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Ventura County, CA Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified June 2026

Key Facts

Countywide overnight ban
None on county roads
Default road limit
72 consecutive hours (CVC 22651(k))
Oversized communities
Oak Park, Oak View, Casa Conejo (no overnight)
County parks
Overnight = camping; permit required (Ord. 4446)
Sleeping in vehicle
Defined as camping in parks (Sec. 6302-12)

Summary

Unincorporated Ventura County has no general overnight parking ban on county roads; the default is the state 72-hour rule (CVC 22651(k)). Oak Park, Oak View, and Casa Conejo bar oversized vehicles around the clock. In County parks, overnight parking and sleeping in a vehicle are treated as camping and require a permit (Ord. 4446).

City-specific rules exist: Ventura, Camarillo, Moorpark, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Port Hueneme, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, and Ojai have their own overnight parking rules that differ from Ventura County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which the officer or employee may act, under the following circumstances:

(k) If a vehicle is parked or left standing upon a highway for 72 or more consecutive hours in violation of a local ordinance authorizing removal.

(l) If a vehicle is illegally parked on a highway in violation of a local ordinance forbidding standing or parking and the use of a highway, or a portion thereof, is necessary for the cleaning, repair, or construction of the highway, or for the installation of underground utilities, and signs giving notice that the vehicle may be removed are erected or placed at least 24 hours prior to the removal by a local authority pursuant to the ordinance.

(q) If a vehicle is parked for more than 24 hours on a portion of highway that is located within the boundaries of a common interest development, as defined in Section 4100 or 6534 of the Civil Code, and signs, as required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 22658 of this code, have been posted on that portion of highway providing notice to drivers that vehicles parked thereon for more than 24 hours will be removed at the owner's expense pursuant to a resolution or ordinance adopted by the local authority.

Source: California Vehicle Code 22651View official code

Full Breakdown

There is no countywide ordinance prohibiting ordinary passenger vehicles from parking overnight on public roads in unincorporated Ventura County. A legally parked, operable, registered vehicle may remain overnight subject to the state 72-hour limit: under California Vehicle Code 22651(k), a vehicle standing on a highway for 72 or more consecutive hours may be removed. The exceptions are vehicle-size based. In the Oak Park Community (Ordinance Code Sec. 7251) and in Oak View and Casa Conejo (Sec. 7252, Ord. 4524), it is unlawful to park or leave standing any oversized vehicle on a county highway at any time, which effectively bans overnight oversized-vehicle parking except during the limited 72-hour trip, repair, and loading exemptions.

In County parks, the Parks Ordinance (Ord. 4446) is stricter: Sec. 6302-12 defines camping to include using any parked or standing vehicle for sleeping and remaining overnight, and Sec. 6309 prohibits camping or parking overnight in a park except in a designated site with a valid permit. No vehicle may remain parked in a posted County park beyond the posted hours (Sec. 6307-1(f)). Outside of those park and oversized-vehicle rules, overnight parking on county roads is generally permitted.

Violations & Fines

Sleeping overnight in a vehicle in a County park without a camping permit, or parking past posted park hours, violates Ord. 4446. Leaving an oversized vehicle on a road in Oak Park, Oak View, or Casa Conejo overnight violates Sec. 7251/7252. On any public road, exceeding 72 consecutive hours allows removal under CVC 22651(k).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sleep in my car overnight in unincorporated Ventura County?
On a regular county road there is no general ban, but the vehicle cannot stay in one spot more than 72 hours (CVC 22651(k)). In a County park it is different: Ordinance 4446 treats using a parked vehicle for sleeping or remaining overnight as camping, which is only allowed in a designated site with a valid camping permit.
Is overnight street parking allowed for my RV?
Not in Oak Park, Oak View, or Casa Conejo, where oversized vehicles are barred from county roads at any time except during limited 72-hour trip, repair, or loading windows. In other unincorporated areas there is no overnight RV ban, but the 72-hour street limit still applies.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Ventura County

All Ventura County rules

How Ventura County compares: Cities with the Strictest Overnight Parking Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Ventura County to another location·View the California parking rules overview

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