Your cross-country RV road trip has come to a close. Now, you have to find an appropriate parking spot for your home on wheels.
With questions like “Can I park my RV in my driveway?” or “Can I park my RV in the street?” left unanswered, you may be at a loss about where you can legally park your recreational vehicle.
Unfortunately, there aren’t state-wide laws in place that regulate RV driveway parking, so finding answers to these questions may not be as simple as you think.
You’ll need to check out local ordinances and general state-wide trends to ensure you don’t get a fine. For a state-by-state analysis of whether you can legally park your RV in your driveway, read on.
Important Elements to Consider
As an RV owner, you need to consider some elements before parking an RV in your driveway:
- Size Restrictions: In most cities, you are not allowed to park an RV in the driveway if it is longer than 25 feet, as the vehicle can block the street, causing distress to other residents.
- Time Restraints: Some city laws don’t allow you to park RVs in the driveway for more than 14 consecutive days.
- Homeowners Association (HOA) Rules: Rules for parking your RV in HOA parking zones differ from local laws. Therefore, you must research HOA rules before parking a trailer in your driveway.
RV Driveway Parking Regulations: State-by-State Overview
Let’s look at some general driveway RV parking regulations according to various state laws:
Source: Unsplash
Alabama
In Alabama, you are allowed to park your RV in your driveway if it doesn’t come within 10 feet of the road. If you have a larger trailer, you must store it in an RV park or an RV storage facility.
Alaska
You can park your RV in most places in Alaska, including a driveway, unless the area laws do not allow it.
Arizona
According to Skagway, Arizona’s code of conduct, RVs can be parked in a private driveway if they don’t extend over any sidewalk, curb, or public travelway.
Arkansas
According to the regulations of the Arkansas Department of Health, a mobile home can be parked in a driveway, but it must be located at least 15 feet away from all surrounding buildings.
California
California state rarely permits you to park your RV permanently in your driveway, but you can temporarily park it in your driveway.
Colorado
In Colorado, RVs can only be stored in a driveway, a sideyard, or a backyard. However, Colorado Springs makes certain exceptions to this rule that you can research in the Colorado Springs Code of Ordinances.
Connecticut
In Connecticut, you can park a trailer camper in the rear or side driveways of your property, but it needs to be closer to the front property line than the front wall of the home. The RV also needs to be at least 5 feet away from the rear yard line of the residential property.
Delaware
Delaware state does not allow you to park an RV on private roadways and driveways. Therefore, you’ll need to arrange for alternate, off-site RV storage.
Florida
You can park your RV in your home’s driveway, depending on the county you are living in. Therefore, it’s best to check the local laws before visiting a city in Florida.
Georgia
In most Georgian cities, it is illegal to park an RV in your driveway, resulting in a fine of up to $1000 as well as jail time.
Hawaii
It is not prohibited to park your RV in your driveway in Hawaii as long as you are not obstructing any public road.
Idaho
In some regions in Idaho, RV parking in streets, alleys, and driveways is limited to 24 hours. Make sure to look at the local county regulations before parking your RV in an Idaho driveway.
Illinois
You can legally park an RV in your home’s driveway in Illinois, providing the vehicle is 10 feet from the curb line.
Indiana
There is no set rule about parking RVs in a driveway in Indiana, as it solely depends on city-specific ordinances.
Iowa
Iowa has easy RV parking rules because, in some areas of this state, you only require a parking pad to store a motor home on private property.
Kansas
In Kansas, you can legally park an RV on your driveway by maintaining the required distance between the vehicle and the curb.
Kentucky
In most Kentucky cities, parking an RV in a private driveway is strictly prohibited. If you park an RV in your driveway, you will have to pay hefty fines.
Louisiana
Depending on the city you reside in, it is acceptable to park RVs in driveways if they are not obstructing public roadways.
Maine
Maine is another lenient state for allowing RVs to be parked in private driveways. However, you need to check the local government’s rules for your city to avoid legal charges.
Maryland
In most Maryland towns, you can park one commercial vehicle and one recreational vehicle in your private driveway.
Massachusetts
Some cities in Massachusetts, such as Fields Corner, prohibit you from long-term driveway parking of large vehicles such as buses and campers.
Michigan
RVs can be parked in driveways of Michigan homes if they are at least 8 feet away from any public sidewalk. Moreover, the length of your trailer vehicle must not exceed 45 feet.
Minnesota
You can have up to two RVs parked on your private property in Minnesota’s capital, Minneapolis. However, only one vehicle can be parked in the front yard.
Mississippi
In most of Mississippi, RVs can only be parked in the front driveway for a maximum duration of 72 hours. Otherwise, they need to be stored on the side or rear yard.
Missouri
In Liberty, Missouri, one recreational vehicle is allowed to be parked on private property if they don’t restrict the driveway.
Montana
In Montana, public street parking is not allowed for RVs, but you can park an RV in a driveway as long as the driveway complies with material regulations.
Nebraska
In Omaha, Nebraska, vehicles parked in driveways cannot exceed 20 feet size limit. Exceeding this limit can lead to serious fines and penalties.
Nevada
In most of Nevada, RVs can be parked or stored in the rear yard and side yard. You can only store an RV in a front yard if a side or backyard is inaccessible.
New Hampshire
You are allowed to park your camper in your driveway in New Hampshire. However, certain cities don’t consider campers as real homes, leading to issues regarding permanent storage.
