Can I Park an RV in My Driveway?

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With the price of RV storage fees skyrocketing over the past few years many people are trying to find a cheaper alternative for storing their RV in the offseason or between RV camping trips. Some options are storage facilities, parking on a public road, or parking on someone else’s property. All of these options either cost money or have security risks.

So, the question is obvious if you want to save money and keep your RV, travel trailer or camper secure. Can I Park an RV in my driveway? Yes, you can park an RV in your driveway.

There are quite a few things to consider first and this article will run through them to provide you with some useful information about parking an RV in your driveway.

Can I Park an RV in my driveway

Why Park Your RV In Your Driveway?

The best reason to park your RV in your driveway is to save money by avoiding storage facility costs. I have been trying to find a storage facility for under $100 a month and it’s almost impossible. And $100 a month would be for outdoor storage. The cost for indoor storage is in the $300 to $400 per month range.

Another great reason to park your RV in your driveway is to make sure your RV stays safe. Unless you park your vehicle in a well-lit storage facility with cameras there is a high likelihood your RV will be vandalized or burglarized. Parking your RV on a public road in your neighborhood or in an unsecured parking lot is just asking for trouble.

So, since we know that parking an RV in your driveway is a great option let’s dive deeper into some of the details to learn if there could be any roadblocks in our way.

Are There Rules About Parking an RV in My Driveway?

There certainly could be lots of rules about parking or storing an RV in your driveway. And it’s your responsibility to learn and know the rules. There are rules from several entities that you need to be aware of.

First of all, there might be local town laws or ordinances that need to be obeyed. If these rules aren’t followed you could end up with a citation and possibly a fine. Secondly, your community homeowners association may have rules against parking recreational vehicles, campers, trailers or boats in a driveway.

And finally, if you rent your home, your landlord may have a say about whether you can park an RV in the driveway.

Will It Fit?

There are four things to consider when determining if your RV will fit in your driveway. They are length, width, height and driveway slope.

Length – The length of your RV is a very important factor in deciding if it will fit in your driveway. In most jurisdictions, the RV is not allowed to extend past the end of your driveway and over the sidewalk. The reason is to allow a safe path on the sidewalk for any passers-by. Plus the sidewalk may be considered a public right of way and you are not allowed to block it in any way.

Width – The width of your RV can affect you and possibly your neighbor when parked in your driveway. If your RV is so wide that a second car will no longer be able to park in your driveway this could be very inconvenient. Or if your RV encroaches on your neighbor’s property they may have an issue, as well.

Height – There are typically no legal issues surrounding the height of an RV but be aware of any phone or power lines overhead. You definitely need to avoid hitting the lines or the phone or power company could charge a hefty fee for repairing them.

Driveway Slope – Unless your driveway and apron are pretty flat you need to consider the slope of your driveway. Sometimes the driveway slopes up, which means you are likely to hit your back bumper on the ground when pulling or backing into your driveway. Or sometimes the curb itself is so steep that ramps are needed to get in and out of the driveway. Just be cautious and slow so you don’t damage your RV.

 Will an RV in Your Driveway Annoy the Neighbors?

Since we now live in the age of homeowners associations, it seems like fewer neighbors communicate. Rather than talking to each other, neighbors just call the HOA and complain. Don’t be that guy. Talk to your neighbor before parking an RV in your driveway. It may be the most beautiful RV in the world to you but your neighbor may think it’s a gigantic pile of scrap metal.

Your RV can have an impact on your neighbors though. It may obstruct their view of something they are used to seeing. Or your RV may cast a shadow over their flowers that need lots of sunshine. And, maybe it’s just an eyesore to them. Whatever the reason, it’s common courtesy to discuss it with them beforehand. It may be worth storing your RV somewhere else to avoid a bad relationship with a next door neighbor.

RELATED READING: Check out our article called Can I Dump RV Tanks at Home? It’s legal in most areas but you should read this article before you try.

Have You Considered Other Options?

There are some other options besides trying to save money by parking an RV in your driveway during the offseason or between RV camping trips. Have you ever considered the possibility of making money with your RV during its downtime? You, could actually rent your RV when it’s not in use and make some money. This way if you can’t park an RV in your driveway, and you have to pay for storage, the rent you earn can pay for the storage costs. Plus if you rent your RV your storage costs will be lower because it’s in use more often.

There is an awesome company called Outdoorsy that acts as a conduit between people who want to rent their RV and people who want to rent one. They handle all of the paperwork, have $1M insurance covering both renter and owner, provide a DMV Check on all drivers, offer 24/7 RV Rental Roadside Assistance, have a 93% Average of 5+ star reviews, and a dedicated customer support team. They make renting your RV as easy as possible. Just click the link above and see if they are a good option to help you make some money by renting your RV.

