10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Galveston County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Galveston County cannot zone, so RV/boat parking is set by your city. In the City of Galveston, motor homes, campers, trailers and boats may not sit on residential property unless screened in a side or rear yard. Unincorporated areas (Bolivar, Bacliff, San Leon) have no zoning limit.
Galveston, TX Code sec. 34-119
It shall be an offense for a person to park a motor vehicle, camper, trailer, motor home or boat on private residential property unless the vehicle is parked on a maintained side or rear yard, screened from public view with either fencing and/or landscaping, as approved by the director of planning and community development or designee.
Galveston County cannot regulate driveways, so cities set the rules. The City of Galveston requires RVs, boats and trailers to sit in a screened side or rear yard (sec. 34-119), and League City prohibits parking cars, boats or recreational vehicles on the grass. Unincorporated county land has no yard-parking limit.
League City UDC sec. 125-170(20)
Cars, boats, and/or recreational vehicles parked on the grass.
Galveston County has no zoning power over commercial-vehicle parking, so cities control it. The City of Galveston bans parking a truck or commercial vehicle with more than two axles, or rated 10,000+ pounds, on residential streets and alleys from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., except for loading or emergency repairs.
City of Galveston Parking Regulations (galvestontx.gov/835)
Parking or to leave standing a truck or other commercial vehicle with more than two (2) axles or which vehicle has a manufacturer's gross vehicle rating of ten thousand (10,000) pounds or more on any street or alley within any residential district ... during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Galveston County has no county-wide street parking ordinance; streets are controlled by the city they sit in or, on state roads, by TxDOT. The City of Galveston runs paid parking downtown and along the Seawall, plus permit-only residential districts. Unincorporated county roads follow the Texas Transportation Code.
Galveston County sets no county-wide overnight parking ban. In the City of Galveston, a vehicle left in the same on-street position for more than 48 hours is a violation and may be tagged and towed. Check your own city, since League City and Texas City set separate limits.
City of Galveston Parking Regulations (galvestontx.gov/835)
Leaving a vehicle in the same position for more than forty-eight (48) hours shall constitute a violation.
Galveston County sets no rule on EV charging spaces; the county cannot zone or regulate parking layout. EV charging stalls and any protection for them come from the city, from private property owners, or from Texas state law, not from Galveston County.
This is a real county power. Under Texas Transportation Code sec. 683.002, a vehicle left too long on public or private property is abandoned and can be taken and sold. Galveston County and its cities both enforce it; junked, inoperable vehicles visible from the street are a separate nuisance under
Tex. Transp. Code sec. 683.002
A motor vehicle is abandoned if the motor vehicle: (1) is inoperable, is more than five years old, and has been left unattended on public property for more than 48 hours; (2) has remained illegally on public property for more than 48 hours; or (3) has remained on private property without the consent of the owner ... for more than 48 hours.
Galveston County does not paint or regulate curb markings; curbs belong to the city or the state road authority. In the City of Galveston, only the city may mark curbs for no-parking, loading or handicap use. Residents cannot legally paint public curbs themselves.
Galveston County does not designate loading zones; that is a city street-management function. The City of Galveston sets loading zones and allows commercial vehicles to stop briefly for active loading or unloading. On unincorporated county roads there are no marked loading zones.
Galveston County has no zoning power over oversized-vehicle parking. The City of Galveston treats a vehicle with more than two axles or a 10,000-pound-plus gross rating as an oversized/commercial vehicle barred from residential streets by day. Unincorporated county areas have no size-based parking limit.
City of Galveston Parking Regulations (galvestontx.gov/835)
Parking or to leave standing a truck or other commercial vehicle with more than two (2) axles or which vehicle has a manufacturer's gross vehicle rating of ten thousand (10,000) pounds or more on any street or alley within any residential district ... during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
1 cities in Galveston County have their own parking rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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