New Jersey
In most New Jersey cities, you can park your RV in a private driveway in your home’s side or rear yard. However, some boroughs (like Tenafly) do not allow parked RVs to be used for living.
New Mexico
New Mexico is relatively strict about RV laws, as only a handful of places allow for temporary RV parking in the driveway. Additionally, you cannot use an RV as a permanent living solution if it is in a parking zone.
New York
The city laws prohibit individuals from parking their RVs in city spaces for more than 24 hours. However, NYC has very different laws from other cities in the state. Therefore, you must check with local laws before parking an RV in the driveway.
North Carolina
North Carolina has almost no restrictions on parking an RV in a driveway. Certain cities have recently expanded their rules for general RV parking, allowing RVers to park in a wider array of places.
North Dakota
In most of North Dakota, RVs can be parked on hard-surfaced driveways and rear yards if they maintain sufficient distance from surrounding property lines.
Ohio
While it is possible to park your RV in a driveway in Ohio, you must follow the rules revolving around the duration of parking, the camper size, and the paving material of the driveway.
Oklahoma
It is legal to park your recreational vehicle in a driveway if it does not exceed the permitted size limit.
Oregon
The remote vehicle must be parked on a paved driveway and comply with other parking regulations.
Pennsylvania
You can park an RV in the side or rear yard without any issues with regulations. Pennsylvania cities have strict laws regarding public parking spaces, but not so much when it comes to private driveways.
Rhode Island
Most cities in Rhode Island don’t have strict regulations regarding RV driveway parking. However, it is still better to check out the local city regulations regarding duration and limits before storing your RV.
South Carolina
Parking in a driveway in South Carolina is allowed as long as the vehicle is not obstructing the roadway and going above the property limits.
South Dakota
In the state’s capital, Sioux Falls, RV parking in driveways is fine if you have a paved RV parking area in the rear yard.
Tennessee
Tennessee laws allow you to park your RV in your driveway. However, you are restricted from parking in the streets.
Texas
In Texas, many cities have regulations regarding the duration of time a recreational vehicle can be kept in a driveway. For example, in The Colony, Texas, overnight stays are limited to a 14-day duration.
Utah
In Salt Lake City, Utah, front yard driveway parking is prohibited for RVs, but rear and side yard parking is allowed.
Vermont
In Vermont cities, RVs are permitted to be parked in driveways for up to one month. For instance, in Essex, visitors are allowed a maximum of 3 weeks, while residents can park their RVs for a full month. If the duration exceeds this limit, storing the RVs in a long-term parking facility is required.
Virginia
In numerous localities across Virginia, some regulations prohibit parking RVs in private driveways. This restriction is frequently enforced when such parking leads to disturbances for neighboring residents, as established by local governments.
Washington
On a state-wide level, living in an RV on your property is legal. However, local zoning laws and restrictions, which vary from city to city, have different zoning restrictions regarding parking an RV on a private driveway.
West Virginia
West Virginia is pretty lenient about RV parking on private and public streets. If the vehicle does not obstruct the roadway and violates other local zoning laws, you can store your RV on the driveway without any issue.
Wisconsin
In some Wisconsin cities, such as Bayside, RV driveway parking is permitted only seasonally, from April 15th to October 31st.
Wyoming
Recreational vehicle parking throughout Wyoming is generally accepted if the house’s driveway meets the required zoning regulations. For example, your home’s driveway must be at least 10 feet wide and be paved with specific materials.
Alternatives to Parking RV in your Driveway
If your home state doesn’t permit RV parking on driveways or public roads, you’ll need to choose an alternate RV storage method through a peer-to-peer storage marketplace like Neighbor.
Some common and effective RV storage options you can consider are:
- Enclosed/Indoor RV storage (Such as a 10’x30’ storage unit)
- Covered RV storage
- Uncovered RV parking spaces
Rent an RV Storage Space
If you live in a state (or neighborhood) that strictly prohibits recreational vehicle parking on are several different types of RV storage options available
Use RV Parks and Campgrounds
Opting for RV parks and campgrounds presents an excellent alternative for RV storage, exempting you from adhering to extended parking regulations. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to explore the amenities these parks offer and ascertain their availability throughout the year or during specific seasons.
Can Someone Live in an RV in a Driveway?
In some cities, it is not a problem; you can only store your RV on private property if it is in use. Meanwhile, in other cities, living in a parked RV in a driveway is strictly prohibited and can lead to hefty fines. You need to look at the local ordinances of the place you are preparing to stay to ensure you don’t encounter any problems.
What’s Next?
If you plan to live in an area that doesn’t allow RV parking in a driveway (or, at least, long-term RV parking), affordable storage is well within reach. Though incurring the cost of off-site storage isn’t ideal, you can save on RV storage though a peer-to-peer storage marketplace.
FAQs
Can I park my RV in my driveway in Long Beach, CA?
Long Beach, CA, regulations allow you to park your RV in the driveway, provided that it is under 22 feet long.
Can I park my RV in front of my house in California?
You can park an RV in front of your house for a maximum of 72 hours. Additionally, you need to check your area’s local homeowner’s association rules to ensure you are not violating any laws.
Can I park my RV on my property in Florida?
You can park your RV on your private property’s driveway, side yard, and backyard.
