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Local laws against vehicle dwelling

Some localities, lawfully or otherwise, restrict RV parking. It may be in the RVdweller's best interest to vote with their feet and deprive those localities of their economic impact.

In the list below, preference is given to entries backed up by primary and/or secondary sources. Unsubstantiated listings use the word “unofficial” or similar.

Alabama

  • Fairhope city code says “it shall be unlawful for any person to sleep in an automobile, van, truck, camper, trailer, or other vehicle of any kind or nature within the corporate limits”… between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 p.m.1)

Arizona

  • Flagstaff
    • forbids “living quarters” use of RVs parked in residential areas zones2)
    • forbids overnight parking in commercial zones3)
    • forbids commercial owners from posting “camping allowed” signs4)
    • forbids parking in city-owned parking lots.5)
    • passed an ordinance to let residents write parking violation tickets to each other6)
    • Unofficially, Flagstaff is infamous for being anti-RV.7),8),9),10)
  • Kingman forbids street parking of RVs and similar vehicles.11)
  • Phoenix prohibits camping on city lands, and also has a sit/lie law.12)
  • In Sierra Vista “it is unlawful for any trailer, camper, mobile home, boat, trailer house, motor home, or other recreational vehicle to be parked in a public street, alley, or other public place for more than five days within a 30-day period.”13)

California

  • Berkeley forbids parking on the street in one place for more than 72 hours.14)
  • Costa Mesa forbids sleeping in vehicles, and window coverings must be open giving full view of interior.15),16)
  • Folsom forbids RV parking in the street for more than 72 hours.17)
  • Fresno forbids parking large vehicles within 1000' of the same place for more than 24 hours in a week.18)
  • Garden Grove effectively bans RV parking on public streets for non-residents.19)
  • Gilroy prohibits parking RVs on city streets for more than two days.20)
  • Hanford forbids parking RVs on city streets for more than 72 hours.21)
  • Holtville forbids parking any vehicle on city streets for more than 72 hours.22)
  • Humboldt County Ordinance 314-81.1.1.1 forbids “illegal residence in a non-designated area”
  • Hanford forbids parking RVs on city streets for more than 72 hours.23)
  • Lemoore forbids parking RVs on city streets for more than 72 hours in any 30-day period.24)
  • Long Beach forbids parking oversized vehicles (including RVs) on residential streets, starting in 2018.25)
  • Los Angeles forbids living in a vehicle between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. in residential districts, or at any time within one block of a school, park, or daycare.26) 27),28) The previous ban had been struck down for being overly broad.29) L.A. has a safe parking program.
  • “Camping” in Manteca requires a permit from the police chief.30)
  • Marina forbids RV parking on the street.31)
  • Martinez forbids illegal camping and sleeping in vehicles.32)
  • Mission Viejo prohibits sleeping in cars,33) RVs, trailers, or automobiles. Sleeping in public is also prohibited.34).
  • Monterey county has begun enforcement of RV camping.35)
  • Mountain View bans parking vehicles over 6' tall on some streets. As of June 2020, the “new ordinance would curtail these encampments by restricting so-called oversized vehicles, defined as any auto or trailer more than 7 feet high, 7 feet wide or 22 feet long.”36)
  • Novato bans RV parking on city streets, although permits may be available from police.37)
  • Palo Alto forbids sleeping in a vehicle38) and leaving a vehicle parked on a city street, alley or public lot for 72 consecutive hours or more.39)
  • Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo, Tustin, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Niguel, Costa Mesa and Irvine prohibit sleeping in cars.40)
  • Ripon forbids camping in RVs even on private property.41)
  • Salinas bans “vehicles in excess of 20-feet long and 7-feet tall from parking in city-owned streets.”42)
  • Santee statutes require RVs “be moved 300 feet every 72 hours, and prevent them from being parked within 50 feet of an intersection or marked crosswalk.”43)
  • San Diego forbids parking a vehicle “that exceeds 27 feet in length AND 7 feet in height” 2am - 6am.44) or within 50' of an intersection or alley.45)
    Note: SD repealed the original ban in February 201946) and passed a new one in May 2019.
  • Sacramento limits street parking to 72 hours.47)
  • San Francisco prohibits overnight sleeping in vehicles.48) It also forbids RVs (and vehicles over 22' long or 7' tall) from parking on the street from midnight to 6am where posted.49) SF bans RV parking in the Portola area.50)
  • San Rafael bans parking RVs in the same place for more than 72 hours.51)
  • Santa Barbara forbids RV parking on streets.52)
  • Santa Clarita forbids sitting on sidewalks, sleeping in public buildings, or sleeping in cars on public streets or in parking lots.53)
  • Santa Cruz' law “bans the large vehicles’ overnight parking on city streets and lots from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m…. Recreational vehicle utility hookups and the vehicles themselves [can not] impinge or block public rights of way”54)
  • Santa Monica prohibits overnight parking of large vehicles55)

Colorado

  • in Buena Vista “It shall be unlawful for any person to camp in any public park or recreation area or upon any public property, or to set up a tent, shack, recreational/camping vehicle, camping vehicle or any other shelter upon such property for such purpose within the town”56)
  • Colorado Springs extended the county ban below to include all public streets.57),58)
  • In El Paso county (which includes Colorado Springs), RVs may not be parked on public roads.59)
  • In Fort Collins, 495 arrests were made for camping on city property (including parks and undeveloped land).60)
  • Lakewood bans RV and trailer parking on city streets.61)
  • In Longmont RVs must be moved at least 600' within 48hrs of having notice issued or tires chalked by police.62)

