Can You Legally Live In An RV On Your Own Private Property?
Most RVs provide everything we need to be comfortable. They’re miniature homes on wheels, and many people want to live in their vehicles all year round. We’re all familiar with people who travel throughout the year or stay in campgrounds and resorts. But what about those who want to live in an RV in their backyard?
This is a complicated question, and the answers vary based on where you live. If you own the land where you want to park, you’ll have more freedom to do so. However, there are often city ordinances and neighborhood rules that prevent you from pursuing this lifestyle.
If you want to stay in an RV in a backyard, you’ll need to jump through a few hoops. These vehicles don’t always qualify as residences, so you’ll need to do everything you can to legitimize your setup. This might include arranging utilities and paying taxes to the state where you live. We’ll cover the ins and outs of this issue below.
Living on your own land
Lots of RVs are nice, so people want to stay in them as much as possible. If you own land, you won’t have to constantly travel around and pay daily campground fees. In addition, some people choose to live in an RV while they build a new home for themselves. It enables them to use their land throughout the construction process.
Although there are perks to living on your own land, the legality of this practice is a bit of a gray area. Therefore, you’ll need to perform plenty of research before you commit to this lifestyle.
For starters, check the zoning laws for your city/county. Some cities have an issue with full-time RV parking because they feel like the land should be used for permanent buildings. In other cases, your neighborhood HOA might cause a scene.
Some people do not want to share their neighborhood with RVs because they fear it will lower the value of their homes. There may be zoning restrictions and rules you need to follow, so read the fine print before you buy land.
If you have questions during this process, you can always contact a zoning employee at your county office. They should be able to give you full details about where you can park your RV.
Living on someone else’s land
Buying property is expensive, and many people don’t see the point in owning land if they just want to park their RV there. That’s why it’s a fairly common practice to park in someone else’s backyard.
The rules mentioned above still apply because you won’t always be allowed to keep an RV in plain sight. Check the city and county rules to make sure you’re not breaking any laws.
Next up, you need to find someone who is willing to let you stay on their property. Many people stay with family members or friends. The RV gives them a sense of privacy, plus they can use the outdoor space that others might ignore.
You might be asked to chip in on mortgage payments or rent in order to stay, but you can work this arrangement out on a case-by-case basis.
In some cases, you can also find people online who are willing to let you stay in their yards. You can create your own ad or look for other people who are offering a deal. Again, payment will probably be part of the deal, but you can park your RV for long stretches of time.
Just be careful if you choose this route. Some arrangements are dangerous, so you need to be careful when you determine where you want to go.
Am I homeless if I live in an RV?
Many people wonder if they are technically homeless if they live out of an RV. The answer to this question depends on where you park and what type of amenities your RV has.
There are a few qualifications you need to meet if you want your RV to act as a full-time home. It needs to have running water, a bathroom, some type of kitchen, and a place to sleep. Most RVs meet these standards, but there are some models that are too small to fit these necessities.
One of the biggest factors in this question is where you park. If you always keep your RV in parking lots or park it on the street overnight, you would technically be considered homeless. People who sleep in their cars fall under this category too. You don’t have access to permanent utilities in these areas and don’t have an official address either.
However, if you park on property that you own or rent, your RV could be considered a full-time residence. You’ll need to fill out some paperwork, as well as connect it to water, sewage, and electrical hookups. It’s a good idea to use your community’s trash pickup as well.
How to make your RV a permanent residence
If you’ve decided you want to live in an RV for the foreseeable future, you’ll need to take care of a few technicalities. Once you confirm that you can live in a specific area, you can work on making your vehicle a permanent residence.
First off, obtain any necessary permits. Some permits allow you to park your RV for 28 days every year, but this won’t cut it for full-time living. Visit your county office to obtain the proper forms. You may need to comply with land inspections as well, so buckle in for a long approval process.
