Bridgeport, CT Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Muni Code § 10.12.015
- Driveway approval
- Required from Zoning Dept
- Camper exception
- Rear yard lawn only
- Base fine
- $50, escalating to $150
- Tow trigger
- 72+ hrs or $200+ owed
Summary
Bridgeport Municipal Code § 10.12.015 bars parking any motor vehicle, including boats, RVs, trucks, and motorcycles, on any portion of a residential yard except a driveway approved by the Zoning Department. Lawn parking is prohibited, with narrow exceptions for a camper on a rear-yard lawn and for permitted events.
No motor vehicles, including but not limited to, automobiles, trucks, boats, recreational vehicles, and motorcycles, shall be parked on any portion of a yard except on an area that is an approved driveway. Such approval must be obtained from the Zoning Department. Parking on a lawn is prohibited; except: (1) a camper may park on the lawn of a rear yard and (2) parking for an event, for which an event permit has been obtained, may be permitted on private property with the property owner's permission for only the duration of time as the permit is valid.B.Penalty. Any person who receives a notice of violation shall pay the issuing authority the following sums:1.Fifty dollars ($50.00).2.Additional Penalty. In the event any person fails to comply within 14 days from the date of issuance thereof, then the penalty will increase to $100; if not paid within thirty (30) days from the date of issues, the penalty will increase to one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00). If the balance owed exceeds two hundred dollars ($200.00), or if the car is in violation for seventy-two (72) hours or longer, the city will tow. (Ord. dated 6/17/2019)
Full Breakdown
The ordinance sweeps broadly. It covers motor vehicles including but not limited to automobiles, trucks, boats, recreational vehicles, and motorcycles, so a boat on a trailer beside the house is treated the same as a pickup on the grass. The only lawful parking surface in a yard is an area that is an approved driveway, and that approval must come from Bridgeport's Zoning Department, meaning a homeowner cannot simply gravel over a side yard and call it a driveway.
Two exceptions soften the lawn ban. First, a camper may park on the lawn of a rear yard, and only a rear yard, so the same camper sitting on the front lawn remains a violation. Second, event parking is allowed on private property with the property owner's permission, but only when an event permit has been obtained and only for the duration of time the permit is valid.
Enforcement escalates the longer a fine goes unpaid. The first notice of violation carries a $50 fine. Unpaid for 14 days, it rises to $100, and after 30 days it reaches $150. Bridgeport also tows: the city removes a vehicle once the unpaid balance tops $200, or once the vehicle has sat in violation for 72 or more hours, whichever comes first.
Violations & Fines
The first notice of violation is $50. The fine rises to $100 after 14 days unpaid and to $150 after 30 days. Once the balance exceeds $200, or the vehicle has remained in violation 72 or more hours, the city tows the vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my boat or RV on my Bridgeport lawn?
Does an unapproved gravel pad count as a driveway?
When does Bridgeport tow a vehicle parked in violation?
Can guests park on my property for a party?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bridgeport
How Bridgeport compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·Compare Bridgeport to another location·View the Connecticut parking rules overview
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