The RV Industry Association (RVIA) Board of Directors has approved a new timeline for the implementation and enforcement of grounding monitor interrupter (GMI) requirements for new recreational vehicles, establishing mandatory enforcement beginning with manufacturers’ model year 2028 production.
During its meeting last week, the board unanimously approved a recommendation from the Standards Steering Committee to adopt January 1, 2027, as the effective date requiring all new RVs to be equipped with a grounding monitor interrupter.
Mandatory enforcement will begin at the start of each manufacturer’s respective model year 2028 production.
The requirement stems from the 2023 and 2026 editions of National Electric Code Article 551 and was originally scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026. The rule applies to all RVs equipped with 30-amp or 50-amp electrical service.
A grounding monitor interrupter is designed to verify that an electrical receptacle has a proper ground connection before power is allowed to enter an RV.
The device also continuously monitors the ground connection while the RV is in use and will disconnect power if the ground connection is lost.
The RVIA said the requirement had previously been delayed because fully developed and listed GMIs suitable for RV manufacturing were not widely available, making compliance with the original implementation date impractical.
According to the association, the Standards Steering Committee has continued to monitor product availability and determined that sufficient GMIs are expected to be available to support the revised January 1, 2027, implementation date.
The board’s action provides manufacturers with a defined compliance schedule while aligning enforcement with model year 2028 production cycles across the industry.
The GMI requirement is intended to ensure that RVs with 30-amp and 50-amp electrical systems are equipped with devices capable of detecting a loss of grounding protection and automatically disconnecting power when necessary.
Additional information regarding the listing standard for grounding monitor interrupters is available through UL, where the applicable standard can be reviewed after creating a free account.
According to a News and Insights report of RVIA on June 9, the association said it plans to provide extensive information, educational materials, and implementation resources in the coming weeks and months.
The outreach effort will target manufacturers, campground owners, dealers, and consumers to help stakeholders understand the new devices and prepare for their adoption before the enforcement deadline.