Guide to the RV-C Amendment Process

The RV-C amendment process is a simple, open way for anyone to suggest improvements to the recommended practice. Whether you’re fixing something small or proposing a bigger update, the goal is to make it easy to share ideas and get input from others who use RV-C every day.

• Proposed submissions open for comment contain official proposals for amendments to all RV-C protocols. Anyone may comment on these proposals by following the Discussion or Objection posting guidelines.
• Approved submissions pending addition to the Layer Document can be found in the RV-C Specification section under Resources. After 30 days, proposals that receive no objections are considered approved.
• DGN and/or DSA numbers are assigned only after a submission is approved. If your submission has been approved but you have not received a DGN or DSA within five business days, please contact the RV-C Administrator.

How to Propose an Amendment to RV-C

If you have an idea, you can submit a proposal by explaining what you want to change, what the updated version should say, and why it matters. Use the Official Request for Section Form to obtain the relevant Layer Document section in Word (.docx) format. Include your justification for the change. For new sections, request a similar example section. 

Prepare Your Amendment: The document must include justification/substantiation, the original section, and the proposed new section or changes. Enter your proposed changes below the original section, clearly noting revisions in red. Ensure the changes are exact—text, tables, and values must match what will appear in the final document. If the changes are unclear, the Administrator may request revisions before posting.

Posting: The RV-C Administrator posts all proposed amendments to ensure anonymity during the initial review process. Once accepted, the Administrator will post the amendment and its justification to the RV-C Official Business forum.

Review and Approval Timeline

Each proposal stays open for 30 days. During this time, anyone can join the conversation—asking questions, sharing thoughts, or raising concerns. It’s meant to be a collaborative window where ideas can be tested and improved before becoming official. If no one raises an objection during the review period, the process is quick and easy. The proposal is automatically approved at the end of the 30 days and added to the RV-C standard.

If an objection is raised, the original submitter has up to 45 days from the original post to work with the objector(s) toward a consensus. Once a resolution is reached, the submitter can resubmit the updated document for review and reposting by the RV-C Administrator.

Once a proposal is approved, it’s assigned an official identification number and included in the next update of the RV-C recommended practice. That’s when your idea officially becomes part of the system.

How to Participate in RV-C Discussions

When joining a discussion, please label your post clearly as either “Discussion” or “Objection.” Posts without one of these labels may be removed.

• A Discussion is for asking questions or sharing feedback on a proposed amendment. These comments are meant to help clarify or improve understanding and don’t require any changes from the person who submitted the proposal.
• An Objection is used when you disagree with a proposed amendment. If you submit an objection, be sure to explain your reasoning and, whenever possible, suggest an alternative or improvement to help move the proposal toward agreement.