Kent, WA Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Time limit
- 24 hours max in residential areas
- Covered units
- RVs, boats/vessels, trailers
- Where regulated
- Streets, alleys, public right-of-way
- Penalty
- $50 infraction
- Related rule
- No reparking nearby to dodge citation (9.38.095)
Summary
Kent bars parking a recreational vehicle, boat or trailer on any street, alley or public right-of-way in a residential neighborhood for more than 24 hours. Violators face a $50 infraction under Kent City Code 9.38.145.
No person shall park any recreational vehicle, boat or vessel, or trailer on any street, highway, roadway, alley, or public right-of-way in any residential neighborhood in the city for more than 24 hours. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following prescribed meanings: 1. Boat or vessel shall mean every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on the water. 2. Recreational vehicle shall be as defined in KCC 8.09.020(J). 3. Trailer shall mean every vehicle without motive power designed to be drawn by another vehicle and attached to the towing vehicle by means of a hitch or other connector, and ordinarily used for transporting items upon public streets and highways. B. Any violation of this section shall be an infraction and punishable by a monetary penalty of $50.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4542, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
145 targets long-term street storage of recreational vehicles, boats, vessels, and trailers in residential areas. The rule applies to any street, highway, roadway, alley, or public right-of-way in a residential neighborhood: once one of these units has sat in place beyond 24 hours, the owner is in violation. 020(J); and a trailer is any vehicle without motive power designed to be towed by another vehicle via a hitch or connector and ordinarily used to transport items on public streets and highways. 095, which independently makes it an infraction to move and repark within the same block to avoid a citation.
145. Enforcement is handled through Kent's infraction process rather than criminal court. The chief of police holds no blanket suspension authority over this particular section, unlike the large-vehicle and trailer-storage rules, so the 24-hour limit applies consistently without a discretionary carve-out for special events.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of KCC 9.38.145 is a civil infraction carrying a flat $50 monetary penalty, issued the same way as other Kent parking infractions. There is no escalating fine schedule written into the section for repeat offenses, and towing is not separately authorized by this specific provision; enforcement runs through Kent Municipal Court's infraction docket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my boat trailer on my Kent street overnight?
What counts as a recreational vehicle under Kent's parking rule?
Can I just move my RV down the block every day to avoid a ticket?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kent
How Kent compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·Compare Kent to another location·View the Washington parking rules overview
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RV & Boat Parking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle rv & boat parking.