Onslow County, NC Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Onslow County Code § 10.4
- Setback
- 50 ft from right-of-way or property line
- Alternative
- Concealment by an opaque fence
- Items covered
- Vehicles, boats, inoperable equipment, debris
- Applies
- County-wide, all zoning districts
- Enforcement
- Notice of violation, Civil Penalty Citation
Summary
In unincorporated Onslow County, keeping an RV, boat, trailer or similar item in a yard counts as outdoor storage: Section 10.4 bans it within 50 feet of a street right-of-way or property line unless the storage area is concealed by an opaque fence.
A. The outdoor storage of construction materials, debris, inoperable equipment, vehicles, boats or similar items shall be prohibited within 50 feet of a street right-of-way or property line, unless such outdoor storage area is concealed by an opaque fence.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
4 (Outdoor Storage Areas) of the Onslow County Zoning Ordinance treats a parked recreational vehicle, boat, trailer or piece of equipment the same as any other outdoor storage: the outdoor storage of construction materials, debris, inoperable equipment, vehicles, boats or similar items is prohibited within 50 feet of a street right-of-way or property line, unless the storage area is concealed by an opaque fence. That single sentence gives property owners in the unincorporated county two paths to compliance. They can keep the RV, boat or trailer more than 50 feet back from both the street right-of-way and every property line, which on many standard residential lots pushes the vehicle toward the interior of the parcel, or they can park closer in as long as an opaque fence conceals the storage area from view.
The section does not carve out an exception for operable, licensed personal vehicles used for daily transportation, and it does not distinguish between front, side and rear yards; the 50-foot measurement runs from the right-of-way and from every property line alike. It also applies county-wide to any qualifying item, sweeping in stored construction materials, debris and inoperable machinery under the same 50-foot-or-screen standard. Because the section sits in Article 10 (Development Standards), it applies uniformly across all of the county's zoning districts rather than varying block by block.
Violations & Fines
Onslow County's Zoning Administrator enforces Section 10.4 under Article 5's remedies: a notice of violation identifying the unscreened boat, RV or equipment, followed by a Civil Penalty Citation under Section 5.8(E) if the owner does not move the item back 50 feet or install an opaque fence within the notice period, with a further cumulative daily penalty available for continued noncompliance and the option of a G.S. 153A-124 abatement order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my boat in my Onslow County driveway?
Does the 50-foot rule apply to a camper that still runs?
What fence satisfies the screening option under Section 10.4?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Onslow County
How Onslow County compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·Compare Onslow County to another location·View the North Carolina parking rules overview
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