Champaign, IL Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)

Section 37-341 of the Zoning Ordinance, adopted by Council Bill No. B. No. 2018-149, governs oversized vehicle and watercraft storage on residential lots. Beyond the recreational vehicle limit, the section bars several categories of equipment outright on any residential lot: any vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating over 12,000 pounds, truck tractors, semi-trailers, pole trailers, FARM-plated vehicles unless the property's principal use is agriculture, buses, vehicles with specialized beds, and construction equipment such as bulldozers or backhoes unless it is on-site for work under an active building permit.

Two-axle, six-tire single-unit trucks carrying a 'D' plate designation or lower with a non-specialized bed are exempt. For the one recreational vehicle or watercraft that is allowed, placement to the side or front of the house requires an approved hard surface: pavement, brick, or concrete pavers set into the ground. Dirt, wood, and sod are explicitly disallowed. Gravel is permitted only in the rear yard, and it must be contained within a solid edging so it doesn't spread. Subsection (d) separately bars using any stored vehicle, RV included, for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes on the property or in the public right-of-way.

The Zoning Administrator in the Planning and Development Department administers and enforces zoning standards under Sec. 2-305 and may issue a Notice to Appear for violations.