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Tuscaloosa, AL Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

RV/camper overnight occupancy
Banned on any street, alley, public way
General street parking limit
24 continuous hours before impound
Tow fee
$30.00 flat, city equipment
Storage fee
$5.00 per day or fraction
RV rule adopted
Ord. No. 6596, 5-13-04

Summary

Tuscaloosa bans sleeping or occupying an RV, camper, or van overnight on any street, and any vehicle left parked continuously on a public street for more than 24 hours can be towed and impounded by police.

It shall be unlawful for any person to park overnight and occupy a recreational vehicle, motor home, house car, travel trailer, pickup camper, van or other motor vehicle having sleeping quarters upon any street, alley, or other public way of the city.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102).

Full Breakdown

City Code Sec. 22-85(b) makes it unlawful for any person to park overnight and occupy a recreational vehicle, motor home, house car, travel trailer, pickup camper, van, or other motor vehicle with sleeping quarters on any street, alley, or other public way in the city, a rule added by Ord. No. 6596 on May 13, 2004 to stop overnight camping in vehicles on public streets. Separately, Sec. 22-10(a) gives any city police officer authority to remove and impound a vehicle that "has remained parked on any public street continuously for a longer time than twenty-four (24) hours," regardless of whether anyone is sleeping in it, folding in ordinary long-term overnight parking as an impoundable offense.

Under Sec. 00 per day (or fraction of a day) storage charge, and the vehicle will not be released to a claimant until those charges are paid unless the chief of police finds the impoundment was improper.

Violations & Fines

Occupying an RV or camper overnight on a public street violates Sec. 22-85(b) and is punished under the chapter's general penalty, Sec. 1-8. Any vehicle, RV or otherwise, left on a public street for more than 24 continuous hours is subject to towing and impoundment under Sec. 22-10, with release conditioned on paying the $30.00 towing charge and $5.00-per-day storage fee unless the police chief determines the tow was improper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sleep in my camper van overnight on a Tuscaloosa street?
No. Sec. 22-85(b) specifically bans parking overnight and occupying a recreational vehicle, motor home, travel trailer, camper, van, or other vehicle with sleeping quarters on any street, alley, or public way in the city.
How long can I leave a car parked on a public street in Tuscaloosa?
No longer than 24 continuous hours. Sec. 22-10(a) authorizes a police officer to have a vehicle towed and impounded once it has remained parked on any public street continuously for more than twenty-four hours.
How much does it cost to get a towed vehicle back?
Sec. 22-10(b) sets a $30.00 charge if the city moves the vehicle with its own equipment, plus $5.00 per day or fraction of a day for storage, and the city will not release the vehicle until those charges are paid unless the chief of police finds it was improperly impounded.
Does the 24-hour rule apply even if I'm not sleeping in the vehicle?
Yes. Sec. 22-10(a) applies to any vehicle parked continuously on a public street for over 24 hours, separate from the specific overnight-occupancy ban on RVs and campers in Sec. 22-85(b).

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Tuscaloosa

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All Tuscaloosa rules

How Tuscaloosa compares: Cities with the Strictest Overnight Parking Rules·Compare Tuscaloosa to another location·View the Alabama parking rules overview

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