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

Sonoma County Code Chapter 18, Article III governs parking on County roads in the unincorporated area. Sec. 10 ('Parking of Oversized Vehicles and Trailers Prohibited') makes it unlawful to stop, park, or leave standing on any County highway or County right-of-way any 'oversized vehicle' for longer than six consecutive hours, at which point it must relocate for a period of at least 72 hours. The definition expressly includes recreational vehicles (motor homes, slide-in campers, travel trailers, fifth-wheel and camping trailers), boats whether on a trailer or standing alone, and trailers and trailer coaches, as well as any motor vehicle, boat, or trailer that is at least 24 feet long, 90 inches high, or 96 inches wide.

The ordinance was adopted to address complaints about RVs, boats, and trailers occupying scarce roadside parking on the County's narrow roads. Loading or unloading an RV adjacent to the residence it serves is allowed for up to 48 consecutive hours. Separately, Sec. 7 bars leaving any vehicle on an unincorporated street or highway for 72 or more consecutive hours. On private property, the County's Zoning Code (Chapter 26) does not impose a specific setback or screening rule on storing a personal RV or boat at a single-family residence, so private-yard storage is generally a matter of the parcel's other zoning standards rather than a dedicated RV ordinance.