Boulder County, CO Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Live in RV on land
- Prohibited (not a dwelling)
- Camping on your parcel
- 14 days per year max
- RV on road over 72 hrs
- Towable as abandoned
- Home-occupation vehicles
- One outside in subdivisions
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
Boulder County sets no blanket ban on storing your own RV, trailer, or boat on your private lot, but you cannot live in an RV, and on public roads an RV left over 72 hours is towable as abandoned.
In subdivisions, no more than one vehicle associated with the use, registered as a passenger vehicle, light truck, recreational truck, or farm truck may be parked outside on the property.
Full Breakdown
The Boulder County Land Use Code treats recreational vehicles as non-dwellings: they may not be used for habitation on vacant land or during home construction, and camping is limited to 14 days per year. For home occupations in subdivisions, no more than one associated passenger vehicle, light truck, recreational truck, or farm truck may be parked outside. On unincorporated county roads, an RV or trailer left in one spot longer than 72 hours meets the abandoned-vehicle definition in Ordinance 2024-1 and can be ticketed and towed. Inside cities (Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette), the city's own RV-storage rules apply instead.
Violations & Fines
An RV/trailer abandoned on a county road is a civil infraction: $15 first, $30 second, $60 third offense, plus possible tow at owner's cost after 72-hour notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I store my boat or RV on my own acreage?
Can I park my RV on the street in front of my house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boulder County
How Boulder County compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·Compare Boulder County to another location·View the Colorado parking rules overview
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