Tacoma, WA Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Vehicle cap
- 4 per side/rear or front yard
- Coverage cap
- 60% of yard area
- Front yards
- No stored/inoperable vehicles
- Total cap
- 6 vehicles per parcel
- Inoperable vehicles
- Rear yard + screening required
Summary
Tacoma caps vehicle parking on single-family lots: up to 4 vehicles or 60% of the paved area in front or side/rear yards, with stored or inoperable RVs, boats, and trailers barred from front yards entirely.
Vehicles parked in the front yard of single-family residential tax parcels, although discouraged where alley access is available, shall be limited to those tax parcels which have legal access from the public right-of-way. Parking of vehicles in front yards shall be on a properly prepared and contained all-weather surface, including, but not limited to, concrete, asphalt, gravel, approved permeable paving materials, or other material approved in accordance with TMC Chapter 2.02. The all-weather surface shall be limited to no more than 60 percent of the front yard area. Parking in front yard areas shall be limited to up to four vehicles or the number of vehicles which can be parked on the all-weather surfacing, whichever is less. Parking of stored or apparently inoperable vehicles in front yards is prohibited.
C. Number of vehicles parked in the open. The total number of vehicles parked, stored, or which are defined as “apparently inoperable vehicles,” in the open on a single-family residential tax parcel shall be no more than six.
D. Exceptions. Upon written application to the Public Official, which must be lodged within ten days of receiving a Notice of Violation and Abatement, an exception to the limitation on the number of allowed vehicles may be granted by the Public Official. Circumstances to be considered by the Public Official include whether:
1. Additional vehicles may be allowed in a particular yard if vehicle access to other yards is unavailable; or 2.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4946110; v22 updated 2026-07-28).
Full Breakdown
TMC § 8.30.050 defines 'vehicle' to include recreational vehicles, campers, travel trailers, and boats on or off trailers, then regulates where they may sit on a single-family lot. Side or rear yard parking is capped at 4 vehicles or 60% of the combined yard area, whichever is less. Front yard parking must sit on a paved or gravel all-weather surface covering no more than 60% of the front yard, also capped at 4 vehicles, and stored or apparently inoperable vehicles are barred from front yards outright: they must go to the rear yard and be screened. No more than 6 vehicles total may sit in the open on the parcel.
Violations & Fines
Parking more than 4 vehicles in a yard, exceeding 60% surface coverage, or leaving a stored or inoperable RV or boat in a front yard violates TMC § 8.30.050 and is a public nuisance under TMC § 8.30.040(H).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my RV in my Tacoma front yard?
Where must a non-running boat or camper go?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tacoma
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RV & Boat Parking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle rv & boat parking.