage facility for its tenants.
OpenStreetMap (OSM), the open map our dump station pages use, records this with tags:
- Fee:
fee=yesmeans there is a charge, andfee=nomeans it's free. If it's free for customers but non-customers must pay, mappers usefee=yeswith a condition. - Access: the
accesstag shows who may use it, for examplecustomersoryes. - Water: a separate tag shows whether there is a water point.
OpenStreetMap Wiki: amenity=sanitary_dump_station
Our dump station pages
Our RV dump station directory maps 336 dump stations near 57 cities, from OpenStreetMap data retrieved October 21, 2026. Each city page shows a station's fee, access, potable water and hours where mappers have tagged them.
How much is tagged varies:
- Fees: 83 stations are tagged as charging a fee, and 20 are tagged as free. The rest have no fee tag at all, so "no tag" doesn't mean free.
- Access: 23 are tagged for customers only.
- Water: 20 are tagged as having potable water.
Some of the cities with the most mapped stations are:
Because OSM is edited by volunteers, a station may have closed, changed its fee or be missing. Check with the operator before you count on one.
Some storage facilities we list also have an on-site dump station for tenants, which our storage listings show as a feature. For example, Arrowhead RV & Boat Storage near Phoenix lists a covered waste dump station. Arrowhead RV & Boat Storage
Public land dump stations
Some federal recreation areas have dump stations for their visitors:
- La Posa LTVA, near Quartzsite, Arizona: the BLM lists a dry dump station and a dump station with water among its facilities. BLM: La Posa LTVA
- Midland LTVA, near Blythe, California: the BLM page points visitors to the Blythe city-run RV dump at 15901 S. Broadway, and says campers there must be fully self-contained. BLM: Midland LTVA
Dump station directories and apps
Several independent websites list dump stations. Here is how they describe themselves. We don't rate or endorse them.
- RVingLife (formerly SaniDumps): it says it started in 2006 as SaniDumps. It describes a directory of "thousands of RV dump stations and campground listings across North America and beyond," with details on amenities, fees, hours and GPS coordinates, plus user reviews. It also offers a "Guide" app. RVingLife: About
- rvdumps.com: it says it helps you find dump stations across the United States. It focuses on places other than RV parks and campgrounds, such as rest areas, truck stops and gas stations, and takes user-submitted locations and corrections. rvdumps.com
Like OSM, these directories rely partly on users, so details can be out of date.
Before you go
- Check access and fees: a "customers only" station may turn you away or charge you.
- Check hours and season: some stations in our data are tagged with seasonal hours, for example April 30 to November 1.
- Check for water: fresh water and rinse water aren't always available. Some BLM pages list free water sources separately. BLM: Midland LTVA
Related guides
FAQ
Where can I dump my RV tanks for free?
Look for stations tagged fee=no on our dump station pages, and confirm with the operator. In our data, 20 of 336 stations are tagged free. Most have no fee tag at all.
Is it legal to dump RV waste anywhere?
No. In national parks, draining refuse from a trailer or vehicle is banned except at facilities provided for that purpose. 36 CFR 2.14
Is there an app for RV dump stations?
Yes. RVingLife, formerly SaniDumps, offers a "Guide" app and a website directory, and rvdumps.com has a map and state lists. RVingLife: About, rvdumps.com
Where does your dump station data come from?
From OpenStreetMap, retrieved October 21, 2026. Fee, access, water and hours appear only where volunteers have tagged them. OpenStreetMap Wiki
Do RV storage facilities have dump stations?
Some do, usually for tenants. Our storage listings show "RV dump station" as a feature when the facility's own site mentions one.