Newton County, GA Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Number allowed
- One recreational vehicle per residential lot
- Front yard
- Parking recreational vehicles there is unlawful
- Covered vehicles
- Boats, watercraft, ATVs, trailers, campers, motor homes
- Allowed zones
- Buildable area, rear and side yards
- Attachments
- Stairs, decks, porches on parked units barred
- Governing sections
- Newton County Code §§ 42-23, 42-66(p)(5)
Summary
Newton County's definition of 'recreational vehicle' in section 42-23 sweeps in boats, personal watercraft, all-terrain vehicles, and trailers of any type, not just campers and motor homes, so its residential parking rule in section 42-66(p)(5) governs all of them: one such vehicle can sit in the buildable area of a residential lot, but never in the front yard.
Recreational vehicle means any vehicular-type unit designed primarily as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping or travel use that either has its own motorized power or is mounted on or drawn by another vehicle. The term "recreational vehicle" includes, but is not limited to, travel trailers, camping trailers, truck campers, and motor homes. The term "recreational vehicle" also include boats, personal watercraft, wave runners, all-terrain vehicles, trailers of any type, or school buses. ... (5)Recreational vehicles.a.In residential districts, one recreational vehicle may be parked within the buildable area of the lot but shall not be parked or project between the principle structure or the street, or shall be stored in an enclosed building, provided said structure meet all other applicable ordinances. It shall be unlawful to park recreational vehicles in the front yard of any residential district.b.Additionally, in residential districts, recreational vehicles may be parked to the rear and sides of a dwelling.c.No such recreational vehicles may have attachments, such as stairs, steps, handrails, porches, decks and the like.
Full Breakdown
Newton County Code § 42-23 defines 'recreational vehicle' broadly for purposes of Chapter 42: any vehicular-type unit designed primarily as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, whether self-powered or towed, expressly including travel trailers, camping trailers, truck campers, and motor homes, and the definition adds that the term 'also include boats, personal watercraft, wave runners, all-terrain vehicles, trailers of any type, or school buses.' That broad definition means the parking rule in section 42-66(p)(5) reaches a boat trailer or personal watercraft parked in a residential yard the same way it reaches a travel trailer or motor home.
Section 42-66(p)(5)a allows one recreational vehicle to be parked in a residential district within the buildable area of the lot, but it cannot be parked or project between the principal structure and the street, unless it is stored inside an enclosed building meeting other applicable ordinances; parking any recreational vehicle in the front yard of a residential district is flatly unlawful. Subsection (p)(5)b clarifies that recreational vehicles can sit to the rear and sides of the dwelling. Subsection (p)(5)c bars attachments such as stairs, steps, handrails, porches, or decks on any parked recreational vehicle, which would otherwise let a camper or trailer function as a second dwelling on the lot.
Violations & Fines
Parking a recreational vehicle, boat, or trailer in a front yard, or adding stairs, decks, or other attachments to a parked unit, is enforced through Chapter 42's litter-control penalties in section 42-68: a citation from the code enforcement officer, and on conviction in magistrate court, a fine of $100.00 to $1,000.00, up to 60 days in jail, or a removal order, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Newton County's RV parking rule cover boats too?
Can I park my camper in the front yard while I load it?
Can I add steps or a small deck to my parked travel trailer?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newton County
How Newton County compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·Compare Newton County to another location·View the Georgia parking rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.