Next, make sure you have access to all necessary utilities. You won’t be able to rely on the water tanks and battery forever! If your RV stays in one place, you need to have running water, electricity, sewage, internet, and more. Your sewage options might include connecting to the city’s system or setting up a septic tank.
Now it’s time to change or establish a permanent address. If you own the land where you’re staying, this is a fairly standard process. Gather documentation that proves that you own the land and visit your county or city office. There, you can apply for a new address and fill out the appropriate paperwork. You’ll need to pay a fee as well.
Once you have your new address, you will be able to receive mail, prove residency, and so much more. It’s a sign of legitimacy.
Is it worth it?
Choosing to live in an RV is a highly personal decision. Some people do it to save money, while others do it for a sense of stability. No matter what your reasons are, rest assured that it is possible in most locations.
Unfortunately, you’ll need to deal with a lot of paperwork in order to receive approval. You might run into issues with your neighbors and HOA as well. If you live with friends or family members, this lifestyle could also strain your relationships.
In the end, you’re the only one who can decide if the pros outweigh the cons. Just remember to check in with your city representatives every step of the way! You don’t want to get caught doing something illegal or be forced to pay heavy fines.
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Not legal the county where we live. Two weeks max. Plus they don’t meet snow load requirements anyway.
If it is your property, what gives anyone ( including the government) the right to tell you what you can and cannot do! If that’s the case, you DON’T own your property!
That’s what so many people refuse to believe is the fact that without an Allodial Title, we don’t actually own our property, home, or car. The State owns it all, and we simply pay them a yearly rental fee for the use of the property, home, and car..
If I live in a self contained rv, but I rent from the people who own the property can I run off their electric and water even though I haven’t paid rent for months
Is it illegal to live in a tent o. A sidewalk in San Francisco? Get a handle on that then come talk to me…
Why would it be illegal to live in rv year around on your own property is that a reason for law makers to get more revenue it’s your property
It is ALWAYS better to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission. Live you life with this in mind. Again, ALWAYS!
Good article. I just bought some land with utilities already on it. It has a floating home..!!
I plan to move my RV these , connect it up to water and electric and rent it out. There are lots of RV’s in bethel island. It’s county land, not city. It’s cool!!!
SOOOO jealous!! Email me please at Itsjustthefewofus@gmail.com as my wife and I LOVE this idea of RV living like we have been OR even having the options to rent your house boat maybe!! Bethel Island is amazing too!! Please and thank you!! Hope to speak to you soon!
– Courtney & Laura
Katharine, your comment caught my interest. Where (county, state) is your property? And how did you find it? Thanks, Bryan
Just to clarify, this is in reference to the forgiveness over permission post
Our county (Cochise, AZ) makes it beyond difficult. A woman whose home burned down last year has been getting notices from the county to move her RV. Several people in the area are trying to help her work through the permits, getting an RV pedestal installed, even pulling her RV to a local repair place to make sure it is livable.
It’s really a shame because they don’t seem to care that three burned out houses haven’t been demo’ed over the last 18 months. She spent the last of her savings getting her house demolished and removed from the lot to meet city requirements.
I look at it like this, yes we live in a free country. All you need to do is go into other countries where there’s much more diction of what you can and cannot do. There must be rules and regulations or otherwise people would take advantage of everything. If all people were honest and fair then that would not be the problem, but we are not. Some people will cheat, steal, manipulate, that’s not to say all will but for some reason we all feel like, “they can’t tell me what to do”. It’s a good thing we have rules and regulations otherwise we would see more crime than we do. Just stop and ask yourself, I’m always honest, or do I try to cheat the system in many different ways.
If you answer that no I follow the rules and regulations then you probably may not like those rules but you obey them.
If you answer that no I will do whatever I can to make sure the government doesn’t get more than I believe they should. If you or I are of the latter. Then we can surely see why we need those rules and regulations.
A free country should not and was never meant to be that we can do whatever we want.
