The RV Industry Association (RVIA) Board of Directors approved a temporary delay in enforcing the requirement for grounding monitor interrupters (GMI) in new recreational vehicles, citing limited availability of compliant devices for manufacturing.
The GMI requirement, part of the 2023 and 2026 editions of National Electric Code (NEC) Article 551, was originally set to take effect on January 1, 2026.
It mandates that all RVs with 30A or 50A electrical service install a GMI, a loss-of-ground device designed to verify and maintain a proper electrical ground connection before and during use.
According to a News and Insights report of RVIA on November 20, the delay reflects the current lack of fully developed, listed GMIs suitable for RV applications. The Standards Steering Committee will continue monitoring availability and aims to recommend a new enforcement date at the March Board meeting.
Tentatively, enforcement could align with the 2028 model year, around June 1, 2027, pending sufficient device availability.
The board also approved two additional motions related to RV standards. One established the effective date of June 1, 2026, and the enforcement date of September 1, 2026, for the 2026 edition of NFPA 1192 Standard on Recreational Vehicles and the 2025 ANSI/RV Industry Association Standard for DC Voltage Systems.
The third motion adopted the same effective and enforcement dates for the 2026 NEC, excluding Article 551.40(D). That section, governing GMIs, remains unenforced due to the absence of validated devices and the need for additional field testing.
“The RV Industry Association and its technical subcommittees have been working on implementing a GMI requirement for the past six years,” a statement from RVIA reads.
Over the past year, the association has provided regular updates to OEMs, suppliers, dealers, and park and campground operators through newsletters, presentations, and industry meetings, detailing progress on GMI adoption and related standards.
Serving the RV industry for 50 years, RVIA, with offices in the Washington, D.C. area and Elkhart, Indiana, is the leading trade voice for the $140 billion RV sector, representing manufacturers as well as component and aftermarket suppliers that collectively produce 98% of all RVs made in the United States and roughly 60% of RVs manufactured worldwide.