Merced, CA Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Yard parking
- Only on a paved driveway/parking pad
- On-street RV ban
- All residential zones, any time
- Visitor pass
- 72 hours, max 2 per 30-day period
- Wheel-in-yard limit
- No more than 12 inches from curb
- Enforcement
- Citation, abatement, tow under Veh. Code 22651
Summary
Merced bars parking any RV, trailer, camper, or boat on a front or side yard, lawn, or landscaped area unless it sits on a paved driveway or designated parking pad, and separately bans parking one on any public residential street at any time absent a 72-hour visitor pass.
10.12.190 - Parking on lawns and yards. A.No motor vehicle, motorcycle, tractor, trailer, camper, or other mode of transportation, whether or not motorized or operational, shall be parked or stored on a required front yard, side yard, lawn, grass, or landscaped areas except on a permanent driveway or parking place specifically and properly designed for the purpose of parking vehicles and constructed of asphalt blacktop, concrete, cement, paver blocks or other paved surface.B.Any motor vehicle, motorcycle, tractor, trailer, camper, or other mode of transportation, whether or not motorized or operational, parked on a street or public way in a manner such that one or more wheels rest in a yard, lot or lawn more than twelve (12) inches from the curb or pavement edge shall be deemed to be in violation of this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 - 1-26).
Full Breakdown
190, Parking on lawns and yards, prohibits parking or storing any motor vehicle, motorcycle, tractor, trailer, camper, or other mode of transportation on a required front yard, side yard, lawn, grass, or landscaped area, unless it sits on a permanent driveway or parking place built of asphalt, concrete, cement, paver blocks, or similar paved surface. It also deems a violation any vehicle parked on the street with one or more wheels resting in a yard, lot, or lawn more than twelve inches from the curb or pavement edge, and holds the property owner, occupant, and the vehicle's registered owner all jointly responsible for removal.
84, Recreational Vehicle Parking Regulations, adopted by Ordinance No. 2572 in November 2024, bars parking or leaving standing any recreational vehicle, utility trailer, camper, boat, or watercraft trailer on any public street within the city's residential zones, RR, R1, R2, R3, R4, and R-MH, at any time, except while actively loading, unloading, or making emergency repairs. 040 lets a resident or an out-of-town visitor obtain a 72-hour parking pass from the city manager, limited to two passes per applicant in any 30-day period, and the vehicle cannot be slept in overnight or hooked to water, waste, or power lines while parked on the pass.
Violations & Fines
Violating the yard-parking rule under Section 10.12.190 or the on-street RV ban under Section 9.84.030 exposes the owner, occupant, and vehicle's registered owner to administrative citation and abatement under Chapter 1.12 of the code; Section 9.84.060 also allows the city to remove a violating recreational vehicle, utility trailer, or camper from the street under California Vehicle Code Section 22651.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my RV in my driveway in Merced?
Can I park my boat trailer on the street in Merced?
How do out-of-town visitors park an RV in Merced?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced
How Merced compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Merced to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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