What are the HOA RV parking rules?
In this blog post, we will discuss what the HOA RV parking rules are. We will also offer you some alternatives for parking your RV without upsetting anyone or breaking any laws.
What are the HOA RV parking rules?
The HOA RV parking rules will differ by state, but in most cases, you will not be able to park your RV:
- In front of a hydrant, or in any way that makes access to the hydrant difficult in the event of a fire.
- In alleys, unless it is to unload passengers or cargo.
- In your driveway or backyard for more than 48 hours.
- On a corner or crosswalk.
- Next to a parked car (double parking).
- In front of a bus stopped in a tunnel.
- On a bridge.
- In one place for more than 72 hours (36 hours in some states).
Does the HOA respect the Federal law?
Yes, by issuing HOA RV parking rules, they respect the Traffic Law in the US, which establishes that it is prohibited to park your car in your driveway since the city actually owns it. You also can’t park and block a sidewalk. This is because it violates the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. That is, it does not allow the passage of a wheelchair or walkers.
Can HOA restring parking of RVs on the street?
HOA can restrict the parking of RVs on the street if they wish so. Of course, it will depend on the HOA and your relationship with them.
The same rules apply to camping trailers, boats and even pop-up campers. The HOA RV parking rules prohibit even parking in your backyard for more than 24-48 hours or ban entirely parking in your driveway if the vehicle doesn’t fit entirely in and restricts access to the pathway.
Parking for RVs – a complete guide
Below we will give you a few tips for parking an RV so that you don’t upset the HOA or risk having your vehicle towed. Let’s start with the most traditional option: paid campsites for motorhomes or RVs.
Not all paid motorhome campsites are the same, which is why we believe that a distinction must be made between 4 different types:
- “Primitive” campsites – These are the ones that do not have services (water, electricity, toilets/showers) included. That is, you simply pay for the place to sleep. They are usually those found in remote places and some national or state parks.
- Campsites with basic amenities – This type of camping for motorhome usually has the basic services included, that is to say: electricity, water (at least within the nearby area) and bathrooms (generally with a shower, although not always with hot water).
They are those that are mainly found in almost all of America (for example, municipal campsites in towns); in the US and Canada they are called “partial hookup.”
- Campsites with full service – They are the “top of the range” of camping sites for motorhomes, and are those that are mainly found in Canada, the USA (and some areas of Mexico), where they are called “full-hookup”.
They have electricity and water (direct and exclusive connections for your vehicle at the place where you park), bathrooms (with hot showers) and direct drains (for black and grey water tanks).
In addition, they can have extra services such as wi-fi, telephone and even satellite TV (yes, TV in a campsite!).
- Informal campsites – Here we include other “camping” sites but which are not formally so, but rather are spaces that individuals rent temporarily so that you can sleep in your motorhome.
This is often seen a lot in Latin America (where there are not too many camping sites for motorhomes) and can be placed in restaurants, hotels and hostels and even private homes. Amenities vary by site but typically include at least water, toilets, and electricity.
Amenities for RVs that you can find in campsites
As you can see, since there are different types of campsites, not all of them offer the same comforts. On a scale from low to high, these are the amenities you can expect at a paid motorhome campsite:
- Water: generally in the area near your parking space with which you can approach to load your tanks. In full-hookup campsites, you have an exclusive water connection in your space, so your motorhome can be permanently connected to the water through a hose.
- Electricity: like water, there is usually an outlet in the parking area for you to plug in your vehicle. It is important if you are going to do this, do it only if your vehicle has the same voltage (110 or 220) that it takes.
In many cases, the socket is only for plugging in just a few items (computers or cameras) so you have to stay nearby to take care of them. In full-hookup campsites, the electrical outlet is individual for each vehicle.
- Bathrooms: in primitive campsites, these are simply a latrine, while in more developed campsites they include not only toilets but also hot showers.
- Wi-fi: Increasingly, paid campsites throughout America are including wi-fi in their basic services. However, it is quite bad in many cases and disconnects a lot or has a very slow speed, especially in remote places and in the middle of nature.
- Drains: as we have already mentioned, in the US and Canada (countries where there is a lot of motorhome travel culture), campsites also usually have drains to empty the grey and black water tanks, either unique to all vehicles or individually for each in the case of full-hookups.
- Other services: telephone, satellite television, swimming pools, private access to lakes or streams, games for children … Anyway, the campsites in some places may have things that you would never imagine finding in such a place!
Advantages of campsites for RVs
Let’s see what some of the advantages of staying in a paid camping with your motorhome are:
- With so many amenities, they can be a break on the road so you don’t have to worry about where to get water, electricity or a Wi-Fi signal, especially if you have to work online during your trip.
- They are safe places to sleep and are usually in the company of several other vehicles, with which you can always rest calmly.
- Since in many cases they offer showers, they are a good solution for those who do not have a bathroom in their vehicle.
- They are usually well maintained and clean (although not always), and are generally easily accessible with any type of vehicle.
- In some cases, paid campsites are the only places in an area where you can stay in a natural environment, due to government restrictions (in national parks, for example, where you cannot park outside the official campsites) or parts that have been privatized.
Disadvantages of campsites for RVs
Among the disadvantages of this type of camping for motorhomes we can find:
- Well, you have to pay for most of them! So if you want to add them to your trip, you will have to allocate part of your budget to this expense.
- In some cases, especially in tourist areas and in high season, it is often necessary to make reservations in advance to get a place as they sell out quickly.
- Being quite crowded, it is rare that you are going to be alone in these places, and especially in tourist places and in season, they can be quite noisy spaces.
- Sometimes the location is not at all striking and it is simply a small space to park, with few views that are worth much (especially in cities). In addition, it is not uncommon to find campsites with little maintenance and cleanliness.
- As we already mentioned, in many cases some amenities can be charged as extras, which considerably increases the price per night.
The bottom line
HOA deals with parking, speed and other rules violations in your area. Maintaining a good relationship with them and following the rules will only benefit you in the long run.
Like we already mentioned, the HOA RV parking rules state that you cannot park your RV in your driveway or backyard for more than 48-72 hours.
Please let us know if you have any other questions or comments on the content.
FAQ on HOA RV Parking Rules
Where can I park an RV?
An RV is perfectly entitled to park in the parking spaces along the roadway. However, its size must allow it, it must not interfere with road traffic or pedestrians. However, due to its size, the motorhome cannot park everywhere.
Where to stop with a motorhome?
A motorhome can stop in town in a parking space and spend the night there. It does not matter whether the motorhome operators are on board or not, as long as they comply with the regulations.
How to live year-round in a caravan?
To live year-round in a caravan and benefit from an address, registering with your local office is an idea. However, you must have a link with the municipality where you are making the request such as a place of stay on the date of the request, professional activity in the municipality, family ties.
