A giveaway can sound simple until you read the details. Does "free" mean the same thing as "easy"? What counts as on time? Here are six assumptions you might make about this one, checked against the Official Rules.
Everything below comes from the Official Rules and the giveaway page. Where a rule has a number or a date, it is quoted exactly.
Myth 1"Free entry means a smaller entry"
Fact: a mail-in entry is worth ten entries. The Official Rules say each mail-in entry received is "worth ten (10) Sweepstakes entries."
Myth 2"Free means it costs nothing at all"
Fact: no purchase or payment of money is necessary to enter or win. Mailing a card still means you supply the card or paper, a #10 envelope and "proper postage."
Myth 3"If it is postmarked in time, it counts"
Fact: two dates apply to mail. The card must be postmarked by November 12, 2026 and received by November 17, 2026. The rules also say the released parties are not responsible for late or undelivered entries.
Myth 4"I can mail a stack, or hire someone to do it"
Fact: the card and envelope must be hand-printed by the entrant, and the rules do not allow any third-party organization to help with the process. Each envelope is mailed individually. Bulk shipments are not accepted, and mechanically reproduced entries are void.
Myth 5"Paying must give me better odds"
Fact: the Official Rules say it plainly. A purchase or payment of money will not improve the chances of winning. Odds depend on the total number of eligible entries received during the Sweepstakes Period.
Myth 6"The prize is just the van"
Fact: the Grand Prize is a package, and it goes to one winner. The next section lists what the rules say it holds.
Check the facts yourself
Read the rules, then see the prize
No purchase necessary. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Open to legal residents of the US and Canada, 18+ or the age of majority. Void where prohibited. Ends 11/12/2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Official Rules
What is in itOne Grand Prize, four parts
The Official Rules describe the Grand Prize as a restored 1969 Volkswagen, a Vespa, a prize bundle including solar, internet, a cooler and a speaker, and $10,000 in cash. The whole package has an approximate retail value of $100,000.
On the giveaway page, the bundle has four items: a JBL Boombox 4 in orange, a Dometic CFX5 75DZ cooler, a Starlink Mini kit, and an EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus with a 500W panel.
Not a mythWhat comes after winning
The rules are just as direct about the winner's side. Registration and licensing costs for the automobile are the winner's responsibility. The Sponsor gives no warranty, the vehicle goes out "AS IS", and it may not meet safety or emissions testing in some states or counties. The winner checks those rules before accepting.
Taxes are the winner's too. A potential winner signs and returns an affidavit within three days of the date notice is sent, and an IRS Form 1099 is filed in the winner's name (US winners). A Canadian citizen who wins must correctly answer a skill-testing question.
The drawingWhen the winner is picked
The random drawing is conducted by the Administrator, American Sweepstakes & Promotion Co., Inc., on or about November 18, 2026. The winner is contacted by phone, email and/or USPS mail.
The fine print, in plain EnglishHow entering works
Members are entered automatically. An active VanLife membership includes automatic entry into every VanLife giveaway, alongside the other member benefits.
Anyone can enter for free. Mail a hand-printed 3" x 5" card as described in the Official Rules. Each mail-in entry counts as 10 entries. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by November 12, 2026 and received by November 17, 2026.
Paying never improves your odds. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning, and odds depend on the number of eligible entries received.
Restored Bus · Matching Vespa
Entries close November 12
No purchase necessary. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Open to legal residents of the US and Canada, 18+ or the age of majority. Void where prohibited. Ends 11/12/2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Official Rules
What is VanLife?
VanLife is a membership club for people who love the open road. Members get:
- Cash back when you shop at more than 6,600 stores
- Trees planted every month through your membership
- Digital wallpapers for your phone and desktop, included with membership
- Discounts on VanLife merch for Silver members and above
- Automatic entry into every VanLife giveaway while your membership is active
Membership starts at $15 per month, renews monthly until you cancel, and can be canceled anytime from your account. Past winners are listed on our winners page.
You never have to buy anything to enter. There's a free way to enter by mail, described in the Official Rules, and a purchase will not improve your chances of winning.
The short version
- Mail-in entries count as 10 entries each
- Postmarked by Nov 12, received by Nov 17, 2026
- Hand-printed, one envelope per entry, no bulk or third-party help
- A purchase will not improve your chances
- One Grand Prize, ARV $100,000; winner drawn on or about Nov 18, 2026
Common questions
What if my card arrives after November 17?
The rules require receipt by that date and say the released parties are not responsible for late, incomplete, delayed, undelivered or misdirected entries. That is why the mailing date matters.
What goes on the card?
Your full name, complete mailing address, phone number, date of birth and email address, hand-printed on a 3" x 5" card or paper, in a #10 business-size envelope with proper postage.
Where does it get mailed?
To VanLife US Sweepstakes, PO Box 230, Macedon, NY 14502-0230.
Can anyone in the US or Canada enter?
Legal residents of the USA or Canada who are 18 or at the age of majority where they live. People tied to the Sponsor or Administrator are not eligible, and it is void where prohibited.
No purchase necessary. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Open to legal residents of the US and Canada, 18+ or the age of majority. Void where prohibited. Ends 11/12/2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Official Rules