Polk County, IA Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- RV temporary shelter cap
- 21 days/year, 14 nights/stay
- RVs per property
- One at a time
- Disaster-shelter permit
- Up to 6 months
- Unlicensed/inoperable outdoor boat
- Health nuisance
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
Polk County's Zoning Ordinance lets a licensed RV or camper be used as temporary shelter for up to 21 days a year (max 14 consecutive nights). Storing an unlicensed or inoperable boat/RV outdoors is a health nuisance. Your city may add its own rules.
A recreational vehicle (RV's) or camper may be used for temporary shelter in unincorporated Polk County for a period not to exceed twenty one (21) days in a calendar year and not more than fourteen (14) consecutive nights during any one stay.
Full Breakdown
In unincorporated Polk County the Zoning Ordinance allows a recreational vehicle or camper to be used for temporary shelter for no more than 21 days per calendar year and no more than 14 consecutive nights per stay, limited to one RV per property, with waste properly disposed. After a fire or disaster makes a home unfit, a camper/RV may be occupied on the lot up to six months by permit. Merely storing a licensed, operable RV or boat is generally allowed, but storing any unlicensed, unsafe or inoperable boat or motor vehicle outdoors outside an enclosed building is a health nuisance. Incorporated cities (Des Moines, Ankeny, etc.) set their own yard-storage rules.
Violations & Fines
Storing an unlicensed/inoperable boat or vehicle outdoors is a health nuisance abatable by the County (costs assessed to the property); a violation is a misdemeanor under the Nuisance Regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I live in an RV on my Polk County lot?
Can I store my boat in the yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Polk County
How Polk County compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·Compare Polk County to another location·View the Iowa parking rules overview
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