Santa Cruz County, CA Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Overnight RV/mobile home street parking
- Prohibited (SCCC 9.70.620)
- At your own abutting residence
- Up to 24 hours
- At a host property with permit
- Up to 72 hours
- Permit issuer
- Sheriff's Office (fee per Unified Fee Schedule)
- RV defined by
- CA Health & Safety Code 18010
Summary
In unincorporated Santa Cruz County, SCCC 9.70.620 makes it unlawful to park a mobile home or recreational vehicle overnight on any highway, street, or alley. A resident may park one adjacent to their own home for up to 24 hours, or up to 72 hours on a host property with a Sheriff-issued permit.
Permit for parking a mobile home or RV on a highway, street or alley directly adjacent to private property (host) if the owner or driver of the vehicle has permission of a resident of the host property. Cost: $48 per 72-hour permit. Valid only in Santa Cruz County unincorporated areas including Amesti, Aptos, Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, Ben Lomond, Bonny Doon, Boulder Creek, Brookdale, Corralitos, Davenport, Day Valley, Felton, Freedom, Interlaken, La Selva Beach, Live Oak, Mount Hermon, Opal Cliffs, Rio del Mar, Soquel, Pasatiempo, Twin Lakes.
Full Breakdown
620 prohibits parking a mobile home or recreational vehicle overnight on any highway, street, or alley (including the right-of-way) in the unincorporated county, except for emergency purposes. Two exceptions apply. First, owners or drivers may park an RV or mobile home on the street, highway, or alley that abuts the property containing their own residence for no longer than 24 hours. Second, an RV may be parked for no more than 72 hours directly adjacent to a 'host property' if the driver has (1) permission of a resident of that property and (2) a permit issued by the Sheriff's Office kept plainly visible on the dashboard.
The county runs this as an online RV Parking Permit program; the permit fee is set in the Unified Fee Schedule. 600 lets residents of a street petition the Public Works Director to designate a street or block segment where recreational-vehicle parking is unlawful; once signs are posted, RV parking on that segment is prohibited. 'Recreational vehicle' is defined by California Health and Safety Code Section 18010. 610.
Violations & Fines
Parking or standing violations are subject to a civil penalty enforced under California Vehicle Code Section 40200 et seq. (SCCC 9.70.670); vehicles may be removed under CVC 22651.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my RV in front of my own house in unincorporated Santa Cruz County?
How does the RV parking permit work?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Cruz County
How Santa Cruz County compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Cruz County to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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