San Diego County, CA Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)

The County does not impose a separate recreational-vehicle street ordinance the way the City of San Diego does (the City's 2 a.m.-6 a.m. oversized-vehicle ban under Municipal Code Sec. 86.0139 applies only inside city limits). In the unincorporated County, an RV, camper, trailer, or boat parked on a public street or alley is governed by County Code Sec. 72.122, which prohibits keeping any vehicle in the same spot for more than 72 consecutive hours. A vehicle is treated as parked the whole 72 hours unless it is moved at least one-half mile from its original stopped location. After 72 hours the Sheriff or California Highway Patrol may remove it under Vehicle Codes Sec. 22651 and 22652. Storing a personal RV or boat on your own residential parcel is generally allowed as an accessory use, but RVs are not approved for permanent habitation and using a trailer coach in the unincorporated territory requires a valid trailer-coach installation permit from Planning & Development Services. Operating a commercial RV/boat storage yard is a separate use type ('Automotive and Equipment: Storage, Recreational Vehicles and Boats') that the Zoning Ordinance allows in certain commercial zones only with a Major Use Permit.