---
title: Ladysmith RV, boat and trailer parking rules
question: "Can I park an RV, boat, or trailer on the street or in my yard?"
place: Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/ladysmith
category: Parking, tickets and driving
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Ladysmith
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/rv-boat-trailer-parking/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/rv-boat-trailer-parking.json"
---

# Ladysmith RV, boat and trailer parking rules

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

**Short answer:** In Ladysmith, no vehicle may stay parked on a street more than 72 hours, and a trailer may not be parked on a street without its towing vehicle. On a lot with a single unit dwelling you may keep one boat up to 10 m and one RV up to 11 m in an unenclosed area. Nobody may live in an RV on the street.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Ladysmith, https://www.ladysmith.ca)  
**Cost:** Street tickets (first amount if paid within 30 days, second after 30 days) are $20 / $35 for parking beyond the time limit, $30 / $50 for sleeping in a vehicle, trailer, camper or boat, and $20 / $35 for a trailer without its towing vehicle.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Town Hall, 250-245-6400 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Phone: Bylaw Compliance, 250-245-6446

## Key facts

- **On the street:** No vehicle may stay parked on a street more than 72 hours continuously. A trailer may not be parked on any street without its towing vehicle attached. On a boulevard, an RV, boat or trailer may not be parked longer than 72 hours.
  - Source: [Streets and Traffic Bylaw 1999, No. 1309, consolidated September 2, 2026, s. 32, 47(2), 67](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1309-streets-and-traffic-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "on any highway for more than seventy-two (72) hours continuously." … "without the motive power unit attached on any highway within the Municipality." … "No person shall park a recreational vehicle, boat or trailer on a boulevard for a period" … "longer than 72 hours."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **On your property:** Only on a parcel with a single unit dwelling, in an unenclosed area: one boat up to 10 m, one RV up to 11 m, and one commercial vehicle up to 5,500 kg. Commercial vehicle and equipment parking must be at least 1.5 m from interior side and rear lot lines and not in front or exterior side yards.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860, consolidated September 29, 2026, s. 5.17(a)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1860-schedule-a_zoning-bylaw-text-consolidation-sept-29-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Only on a Parcel where a Single Unit Dwelling is the Principal Use, a commercial" … "Not more than one Boat is parked or stored per Parcel, and the Boat may not" … "exceed a length of 10 metres." … "Not more than one Recreation Vehicle is parked or stored per Parcel, and the" … "Recreation Vehicle may not exceed a length 11 metres."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Living in an RV:** Not on a street or boulevard: no one may occupy a vehicle, trailer, camper or boat parked there for lodging, sleeping or as a residence. On a lot, an RV may not be occupied overnight while parked or stored, except one short-term stay for guests within a calendar year.
  - Source: [Streets and Traffic Bylaw 1999, No. 1309, consolidated September 2, 2026, s. 40(5)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1309-streets-and-traffic-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall occupy a vehicle, trailer, camper or boat parked on a" … "highway or boulevard for the purpose of lodging, sleeping accommodation"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860, consolidated September 29, 2026, s. 5.17(a)(iv)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1860-schedule-a_zoning-bylaw-text-consolidation-sept-29-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Recreation vehicles are not occupied overnight while parked or stored, other" … "than one Short-Term occupancy for guests within one calendar year."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Streets bylaw schedule (first amount if paid within 30 days, second after 30 days): parked beyond time limit $20 / $35; sleeping in vehicle, trailer, camper or boat $30 / $50; RV over 6.5 m on boulevard beyond time limit $30 / $50; trailer without towing vehicle $20 / $35. A $35 fee is added if the ticket is not disputed or paid.
  - Source: [Streets and Traffic Bylaw 1999, No. 1309, consolidated September 2, 2026, Schedule A](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1309-streets-and-traffic-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Parked beyond time limit $20.00 $35.00" … "Use vehicle, trailer, camper or boat for $30.00 $50.00" … "RV over 6.5 m. parked on boulevard beyond time limit $30.00 $50.00" … "Non-commercial trailer parked with no motive power unit attached $20.00 $35.00" … "an administrative fee of $35.00 shall be added to"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Streets and Traffic Bylaw 1999, No. 1309 (streets); Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860, s. 5.17 (private lots)
  - Source: [Streets and Traffic Bylaw 1999, No. 1309, consolidated September 2, 2026, title](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1309-streets-and-traffic-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Streets and Traffic Bylaw 1999, No.1309"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860, consolidated September 29, 2026, title](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1860-schedule-a_zoning-bylaw-text-consolidation-sept-29-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW 2014, NO.1860"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## On the street

The [Streets and Traffic Bylaw 1999, No. 1309](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1309-streets-and-traffic-bylaw-consolidated.pdf) sets these rules in Ladysmith:

- No vehicle may stay parked on a street more than 72 hours continuously.
- A trailer may not be parked on any street without its towing vehicle attached.
- On a boulevard, an RV, boat or trailer may not be parked longer than 72 hours.
- No one may occupy a vehicle, trailer, camper or boat parked on a street or boulevard for lodging, sleeping or as a residence.

## On your property

Under section 5.17 of the [Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1860-schedule-a_zoning-bylaw-text-consolidation-sept-29-2026.pdf), on a parcel with a single unit dwelling you may park, in an unenclosed area, one boat up to 10 m, one RV up to 11 m and one commercial vehicle up to 5,500 kg. Commercial vehicle and equipment parking must be at least 1.5 m from interior side and rear lot lines, and not in front or exterior side yards. An RV on a lot may not be occupied overnight, except one short-term stay for guests within a calendar year.

## Fines

Street tickets (first amount if paid within 30 days, second after 30 days): parked beyond time limit $20 / $35; sleeping in a vehicle, trailer, camper or boat $30 / $50; RV over 6.5 m on a boulevard beyond the time limit $30 / $50; trailer without its towing vehicle $20 / $35. A $35 fee is added if the ticket is not disputed or paid.

## Good to know

- The zoning text does not say the boat or RV must stay out of the front yard. Ask Bylaw Compliance at 250-245-6446.
- A trailer or RV for a wrangler may be allowed up to 30 days.

## Official forms and pages

- [Streets and Traffic Bylaw 1999, No. 1309, consolidated September 2, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1309-streets-and-traffic-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860, consolidated September 29, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1860-schedule-a_zoning-bylaw-text-consolidation-sept-29-2026.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Ladysmith bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Ladysmith zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Ladysmith fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/fence-rules.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)
- [Duncan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Lake Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)

## Sources

- [Water Restrictions](https://www.ladysmith.ca/our-services/water/restrictions) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Streets and Traffic Bylaw 1999, No. 1309, consolidated September 2, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1309-streets-and-traffic-bylaw-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning Bylaw 2014, No. 1860, consolidated September 29, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1860-schedule-a_zoning-bylaw-text-consolidation-sept-29-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 Town of Ladysmith. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/rv-boat-trailer-parking/_