Valencia County, NM Parking Rules: RV & Boat Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- RVs as primary residence
- prohibited in RR Districts
- Guest RV parked on parcel
- 1 permitted
- Guest occupancy limit
- 180 days per year
- Renting the RV
- prohibited without dwelling permits
- Contrast
- PRO District caps RV guests at 30 days
Summary
Code § 154.105(F)(8) allows one recreational vehicle parked on a Rural Residential parcel alongside the main house, with guests allowed to occupy it up to 180 days a year. The RV can never serve as anyone's principal residence or be rented out without the septic and setback permits a real dwelling would need.
(3) Recreational vehicles (RVs) shall not be used as primary residences in any Rural Residential (RR) District. ... (8) Occupancy of recreational vehicles. (a) One recreational vehicle shall be permitted to be parked on any parcel in conjunction with a principal dwelling, and may be used for the temporary accommodation of guests for a period of up to 180 days total in any year. (b) In no case shall any recreational vehicle be used as a principal dwelling or rented unless and until the necessary permits have been obtained which include septic disposal and setback requirements for a dwelling.
Full Breakdown
105(F)(8) governs recreational vehicles on Rural Residential (RR-1, RR-2) parcels. A property owner is permitted to park one RV on the parcel alongside the principal dwelling, and can let guests occupy it for up to 180 days total in any calendar year, whether that is one long stay or several shorter ones added together. The RV cannot be used as anyone's principal dwelling, and it cannot be rented out, unless and until the owner has obtained the permits an actual dwelling would need, including septic disposal approval and compliance with the district's setback standards.
Division (D)(3) reinforces the point from the prohibited-uses list: recreational vehicles cannot serve as primary residences anywhere in a Rural Residential District, full stop. There is no separate boat-parking provision in the RR District; a boat on a trailer is treated under the same general accessory-use and parking framework as any other vehicle rather than the RV-specific 180-day guest rule. 092(F)(3), which caps guest occupancy there at only 30 days a year.
Violations & Fines
Using a parked RV as a full-time residence, renting it out without permits, or exceeding the 180-day guest limit is a Code violation under § 154.999, a petty misdemeanor for each day it continues, fined up to $300 with up to 90 days in jail, or both. The county can also issue a citation with a 30-day correction period or bring a separate civil action to remove the improper occupancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I live in an RV on my rural Valencia County property?
Can visitors stay in an RV parked at my house?
Can I rent out my parked RV to someone else?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Valencia County
How Valencia County compares: Cities with the Strictest Parking Rules·Compare Valencia County to another location·View the New Mexico parking rules overview
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