---
title: Duncan RV, boat and trailer parking rules
question: "Can I park an RV, boat, or trailer on the street or in my yard in Duncan?"
place: Duncan, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/duncan
category: Parking, tickets and driving
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Duncan
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/rv-boat-trailer-parking/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/rv-boat-trailer-parking.json"
---

# Duncan RV, boat and trailer parking rules

**Question:** Can I park an RV, boat, or trailer on the street or in my yard in Duncan?

**Short answer:** In the City of Duncan, an RV, camper, trailer, boat or boat trailer may not be left on a street unless attached to a vehicle, and nothing may park on a street more than 24 hours in a row. On a residential lot, RVs over 11 m and boats over 10 m are not allowed.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Duncan, https://duncan.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice: over 24 hours on a street $25; trailer or RV left on a street $40; early-payment amounts are lower.  
**Where:**
- Phone: City Hall, 250-746-6126
- Email: City Hall, duncan@duncan.ca

## Key facts

- **On the street:** No parking on a street for more than 24 hours in a row. A camper, trailer or RV (the bylaw counts boats and boat trailers) may not be left on a street unless attached to a vehicle. A vehicle or combination over 4,500 kg or 8 m long may not park on a highway 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., or for over 5 hours. (Sources differ: The bylaw defines "recreational vehicle" to include a boat or boat trailer. Streets and Parking Regulations Bylaw is consolidated to November 20, 2023. The bylaw notice schedule (Bylaw 3200) lists the heavy-vehicle limit as 7.5 m for the 5-hour rule while the bylaw says 8 m; the bylaw governs.)
  - Source: [Streets and Parking Regulations Bylaw No. 3101, 2014, s. 47.1(u), 47.1(o), 47.1(dd), 48.1](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/43942/)
  - Official wording: "on any highway or roadway for a continuous period exceeding 24 hours;" … "A person must not leave, or permit to be left, a camper, trailer or recreational vehicle on a highway unless it is attached to a vehicle and in compliance with this and other City bylaws." … "weighs in excess of 4,500 kg GVW or in excess of 8 metres (approximately 26.3 feet) in length" … "having a gross vehicle weight (GVW) exceeding 4,500 kg or a length in excess of 8 metres for a consecutive period longer than five hours"
  - Source: [Winter Safety](https://duncan.ca/winter-safety/)
  - Official wording: "Where possible, please ensure that all vehicles, RV’s, boats, and trailers are stored on your property and not on the roads."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **On your property:** On residentially zoned lots: no RV over 11 m long and no watercraft over 10 m. Total motor vehicles, RVs and watercraft parked or stored: at most 4 for a single-unit dwelling, 6 for a two-unit dwelling.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3166, 2017, s. 3.32.2, 3.32.3, 3.32.4](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/175322)
  - Official wording: "Residentially-zoned parcels must not be used for parking or storage of recreational vehicles exceeding 11 m in length;" … "Residentially-zoned parcels must not be used for parking or storage of watercraft exceeding 10 m in length;" … "must not exceed a combined total of four (4) motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, or watercraft" … "a combined total of six (6) motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, or watercraft"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Living in an RV:** Not on a residential lot: residential use of a recreational vehicle is a prohibited use in all zones, except temporary accommodation in an RV on the lot while building under a valid building permit (it must end before the occupancy permit).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3166, 2017, s. 3.2.1(i), 3.5.1](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/175322)
  - Official wording: "Residential use of a mobile home or recreational vehicle or other temporary structure." … "Temporary accommodation in a recreational vehicle is permitted during the construction of a building or structure pursuant to a Building Permit that has not expired, on the parcel that is the subject of the Building Permit"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: parking over 24 hours $25; trailer or RV left on a street $40; heavy vehicle 9 p.m.-6 a.m. $25 or over 5 hours $40; unlawful RV or vehicle storage on a lot $100; unlawful RV accommodation $200. Early amounts are lower (e.g. $20, $30, $75, $175); late amounts higher.
  - Source: [Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3200 (PDF, consolidated June 8, 2026), Schedule A, Streets and Parking s. 47.1, 48.1; Zoning s. 3.5.1, 3.32](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/181059)
  - Official wording: "Permit to stand or park on any highway for a $25.00 $20.00 $31.25 YES" … "Leave trailer or recreational trailer on highway $40.00 $30.00 $50.00 YES" … "Permit to stand or park on any highway between $25.00 $20.00 $31.25 YES" … "47.1 (dd) Permit to stand or park on any highway or public $40.00 $30.00 $50.00 YES" … "Unlawful storage of commercial vehicles, $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 YES" … "Unlawful accommodation in a recreational $200.00 $175.00 $225.00 YES"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Streets and Parking Regulations Bylaw No. 3101, 2014 (street parking) and Zoning Bylaw No. 3166, 2017 (on lots)
  - Source: [Streets and Parking Regulations Bylaw No. 3101, 2014, Title page](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/43942/)
  - Official wording: "Streets & Parking Regulations Bylaw No. 3101, 2014"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 3166, 2017, Title page](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/175322)
  - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw No. 3166, 2017"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Streets and Parking Regulations Bylaw No. 3101](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/43942/), a camper, trailer or recreational vehicle may not be left on a street unless attached to a vehicle. The bylaw counts boats and boat trailers as recreational vehicles. No vehicle may park on a street for more than 24 hours in a row. Storage on your own lot is governed by the [Zoning Bylaw No. 3166](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/175322/).

## Good to know

- Heavy vehicles: a vehicle or combination over 4,500 kg or 8 m long may not park on a street from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., or for more than 5 hours. The bylaw notice schedule says 7.5 m instead of 8 m; the bylaw is followed here, so confirm with the City.
- On a residential lot: no RV over 11 m long and no watercraft over 10 m. The total number of motor vehicles, RVs and watercraft parked or stored is at most 4 for a single-unit dwelling and 6 for a two-unit dwelling.
- No setback or front-yard rule for RVs was found. Ask Development Services at 250-746-6126.
- Wrecked or inoperative vehicles, trailers or boats may not be stored on a property.
- Living in an RV on a residential lot is a prohibited use in all zones, except temporary accommodation in an RV on the lot while building under a valid building permit; it must end before the occupancy permit.
- Bylaw notices ([Bylaw No. 3200](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/181059)): over 24 hours $25 ($20 early, $31.25 late); trailer or RV left on a street $40 ($30, $50); heavy vehicle at night $25 ($20, $31.25) or over 5 hours $40 ($30, $50); unlawful RV or vehicle storage on a lot $100 ($75, $125); unlawful RV accommodation $200 ($175, $225).
- The municipal ticket bylaw lists only parking to store or repair a vehicle on a highway ($1,000) among these offences, under [Bylaw No. 3189](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/37465/).

## Official forms and pages

- [Streets and Parking Regulations Bylaw No. 3101, 2014 (PDF)](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/43942/)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 3166, 2017 (PDF)](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/175322/)

## Related questions

- [Duncan zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [RV, boat and trailer parking rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [North Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Lake Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Sidney](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)

## Sources

- [Streets and Parking Regulations Bylaw No. 3101, 2014 (PDF), City of Duncan](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/43942/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 3166, 2017 (PDF), City of Duncan](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/175322) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3200 (PDF, consolidated June 8, 2026), City of Duncan](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/181059) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 3189, 2018 (PDF), City of Duncan](https://duncan.civicweb.net/document/37465/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Winter Safety, City of Duncan](https://duncan.ca/winter-safety/) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Duncan. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/rv-boat-trailer-parking/_