Delaware

  • In Aston it is illegal to sleep or live in a vehicle.63)

Florida

  • in Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island, “RV parking is now allowed only on the east side of E. Railroad Avenue between 5th and 7th Streets… [and] is not allowed anywhere else on the island.”64)

Hawaii

  • It is illegal in the state of Hawaii to “habitate” in a vehicle from 6p-6a on city or county streets.65)

Idaho

  • Bellevue restricts living in an RV on private property to 21 days.66)

Illinois

  • In Sandwich City it is illegal to park an RV or trailer on a public street67)

Indiana

  • Columbia city codes say “If an RV is brought in to accommodate temporary visitors, it cannot stay on that property longer than seven consecutive days or 14 days annually. In no instance shall an RV be occupied or used for sleeping, living or housekeeping purposes, except for short-term use by visitors.”68)

Louisiana

  • Kenner bans parking RVs on streets in front of any property.69)

Maine

  • Rockland's “comprehensive plan does not allow RVs to be used for overnight occupation for any length of time.”70)

Michigan

  • Plymouth township forbids parking RVs on public streets for more than 24 hours.71)
  • Sault Ste. Marie bans parking RVs, commercial vehicles, semis and trailers in city streets, public alleys and parking lots.72)

Montana

  • Unofficially, Billings is regarded as anti-RV.73)
  • Butte forbids parking RVs on the street for more than two days.74)
  • In Kalispell it is a civil infraction to sleep overnight in vehicles parked on city streets.75)
  • Missoula bans “urban camping”.76)

Nebraska

  • Papillion bans parking of RVs more than 20' long.77)

Nevada

  • Las Vegas prohibits “camping, sleeping and similar activities throughout downtown and in residential areas.”78)

New Hampshire

  • Lebanon forbids overnight camping.79)

New Mexico

  • In Las Cruces, “RV owners will be required to obtain a free parking permit to park on city streets. RVs can only be parked on the street for six consecutive days and no more than 18 days within any 90-day period. They must be moved for at least 24 hours between six-day periods. The RV must be parked at the address listed on the permit.”80)

North Dakota

  • Mandan limits parking of RVs and trailers over 8'x36' to 12 hours.81)

Ohio

  • Walbridge forbids RV parking on streets and alleys.82)

Oregon

  • Clatsop county restricts people from living in their campers, trailers and other recreational vehicles to no more than 30 days out of a 90-day period.83)
  • Gearhart bans overnight parking of RVs on city streets.84) Other reports say there is a 48hr limit.85)

Pennsylvania

  • In Middletown “RVs can be parked on a public street for up to 72 hours in any seven-day period, for loading or unloading the vehicle.”86)
  • In Springdale “trailers cannot be parked on any public property, street, alley or right of way” unless loading or unloading and connected to tow vehicle.87) This effectively bans towable RV parking.

South Carolina

  • Conway bans sleeping in vehicles88)

Texas

  • Copperas Cove bans ”[RV parking] on the city streets. Period“89)
  • Fort Stockton code says it is “unlawful to park any vehicle, truck, trailer, boat, recreational vehicle, or other type of delivery truck with a load carrying capacity of more than one (1) ton on any street or alley within the city limits…”90)
  • Liberty City bans parking RVs and motorhomes on public property.91)
  • Mesquite bans RV parking on the street for more than 24 hours.92)
  • Port Arthur bans sleeping in parks (and apparently the parking lots of parks).93)
  • Van Horn bans overnight parking or camping.94)

Utah

  • St. George limits street parking of vehicles to 24hrs and trailers to 96hrs.95)

Virginia

  • Roanoke County forbids sleeping in vehicles, or “sleeping in recreational vehicles outside of established campgrounds”.96) Another source says Roanoke County Code 13-14 “makes it illegal for people to sleep in their cars and subjects them to warrantless seizures and searches by police and a fine of $250“.97)

Washington

  • In Anacortes police say it is illegal to sleep in a vehicle within city limits.98)
  • In Bellingham it is illegal to park with any part of the vehicle outside the parking spot's lines.99),100)
  • In Lacey “camping” in streets, parks, etc is illegal.101) Also, RV and commercial vehicle parking is limited to 4 hours.102)
  • Steilacoom forbids living in RVs and regards tiny houses as RVs.103)
  • Tacoma limits sleeping in vehicles on public streets to 72 hrs, after which they driver must move at least 1 mile.104). Public camping is also not allowed.105)

Wisconsin

  • Kiel prohibits “overnight parking of trailers, motorhomes, camping trailers, boat trailers, etc. on public streets”106)
  • New London codes forbid overnight camping in vehicles, tents, campers and motor homes on city-owned properties such as streets, avenues, alleys, parks and parking lots107)

Wyoming

  • Casper forbids sleeping in parking lots within city limits.108)
  • Rock Springs code states: “Campers, RV’s, trailers or any recreational vehicle parked on the right of way can only be parked for 100 hours total. Recreational vehicles parked on the right of way with expired registration will be considered abandoned per Wyoming State Statue 31-13-104.”109)
camping/banned.1583714931.txt.gz · Last modified: 2020/10/11 19:48 (external edit)