Billings, MT Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Sec. 24-411, Billings Municipal Code
- Rest period
- Max 10 consecutive hours, owner's OK
- Applies to
- Private parking lots citywide
- Event suspension
- 48 hrs before/after by council resolution
- Enforcement
- Citation, boot, or tow
Summary
Billings prohibits overnight parking or camping in private parking lots citywide, allowing only one ten-hour rest period if the lot owner permits it, after which the vehicle must be removed.
Overnight parking or camping in private parking lots within the city limits is prohibited. However, a rest period of no more than ten (10) hours shall be allowed, providing it is permitted by the owner of the parking lot. The rest period shall consist of ten (10) consecutive hours, after which time the vehicle must be removed from the parking lot.(2)Upon approval by resolution, the city council may temporarily suspend the requirements and restrictions imposed by section 24-411 in order to accommodate special events held within the city. The resolution of suspension shall become effective forty-eight (48) hours prior to the official start of the scheduled event and shall terminate forty-eight (48) hours after official conclusion of the event. (Code 1967, § 11.32.110; Ord. No. 89-4789, §§ 1, 2, 6-26-89; Ord. No. 06-5362, § 1, 3-27-06; Ord. No. 25-5903, § 1, 2-10-25)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 24-411 of the Billings Municipal Code bars parking or camping a vehicle for camping purposes anywhere in the city outside a licensed campground. Overnight parking or camping in private parking lots is separately banned outright, with a narrow exception: a single rest period of up to ten consecutive hours, permitted only if the lot owner allows it, after which the vehicle must leave. The city council can suspend the rule by resolution for a special event, effective 48 hours before the event starts through 48 hours after it ends.
Violations & Fines
Violating a posted parking restriction is a citable offense under Sec. 24-1004; unpaid tickets of $50 or more can get a vehicle booted, and it may be towed and impounded under Sec. 24-1009.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sleep overnight in my car in a Billings parking lot?
Does Billings restrict overnight parking on city streets too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Billings
How Billings compares: Cities with the Strictest Overnight Parking Rules·Compare Billings to another location·View the Montana parking rules overview
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