 

 

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Related Questions

1. Can I Park an RV on the Road in Front of My House?

Many of the same issues that need to be considered when parking in your driveway should be evaluated when deciding if you can park an RV on the road in front of your house. One other issue to think about though is the width of your road. If you live on a narrow road all of your neighbors will have to squeeze by when driving somewhere. And it may be difficult for trash trucks, deliveries, and postal workers to get by too.

2. How Much Rent Can I Get for My RV?

The rent you can make from your RV depends on many factors such as RV type, size, age, and the length of the rental period. But you can log onto Outdoorsy and use the rent calculator to a free to see how much you can make renting out your RV. More and more people are looking for RVs to rent so there is a good opportunity to make significant rental income. Just click the link and check it out for yourself.

 

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19 thoughts on “Can I Park an RV in My Driveway?”

  1. My neighbour was told to remove their motorized trailer by bylaw last year and yelled at me as I just moved in but did not complain. This year they have a very large mobile trailer home parked for the winter on their side yard. All I see when I look out my patio door/kitchen is this massive trailer parked within 2” of my new fence. The trailer is high to their house roof and almost extends my 48’ fence. This results in parking issues as they cannot have their guests park in their driveway. The house has two families one in the basement who own the trailer. This year I did complain to the city of St Thomas, but they are doing nothing. Now I am selling my home and it has been pointed out by my agent that the trailer will be detrimental to selling. Sorry people but the ignorance and entitlement of these people definitely cause a nice neighbourhood to be devalued with property prices. It’s an eye soar. I highly commend all of you who park them for the winter. I wish the ignorant tenants beside me would learn some consideration for others! Property is family owned and the tenants both upstairs and down are family, so no point in checking with the owner.

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  2. What type of pad do you need to park you camper in your backyard in Newcastle Delaware

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  3. i have a gravel second driveway, can i use that to park my RV on?

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  4. I feel that what goes on in my yard and what I park in my driveway is of no concern to nosy neighbors.

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    • Hi Chris,
      I feel the same way but I also let my neighbors know what I’m doing. Just seems like the right thing to do.
      Thanks!
      Mike

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    • I agree. As long as the vehicle fits on someone’s property with basic considerations as previously mentioned…blocking neighbours flowers ect…I think it’s no one’s business if rv parked in homeowners laneway. Especially now with ridiculous costs of rents and homes…I would encourage landlords like myself to promote not only parking in residential laneways but living in them as well. I do not have an RV but I do have 2 homes with laneways. I would allow RVs to stay in them as long as they keep it clean.

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      • Hi Frankie,
        Thanks for sharing your point of view. Like all property rights issues, parking your RV in your driveway seems to be a hot topic too.
        Mike

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  5. Where can I buy a home in florida and keep my rev on my property

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    • Hi Lorraine,
      You would need to check the local laws and HOA rules for any community where you want to park your RV in your driveway.
      Thanks!
      Mike

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  6. RVs stored on street and driveway definitely sets the tone for the neighborhood…..downward.
    There is nothing positive about it- except for the money that the RV owner saves while degrading the look and feel of everybody else’s property. I own a nice RV and pay to store it elsewhere. Besides, we live in a Del Webb neighborhood HOA where no cars can park on street overnight and any RVs can only remain for 48 hours to unload and clean only. This keeps our hood looking 1st class and values up.

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    • Hi Captain Gort,
      I tend to agree but we keep our RV in our driveway. It’s out of the way and we keep it clean.
      Thanks for your comments!
      Mike

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      • I have two 24 ft travel trailers both tagged and insured can I park both in my driveway bin Newcastle county

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    • Absolutely agree! If you own an RV, it comes with responsibilities. Everyone knows that the home value decreases if there are RVs or trailers in the neighborhood. If you cannot afford to park them in proper locations, you should re-consider having an RV.
      Others neighbors should not suffer due to lack of planning for RV owners.

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  7. I have this huge RV looking my direction not only that I have a complaint
    I have a disability son who can’t walk so o have to park back on my driveway to get him in the vehicle and the wheelchair My neighbours are mean people they know about my sons huge brain surgery he just had and now I’m going through this with my neighbours shame on the city of Winnipeg and these people who agree to allow huge vehicles in a driveway. My neighbours tell me I have to move my vehicle and to allow anyone to get into my vehicle.

    Reply

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