--- title: Port Alberni RV, boat and trailer parking rules question: "Can I park an RV, boat, or trailer on the street or in my yard?" place: Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/port-alberni category: Parking, tickets and driving owner: municipal owner_body: City of Port Alberni sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/rv-boat-trailer-parking/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/rv-boat-trailer-parking.json" --- # Port Alberni RV, boat and trailer parking rules **Question:** Can I park an RV, boat, or trailer on the street or in my yard? **Short answer:** Not for storage. In Port Alberni you cannot store a boat or trailer on a street, and no vehicle may stay in one spot on a street more than 96 hours. On your own lot in R, RR and RM zones, one boat up to 9 m and one trailer or RV may be kept outside. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Port Alberni, https://www.portalberni.ca) **Cost:** Bylaw notice $48 for parking for storing, camping, or parking on a sidewalk, crosswalk or boulevard ($36 if paid within 14 days; $60 if paid late). Over 96 hours: $40 ($30 early; $50 late). **Where:** - Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-720-2831 - Email: Bylaw Services, bylaw@portalberni.ca - Phone: Development Services (zoning questions), 250-720-2835 ## Key facts - **On the street:** A vehicle may not be parked on a street for the principal purpose of storing it, and no one may use a street to store a boat or trailer. A vehicle may not stay in one spot on a street more than 96 hours. No parking on a sidewalk, crosswalk or boulevard. A trailer unhitched from its tow vehicle counts as stored. - Source: [Traffic Regulation Bylaw 2009, No. 4670, consolidated, ss. 4.1(f), 4.1(m), 4.2(d), 9.3(c)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/4670_TrafficRegulationBylawConsolidated.pdf) - Official wording: "On a sidewalk, crosswalk or boulevard;" … "for the principal purpose of advertising, washing, greasing," … "no vehicle shall be parked on any highway continuously in one location for more than 96 hours" … "No person shall use any street for the purpose of advertising washing," - Source: [RV Parking flyer, Flyer](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/pages/RV-Parking-Flyer.pdf) - Official wording: "(A trailer disconnected from the tow vehicle is considered stored)" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **On your property:** In R, RR and RM zones, boats, trailers and RVs may not be parked or stored in the open except: one boat up to 9 m (29.5 ft) and one trailer or RV, in any yard. In the front yard, only one trailer or RV (which may include a boat on a trailer), on a hard or gravelled surface. (Sources differ: The City's RV flyer cites old Zoning Bylaw #4832 and says one boat OR one RV may be in the front setback; current Zoning Bylaw No. 5105 s. 6.9.4 says one trailer or RV (a boat on a trailer included). The bylaw is followed. Zoning defines recreational vehicle to include boats.) - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (October 2026 update), s. 6.9.1-6.9.4](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) - Official wording: "shall be parked or stored in the open on property in any R, RR, or RM" … "One boat or vessel not exceeding a length of 9 m (29.5 ft); and" … "One trailer or recreational vehicle." … "is permitted in the front yard only on a hard or gravelled surface" - Source: [RV Parking flyer, Flyer, Zoning Bylaw #4832](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/pages/RV-Parking-Flyer.pdf) - Official wording: "One boat OR one RV may be stored on your property in front, in your setback, on" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Living in an RV:** No. No one may park on a street or highway and use the vehicle for camping (living, sleeping or resting). On a lot, a trailer or RV may be used as a dwelling only on a transitory basis and only in a campground. - Source: [Traffic Regulation Bylaw 2009, No. 4670, consolidated, ss. 1, 4.1(v)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/4670_TrafficRegulationBylawConsolidated.pdf) - Official wording: "On any street or highway and use the said vehicle for camping." … "for living accommodations, or for sleeping, resting or camping purposes" - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (October 2026 update), s. 6.11.2](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) - Official wording: "A trailer or recreational vehicle may be used as a dwelling only on a transitory basis" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine:** Bylaw notice: parking for storing $48, camping $48, parking on sidewalk, crosswalk or boulevard $48 ($36 within 14 days; $60 late); over 96 hours $40 ($30; $50 late). On a lot, zoning is ticketed as "Contravene Uses Permitted" $200 ($150 early; $250 late), not clearly for s. 6.9. - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128, 2025 (consolidated), Schedule A-25](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5128%2C%205128-1_Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20No.%205128%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf) - Official wording: "Park for the purpose of storing $48.00 $36.00 $60.00" … "Camping $48.00 $36.00 $60.00" … "Exceed 96 hours $40.00 $30.00 $50.00" … "Park on sidewalk, crosswalk or boulevard $48.00 $36.00 $60.00" … "Contravene Uses Permitted $200.00 $150.00 $250.00" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Traffic Regulation Bylaw, 2009, Bylaw No. 4670 (street rules); Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, s. 6.9 (on a lot) - Source: [Traffic Regulation Bylaw 2009, No. 4670, consolidated, s. 1](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/4670_TrafficRegulationBylawConsolidated.pdf) - Official wording: "Traffic Regulation Bylaw, 2009, Bylaw" - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (October 2026 update), s. 1](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works On streets, the [Traffic Regulation Bylaw No. 4670]() says a vehicle may not be parked on a street for the principal purpose of storing it, and no one may use a street to store a boat or trailer. A vehicle may not stay in one spot on a street more than 96 hours. Parking on a sidewalk, crosswalk or boulevard is not allowed. The City's RV flyer treats a trailer unhitched from its tow vehicle as stored. On your own lot, [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105]() s. 6.9 applies. ## Good to know - On a lot in R, RR and RM zones, boats, trailers and RVs may not be parked or stored in the open except one boat up to 9 m (29.5 ft) and one trailer or RV, in any yard. In the front yard, only one trailer or RV (which may include a boat on a trailer) is allowed, on a hard or gravelled surface. - The City's RV flyer cites the old Zoning Bylaw No. 4832 and says one boat or one RV may be in the front setback. The current zoning bylaw says one trailer or RV, including a boat on a trailer, so confirm with Development Services at 250-720-2835. - Living in a vehicle: no one may park on a street or highway and use the vehicle for camping (living, sleeping or resting). On a lot, a trailer or RV may be used as a dwelling only on a transitory basis and only in a campground. - Bylaw notices under the [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128]() are $48 for parking for storing, camping, or parking on a sidewalk, crosswalk or boulevard ($36 if paid within 14 days, $60 if paid late), and $40 for over 96 hours ($30 early, $50 late). Zoning breaches on a lot fall under a general item at $200 ($150 early, $250 late); the text read does not say whether it covers storage on a lot. - Questions: Bylaw Services, 250-720-2831. ## Official forms and pages - [Traffic Regulation Bylaw No. 4670, consolidated (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/4670_TrafficRegulationBylawConsolidated.pdf) - [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) - [RV Parking flyer (PDF), City of Port Alberni](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/pages/RV-Parking-Flyer.pdf) ## Related questions - [Port Alberni zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/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) - [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md) - [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md) - [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md) - [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md) - [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md) - [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md) ## Sources - [Traffic Regulation Bylaw 2009, No. 4670, consolidated (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/4670_TrafficRegulationBylawConsolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (October 2026 update) (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [RV Parking flyer (PDF), City of Port Alberni](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/pages/RV-Parking-Flyer.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128, 2025 (consolidated) (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5128%2C%205128-1_Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20No.%205128%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Zoning, City of Port Alberni](https://www.portalberni.ca/zoning) (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 Port Alberni. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/rv-boat-trailer-parking/_