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

# Parksville RV, boat and trailer parking rules

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

**Short answer:** On City of Parksville streets you may not park longer than 24 hours in the same block. A truck, trailer or motor home over 4,500 kg or 6 m long is excluded from that rule but may not stay on a highway or public place more than two hours. No limit on RVs, boats or trailers on a residential lot was found.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Parksville, https://www.parksville.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice: parking over 24 hours $50; overtime parking of a truck or motor home $50; unhitched trailer on a highway $50; living in a trailer on a street $100. Municipal ticket $50. Overnight RV parking in a park $250.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw compliance, 250-954-4650
- Email: Bylaw compliance, bylaw@parksville.ca
- Phone: Planning (zoning questions), 250-954-4697

## Key facts

- **On the street:** Traffic Bylaw: no parking on a street longer than 24 hours in the same block; this excludes a truck, trailer or motor home over 4,500 kg or over 6 m long, but those may not stay on a highway or public place more than two hours. An unhitched trailer may not be parked on a highway unless attached to a vehicle able to tow it.
  - Source: [Traffic Bylaw No. 1436, 2009 (consolidated to 1436.4, July 2025), ss. 16.1(a), 16.1(x), 22.1](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1116)
  - Official wording: "upon any highway for a continuous period of time exceeding 24 hours" … "within the same block, excluding a truck and/or trailer or motor home" … "on a highway or public place for more than two hours if the truck" … "and/or trailer, bus, school bus or motor home has a licensed gross" … "vehicle weight that exceeds 4500 kilograms or an overall length" … "No trailer designed for occupancy by individuals or for the carriage of goods and" … "merchandise shall be parked on any highway unless it is attached to a motor vehicle"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **On your property:** No limit on the number, size or location of RVs, boats or trailers on a residential lot was found in the zoning bylaw. The Property Maintenance Bylaw bans storing motor vehicles, boats or RVs unlicensed for more than 12 months, or heavy equipment incapable of moving on a public highway. Improperly stored items may be deemed refuse.
  - Source: [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1383, 2003 (consolidated to 1383.3), s. 3(c)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1094)
  - Official wording: "No property owner of real property shall cause or permit his or her parcel to be" … "for more than 12 months or heavy equipment incapable of sustained motorized" … "Any items or materials of any type which have been improperly stored may be deemed as" … "unlicensed for more than 12 months or heavy equipment incapable of sustained motorized motion on a public highway" … "Any items or materials of any type which have been improperly stored may be deemed as refuse."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Living in an RV:** Not on a street: no one may live in a trailer or motor home parked on a highway. On a lot, the zoning bylaw prohibits any use located in a tent, trailer or recreational vehicle unless a zone explicitly permits it or it is only parking.
  - Source: [Traffic Bylaw No. 1436, 2009 (consolidated to 1436.4, July 2025), s. 7.1(g)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1116)
  - Official wording: "occupy a trailer or motor home as living quarters while it is parked upon any" … "highway;"
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 2000, Div. 600, s. 604(b)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161)
  - Official wording: "a use located in part or in total in a tent, trailer, recreational vehicle or" … "food concession vehicle except where such use is explicitly permitted" … "within a zone or where permitted as a parking use or accessory parking"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: living in a trailer on a street $100; parking over 24 hours $50; overtime parking of truck or motor home $50; unhitched trailer on a highway $50 (each 25% less if paid within 14 days). Municipal ticket schedule (2012): $50 for each. Overnight RV parking in a park: $250.
  - Source: [Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1486, Schedule A, Schedule A, Traffic Bylaw ss. 7.1(g), 16.1(a), 16.1(x), 22.1](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2814)
  - Official wording: "Occupy Trailer as Living Quarters $100.00 $75.00 $125.00" … "Park for longer than 24 hours $50.00 $37.50 $62.50" … "Overtime parking of truck or motor" … "Park unhitched trailer on Highway $50.00 $37.50 $62.50" … "Overnight Parking of an RV $250.00 $187.50 $312.50"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1478, Appendix 10](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1121)
  - Official wording: "Occupy trailer as living quarters 7.1 (g) $50.00" … "Overtime parking of truck or motor home 17.1(x) $50.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Traffic Bylaw, 2009, No. 1436; Property Maintenance Bylaw, 2003, No. 1383; Zoning and Development Bylaw, 1994, No. 2000
  - Source: [Traffic Bylaw No. 1436, 2009 (consolidated to 1436.4, July 2025), s. 1.1](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1116)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as "Traffic Bylaw, 2009, No. 1436"."
  - Source: [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1383, 2003 (consolidated to 1383.3), s. 11](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1094)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as "Property Maintenance Bylaw, 2003, No."
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 2000, Cover](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161)
  - Official wording: "ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT BYLAW NO. 2000"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Traffic Bylaw 1436](<https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1116>) sets the street rules. No one may park on a street longer than 24 hours in the same block. That excludes a truck, trailer or motor home over 4,500 kg or over 6 m long, but those may not stay on a highway or public place more than two hours. An unhitched trailer may not be parked on a highway unless attached to a vehicle able to tow it. The bylaw has no rule specific to boats on streets.

## Steps

1. For a street, check the signs, then follow the 24-hour and two-hour limits above.
2. For your lot, no limit on the number, size or location of RVs, boats or trailers was found in the zoning bylaw. Ask Planning (250-954-4697) to confirm for your zone.
3. In a City park, do not stay overnight in an RV.

## Good to know

- No one may live in a trailer or motor home parked on a highway.
- On a lot, the zoning bylaw prohibits any use located in a tent, trailer or recreational vehicle unless a zone explicitly permits it or it is only parking.
- The [Property Maintenance Bylaw 1383](<https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1094>) bans storing motor vehicles, boats or RVs unlicensed for more than 12 months, or heavy equipment incapable of moving on a public highway. Improperly stored items may be treated as refuse.
- The Parks bylaw bans overnight accommodation in parks and RVs in parks 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (overnight RV parking in a park is a $250 ticket).
- Tickets: a bylaw notice is $50 for parking over 24 hours, for overtime parking of a truck or motor home, and for an unhitched trailer on a highway, and $100 for living in a trailer on a street. A municipal ticket is $50 for parking offences.

## Official forms and pages

- [Traffic Bylaw 1436 (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1116)
- [Property Maintenance Bylaw 1383 (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1094)
- [Zoning and Development Bylaw 2000 (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161)

## Related questions

- [Parksville unsightly property rules and how to report](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/unsightly-property.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)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)

## Sources

- [Traffic Bylaw No. 1436, 2009 (consolidated to 1436.4, July 2025)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1116) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1383, 2003 (consolidated to 1383.3)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1094) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 2000 (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1486, Schedule A](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2814) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1478 (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1121) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Parks and Public Open Spaces Bylaw No. 1523 (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/21817) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Community Planning, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=30) (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 Parksville. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/rv-boat-trailer-parking/_