Rochester, NY Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)

Rochester's zoning code treats boats, boat trailers, camping trailers, ATVs and campers as detached accessory uses under § 120-163A(1), the same subsection that governs sheds, detached garages and swimming pools. The rule: no more than one such vehicle or trailer per residential lot, and like all detached accessory structures except the driveway itself, it must be located in the rear yard, not the side or front yard. The vehicle cannot double as living quarters, sleeping quarters, or a housekeeping unit while parked on the property, so long-term camper occupancy on a residential lot is barred outright.

Before placing a detached accessory structure, the property owner must also have a certificate of zoning compliance under § 120-189, since no accessory use may be established until the primary use or structure is built and compliance is certified. The Director of Zoning and Permitting administers Chapter 120 and can allow up to a 10% administrative adjustment from any numerical standard in the chapter under § 120-191; anything beyond that requires a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals under § 120-195. Violations of the rear-yard, one-vehicle limit are enforced under § 120-203 and § 52-3 of the Municipal Code: a City Court offense carries a fine of up to $500 or up to 15 days imprisonment, or both, and each day the vehicle remains out of compliance after notice counts as a separate offense under § 120-206.