SBA 504 loans for RV Parks
Over the last decade, RV park and campground owners have used SBA 504 financing to fund more than $580 million in land, site development, and amenities. We help you secure the same financing — with 25-year fixed rates and a team that knows the 504 program inside out.
The RV Park SBA 504 market, by the numbers
What ten years of RV Park SBA 504 loans — pulled directly from the SBA's own data — tell us about how operators finance this business.
Source: SBA 504 loan approvals for NAICS 721211, FY2016–FY2025. Data via FOIA request, updated quarterly.
What an SBA 504 loan covers for a RV Park
SBA 504 financing is built for long-term assets — the real estate, infrastructure, and major equipment that anchor a RV Park business.
Property purchase & land
Buy an existing park or the land to build one instead of leasing your way in. Acquisition is how most owners get started, and 504 lets you take down the real estate with as little as 15% down and a long fixed rate.
- Existing RV parks and campgrounds
- Raw or improved land for a new park
- Adjacent acreage to expand your footprint
- Buying out a partner or ground lease
- Seasonal resorts and destination parks
Ground-up development
Turn raw land into a working park. 504 covers the site work that makes it all possible — grading, roads, pads, and the water, sewer, and power hookups that every site depends on before a single RV pulls in.
- Grading, roads, and drainage
- RV pads and tent sites
- Water, sewer, and electric hookups
- Bathhouses and utility buildings
- Signage, gates, and landscaping
Expansion & amenities
The amenities are what fill sites and raise nightly rates. Use 504 to add sites, upgrade to full hookups, or build the pool, store, and clubhouse that turn a campground into a destination — without draining operating cash.
- Adding new sites and full hookups
- Pools, playgrounds, and clubhouses
- Camp stores and laundry facilities
- Cabins and glamping units
- Acquiring a neighboring park
Equipment with long lives
The infrastructure and equipment that keep a park running — and last long enough to finance. 504 is built for big-ticket, long-life assets, so you spread the cost over the years they'll actually serve your guests.
- Utility and septic systems
- Well and water-treatment equipment
- Maintenance vehicles and equipment
- Camp store and office systems
- Solar and backup power systems
How SBA 504 financing is structured
Three pieces of capital come together so you only put 10% down on a project that might cost millions.
First lien (50%)
APC funds this directly — we're a private direct lender, not a broker. Term and rate quoted upfront.
SBA 504 / CDC (40%)
Second lien, fixed for 25 years through a Certified Development Company. Rates locked at funding.
Borrower equity (10%)
Cash down, retained equity in existing real estate, or seller carry-back in some cases.
What a 504 project for a RV Park looks like
Three illustrative examples showing typical deal structures, financing splits, and project scopes.
An operator who already ran a campground bought a second — an established lakeside RV park with a loyal seasonal base and steady summer bookings. As a cash-flowing business acquisition, the deal was structured at 10% down. The 25-year fixed 504 rate locked the payment against the seasonal swings that make park cash flow lumpy.
A seasoned operator turned raw acreage in a tourist corridor into a full-service park — grading, roads, pads, and complete water, sewer, and power hookups. As experienced owners on a special-purpose development, it came together at 15% down. One 504 loan wrapped the land and the site work at a long fixed rate.
A park in a busy destination market expanded to capture demand it was turning away — adding full-hookup sites and building a pool and clubhouse to lift nightly rates. Rather than draining reserves, the owners used a 504 loan at 15% down. The long fixed term protected cash flow while the new amenities ramped.
Owning your RV Park property beats leasing — here's the math
Slide the inputs to match your situation. The equity number on the right is what you'd have in 10 years if you owned instead of leased.
Where RV Park SBA 504 money is going
Geography, deal sizes, top CDCs, and the banks making it happen — all pulled from a decade of SBA data.
Top 10 states by loan volume
| State | Loans | Total funded | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 66 | $40M |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 37 | $33M |
| 3 | Texas | 30 | $31M |
| 4 | Utah | 17 | $14M |
| 5 | California | 15 | $16M |
| 6 | Florida | 12 | $11M |
| 7 | South Dakota | 10 | $7M |
| 8 | Colorado | 9 | $9M |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 8 | $4M |
| 10 | New York | 7 | $3M |
Deal size distribution
Top CDCs financing RV Parks
These Certified Development Companies have funded the most RV Park SBA 504 deals over the past decade. Click any CDC for their full profile.
Top 10 third-party lenders for RV Park deals
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Mid Bank & Trust | 21 | $28M |
| 2 | BankVista | 7 | $5M |
| 3 | National Bank of Commerce | 7 | $7M |
| 4 | Texas First Bank | 7 | $9M |
| 5 | Northwoods Bank of Minnesota | 6 | $7M |
| 6 | Glacier Bank | 4 | $5M |
| 7 | Lake Ridge Bank | 4 | $2M |
| 8 | SouthState Bank | 4 | $5M |
| 9 | Glenwood State Bank | 4 | $2M |
| 10 | Bank Five Nine | 4 | $5M |
What it takes to qualify
SBA 504 has clear, objective criteria. Most RV Park operators we work with qualify.
Business requirements
- For-profit businessSBA 504 is for operating companies, not investors or holding companies.
- Owner-occupied useYou operate the RV Park — you're not just buying real estate to lease out.
- US-based and below SBA size limitsMost RV Park businesses qualify under SBA's small business size thresholds.
- Demonstrated ability to repayCash flow, credit, and business experience all matter — but no perfect score required.
Project requirements
- 51% owner-occupancyYour business must occupy at least 51% of the financed property.
- Eligible use of fundsReal estate, ground-up construction, major equipment, and certain refinances qualify.
- Long useful lifeEquipment financed under 504 must have a useful life over 10 years.
- 10% equity contributionCash, retained property equity, or seller carry — structured to fit your situation.
Most RV Park operators qualify. The fastest way to know is a 10-minute call. 1-855-504-LOAN
Built for RV Park financing
We're a direct lender that specializes in SBA 504 — not a broker, not a generalist.
Explore SBA 504 loans by industry
A decade of loan data, case studies, and deal structures for each of the property types we finance most.
Ready to finance your RV Park project?
Schedule a 15-minute call. No application fee, no obligation.