It lets the dogs out meaning the off people have hayday and the eighties simply leave one be
lolwut? While these are all words that I recognize, the order in which they are presented makes zero sense. Only slightly related, but are the A.I. bots passing for human because they’re really getting smarter or because we’re getting less so?
The government states, a dwelling, must consist of a place to sleep to eat running water and a place to bath, it dose not state that it has to be a certain structure . There are people living in tents , in cars living on the main streets in cities, if you own a piece of land out of the city limits, there should be nolaws how you live it’s your land not the governments or the cities, they only want to find a way to tax you before they can do that, is to stop the poor from living in tents and cardboard boxes andthese new single new little pod units they live in in the city.
AMEN!
Well said
What about our fourth amendment they don’t have any right to come in to our home if it’s on our property what’s the probable cause do they have a warrant if I put a trailer or mobile home or camper on my land. Then it’s my home on my land I mean hell I live in a mobile home now from 1985 my mother had one from 1958 government needs to stay out of it imagine having to get registration on a mobile home it can’t be moved in most counties in most States because they are not married to be set up and moved but they didn’t even take the tires off of this thing they just let the air out of them cut off the hitch and stuck it underneath it headed with some tie downs some jack UPS all good
Yet there’s RVs lined up on city streets all across America…………. People on the streets have more rights than property / home owners imagine that.
I’m in NJ Middlesex County average home price $490,000 to $689,000 three family’s in my town have Montana in their driveways as additional living space I’ve heard of no fights about this for the last 7 yrs. I own 10 acres and a family member wants to put a 30 to 36ft rv on my property they are welcome to do so.
HI SHIRLEY I ALWAYS ENJOY YOUR ARTICLES .WE JUST BOUGHT A CLASS C AND HAVING BEEN OUT IN IT FOR 6 DIFFERENT TIMES AND WE WON’T BE LIVING IN IT PERMANENTELY.IT IS VERY NICE FOR SHORT TIMES.OH IT HAS LIVING ROOM AND BEDROOM SLIDES OUTS.OH AND I LEARN A LOT FROM YOUR ARTICLES
THANKYOU
If you own the property, screw the laws, and if you own property where those kind of laws are enforced, sell it
Government has no right to tell anyone where they can live and what them must live in. Many RVs cost more then many homes (not that cost matters. Government and busy bodies stay out of peoples lives!
Those of you who say the government has no right to restrict what one does on there own property need to read the laws of the community, county, state, or whatever entity has control. If there is something unreasonable, archaic or unfair, you may be able to make an appointment to challenge the law. It might serve you well to hire and attorney to help you make your case. I challenged an ordinance in the city where we live and didn’t even have to go to the city council…and won. In 1978 Palo Alto said that we could not park our newly acquired motorhome in the driveway of our home. I explained why we need to do so and gave them the information that FMCA has that challenges such ordinances. The ordinance is now off the book. Later, while doing a major remodel and earthquake seismic upgrade we lived in our driveway for 8 or 9 months with no complaint from the city.
To the people who ask why they live in an RV on their own property: Because it drags down the value of other homes in the neighborhood. That’s why many cities and counties have ordinances against that.
And as an example, outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico, a family moved into an RV on an empty lot and said they were going to build a home there. The HOA gave them three months; it’s been four years and the family is still living in that RV and it looks absolutely horrible. They’re fighting with the HOA as the fines increase and I do hope the people lose.
I feel it’s one thing to have it on your property as long as it’s not blocking neighbors view. And no one is living in it. Reason I’m against it, is because There is only so much room on the street for parking. For others that might need to park on the street. Dealing with people that feel they can do whatever they want. No consideration for others. Instead of parking closer to their home, they park down where I live, making it hard to back out of my driveway. With the 3 bedrm. house and now 2 RV’s in the driveway-and back yard. (people living in them) They have at least 5 cars. Rarely do they park in the driveway. They have 1 car on street by me that is not even running. So Yes there should be some restrictions !!