Alachua County, FL Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Side/rear yard setback
- min. 2 ft from lot line
- Front yard parking
- only if no rear/side space, perpendicular to lot
- Overhang ban
- no part over sidewalk, trail, bike path, or street
- Occupancy cap
- 7 consecutive days, 14 days/year (general rule)
- Exceptions
- RM-1 (§403.23(i)(1)); parks/preserves; A/A-RB/RM (§404.22.5)
- Boats
- governed as trailer cargo under §404.82.5(a), not RV rules
Summary
Alachua County lets residents keep a serviceable recreational vehicle in the side or rear yard, two feet off the lot line, or in the front yard if no other space exists, under Sec. 404.82.5(b), but bars living in it more than seven straight days, up to fourteen a year, outside specific exceptions.
(b) Parking of recreational vehicles. (1) The following standards shall apply in all residential districts to the parking, storage, or keeping of serviceable recreational vehicles: a. Parking is permitted inside any enclosed structure that complies with the minimum dimensional standards and/or setback requirements of the district in which it is located. b. Parking is permitted outside any structure in the side or rear yard, provided the recreational vehicle is a minimum of two (2) feet from the lot line. c. Parking is permitted outside any structure in the front yard, provided: 1. Space is not available in the rear or side yard and no structure for storage is available or there is no access to either the side or rear yard. 2. The recreational vehicle must be parked perpendicular to the front property line. No part of the recreational vehicle may extend over a public sidewalk, trail, bike path, or street. (2) ...such recreational vehicles shall not:... c. Be occupied or used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes for a period in excess of seven (7) consecutive days, not to exceed fourteen (14) days in any calendar year...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 5(b) governs RV parking in the county's ten residential districts. Indoor parking is always allowed if the structure meets the district's dimensional and setback standards. Outdoors, an RV may sit in the side or rear yard at least two feet from the lot line; front-yard parking is allowed only if no rear or side space or storage structure is available or accessible, and then the RV must sit perpendicular to the front property line with no part overhanging a public sidewalk, trail, bike path, or street.
The RV may be used only for storage, it cannot hold goods or equipment beyond items essential for the vehicle's use, discharge litter, effluent, or sewage, or sit on a vacant or unimproved lot. Living, sleeping, or housekeeping use is capped at seven consecutive days and fourteen days per calendar year, unless the RV sits in an RM-1 district under Sec. 23(i)(1), a state or locally managed park/preserve/historic site, or an A, A-RB, or RM district under the household living standards of Sec. 5. Note this subsection covers 'recreational vehicles' as ULDC-defined (a wheeled unit like a motor home, travel trailer, or tiny house on wheels), a boat itself is not an RV; a boat on a trailer falls under the general trailer-parking standards of Sec. 01) expressly covers a conveyance used for transporting a boat.
Violations & Fines
Parking an RV outside the side/rear/front-yard rules, letting it overhang a sidewalk or street, or living in it beyond the seven/fourteen-day cap without a qualifying exception is enforceable by the Code Enforcement Board under Chapter 24. Alachua County Code § 10.08 sets the default penalty at up to $500.00, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I live in my RV parked in my Alachua County yard?
Where can I park an RV in my front yard?
Does the RV parking rule cover my boat too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alachua County
How Alachua County compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Alachua County to another location·View the Florida parking rules overview
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