Des Moines, IA Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 114-632, Traffic and Vehicles
- Fine
- $100.00 per violation
- Scope
- Any city street, any time
- Construction exception
- 7 a.m.-10 p.m. at active job site
- Driveway/yard parking
- Not addressed by this section
Summary
Des Moines bans parking any trailer, semitrailer or travel trailer on a city street at any time, so a stored RV or boat trailer must move off the street entirely, not just clear of traffic.
No person shall park any motor truck having a freight capacity greater than one ton or any trailer, semitrailer, travel trailer, road tractor or truck tractor unit at any time on any city street. This subsection shall not apply to motor trucks, trailers, semitrailers, travel trailers, road tractors or truck tractors parked on a city street abutting and for use at an active construction site between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. or as otherwise permitted by this chapter. A person who violates any provision of this section shall pay a fine of $100.00.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City code section 114-632(b) bars parking any trailer, semitrailer or travel trailer, a category broad enough to include a boat trailer, on any city street at any time, not just during rush hour or overnight. The only carve-out is a trailer or truck over one ton parked at an active construction site between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Subsection (a) separately blocks freight trucks and trailers over one ton from parking on any street fronting N-1 through N-5 or NX1 through NX3 residential-zoned property. Violators pay a $100.00 fine. The chapter does not reach parking on your own driveway or yard.
Violations & Fines
Parking a trailer, RV or boat trailer on any Des Moines street draws a $100.00 fine per section 114-632(c); truck/trailer combos over one ton also can't sit on streets fronting N-zoned residential blocks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my RV or travel trailer on the street in Des Moines?
Does the street parking ban cover a boat on a trailer?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Des Moines
How Des Moines compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·Compare Des Moines to another location·View the Iowa parking rules overview
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