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Overnight Parking Rules

KialaItaly
Explorer
Explorer
Please who can help me to find the federal law about the RV overnight parking. I need for my blog (I'm italian). Thank you!
27 REPLIES 27

csh_2088
Explorer II
Explorer II
Walmart is the main place for RVers to boondock but not the only place. I know Cracker Barrel and Sam's Club allow for boondocking. Casinos and truck stops are another place that allows boondocking and some casinos even have a parking area just for RVs.

There are no federal laws and the retail stores are allowed to make their own rules however towns may make there own laws pertaining to overnight parking. This happens when RVers start abusing this privilege and making their Walmart parking spot their summer home.

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
KialaItaly wrote:
But, generally, I think this is not allowed. Is this right?
WHAT is not allowed???
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bikendan
Explorer
Explorer
KialaItaly wrote:
Please who can help me to find the federal law about the RV overnight parking. I need for my blog (I'm italian). Thank you!


What you want to create, is almost impossible, unless you are willing to devote months of research.

Parking rules can be from businesses, private communities, towns, cities, counties, states and federal governments.

The variables are too large to put into a blog.
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Sam_Spade
Explorer
Explorer
KialaItaly wrote:

Thank you! I'll looking for state by state! But, generally, I think this is not allowed. Is this right?


There is NO "generally".

If you want to avoid complications, just stay in an actual campground.
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4x4van
Explorer III
Explorer III
KialaItaly wrote:

Thank you! I'll looking for state by state! But, generally, I think this is not allowed. Is this right?
No, that is not right. It all depends on where you are. The US is a big country; there are miles and miles of open land that is perfectly acceptable for overnight camping, especially in the west. BLM (Bureau of Land Management) lands are pretty much completely open; camping is allowed almost anywhere. State owned lands, more restrictions. City or County lands, heavily restricted. On-street overnight camping? Generally, no.
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Ron3rd
Explorer III
Explorer III
KialaItaly wrote:
Please who can help me to find the federal law about the RV overnight parking. I need for my blog (I'm italian). Thank you!


I suspect there is no Federal Law on the subject as this would be the area of State Law.

As noted above, parking rules vary state by state and especially town by town. One town might allow it and the town next to it might not. You really need to know the law of the town you are dealing with.
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KialaItaly
Explorer
Explorer
darsben1 wrote:
The rules on overnight stopping vary from state to state, county to county and town to town. There is no overall rule. So you must check each place you travel.
Rest areas are the same as above
Walmart's are the same as above but you should ask at each Walmart before staying a night.


Thank you! I'll looking for state by state! But, generally, I think this is not allowed. Is this right?

darsben1
Explorer
Explorer
The rules on overnight stopping vary from state to state, county to county and town to town. There is no overall rule. So you must check each place you travel.
Rest areas are the same as above
Walmart's are the same as above but you should ask at each Walmart before staying a night.
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Sam_Spade
Explorer
Explorer
KialaItaly wrote:
Thank you all for your answer. I'd like to know the laws so I can write:


To summarize:
There are no rules or laws that covers the entire US.
Each state and each situation can be somewhat different.

WalMart, for instance, is often governed by the CITY in which it is located.....or the management of the local store.

Without knowing EXACTLY where you plan to go, it is difficult to give you a good answer.

Rest Areas on the Interstate highways usually forbids overnight parking by ANY non-commercial vehicles......because the laws require the big truck drivers to stop periodically......so the big parking spaces are reserved for them.
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KialaItaly
Explorer
Explorer
Thank you all for your answer. I'd like to know the laws so I can write:
In order to (nยฐ of law) in US is not allowe overnight parking out of campground or other allowed places. Alternatives possibilities are:
Rest Areas (rules and more)
Walmart (rules and more)
...

THANK YOU!

darsben1
Explorer
Explorer
Now I guess it is up to the OP to make us understand what he really wants to know
Traveling with my best friend, my wife in a 1990 Southwind

kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Explorer
I think the best starting point would be to point out that lands where you can camp with your RV fall in many types.
We have vast tracts of land owned by the US Government which anyone can legally use. The Bureau of land management sets the rules for many.
BLM website is
www.blm.gov
we also have other agencies
USACE, US forest Service, as well as all the states having lands being used for camping and other recreational uses.

mobeewan
Explorer
Explorer
GordonThree wrote:
...Township, village and city (and rarely County) ordinances (they can't make laws) would cover the roads, public parking lots, etc. More and more municipalities are against any kind of overnight parking supposedly to combat the homeless, gypsies and freeloaders. These ordinances are rarely published online anywhere...


Thousands of city, town and county ordinances can be found online at municode.com I usually do a web search by typing in "municode" and the city or county name. Just be aware the recently passed ordinances may not be posted yet. Sometimes there is an index on the first page indicating new ordinances that are not yet placed into their proper numerical order within the searchable listing.

2_Retired
Explorer
Explorer
Gordon Three - Some states do have county governments that definitely have the authority and power to pass and enforce their own laws. There are many areas of South Carolina, for instance, that are labeled "unincorporated". They are governed directly by those elected County officials, with no 'local' governmental authority. When we lived in NJ, county boards had very, very limited authority, but not so down here.
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