Today, due to the rising popularity of campers and recreational vehicles (RVs), more than 11% of Americans have at least one RV. Some use their RVs for traveling, while others use RVs for camping and other recreational purposes. But is it legal to live in a camper in your backyard?
However, some people buy RVs to park them in their backyards and permanently live in them. They mostly do it to reduce the cost of traditional homes and simplify their lives.
If you think you belong to this category, you may have this constant thought in mind about whether it is legal to live in a camper in your backyard or not. Let us help you out!
RV vs Motorhome vs Camper vs Trailer: What’s the Difference?
An RV can be categorized in a few different ways – by purpose, size, or type of vehicle. Motorhomes, campers, and trailers are all actually types of RVs (recreational vehicles).
Motorhomes are a driveable type of RV that offers mobile living accommodation. Typically, when people refer to RVs, they are usually referring to motorhomes.
On the other hand, a “camper” is a term typically used to describe trailers towed by trucks or ride on the back of trucks that do not have an engine. People often use the term “camper” and “trailer” to identify the same type of vehicle.
There are a few other main differences between motorhomes and campers/trailers. Motorhomes are typically larger and have more amenities, such as a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. Campers are smaller and usually have fewer amenities. Campers are also more portable and can sometimes be towed behind a smaller car.
Is It Legal to Park an RV or Camper In Your Own Backyard?
In most areas in the United States, it is permissible to park your RV in the backyard of your private property. There are no state laws that can stop you from doing so. And there is no federal law prohibiting you from keeping a camper on your property.
However, you may have to check the local regulations of your area to stay on the safer side. For instance, if you live in Dayton, you must follow some local zoning laws to park your RV legally in your backyard.
Some of these laws include:
- You can park only five vehicles on your own property. Of these five vehicles, only one can be an RV.
- The length of your recreational vehicles should not be more than 30 feet.
- There should not be any connection between your RV and gas, water, or electricity services.
- Your RV should be able to be used.
- It must have official registration and up-to-date license card status.
If you live in an area managed by a homeowners association (HOA), you may have to follow more laws and regulations as an RV owner.
Is It Legal to Live in An RV or Camper In Your Backyard?
The United States government classifies RVs as recreational vehicles that you can use only for traveling, camping, and recreational purposes. Therefore, you cannot make it your permanent residence like a traditional home. Therefore, permanently living in an RV parked on your land is illegal in the United States.
If you plan to live in your RV permanently, cook in it, sleep in the RV, and hold parties, then step yourself and first learn the state and local laws. You may regret investing in an RV that you cannot use as a permanent home due to the laws issued by local governments.
Zoning Laws and Regulations
You may face some zoning issues when living in your RV full time. This is especially true if you have no permanent residence around and have no plan to make one in the near future.
Today, most residential areas come under the homeowner association or city zoning laws. These regulations are usually against living in anything that does not fall under the permanent dwellings category.
They also do not classify an RV or a travel trailer as a permanent or primary residence as they are made for camping or recreational use only. You can live in an RV temporarily for 30 consecutive days.
If there is land that does not fall under the zoning laws or homeowners association, you can live in your camper or any other thing as you want. But you may still have to follow laws regarding electricity, gas, or water usage.
HUD Law 2016
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has created and enforced housing laws and regulations for years. These laws keep evolving with time according to the changing circumstances.
In 2016, HUD updated its laws which created an uproar among the RVers. They started talking on the RV forums that the government is making it illegal to live in RVs.
HUD did make some amendments to their regulations and language, but RV living was actually considered illegal long before this 2016 update. According to the HUD, RVs are meant for recreational use, not for permanent residence.
HUD made this update to clarify a few confusing things due to the increase in the use of RVs and tiny homes. The original RV regulations did not include recreational vehicles larger than 400 square feet.
Many RV manufacturing companies were creating RVs that were more than 400 square feet in size. In addition, people started extending their RV by adding decks and patios to make them look more like permanent residents and not as recreational vehicles.
In the 2016 update, HUD explained the clear difference between a manufactured home, a traditional home, and an RV.
RVs are factory-manufactured vehicles that are designed to be used for recreation alone. They need to be certified and follow the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) regulations for recreational vehicles or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) regulations for the recreational park trailer.
The standards used to build a tiny house will determine if you can use it for permanent residence or only for recreational purposes. According to the HUD regulations, if a tiny house is built following the ANSI or NFPA standards, it will be considered an RV and must abide by local laws.
In this update, the RV manufacturing industry and HUD agreed that a manufactured home could be used for permanent residence while an RV could only be used for recreation, temporary accommodation, and camping.
So, if your RV was built by following the standard RV regulations, you will have the legal right to use it for recreational purposes or live in it for a short period.
Are laws for using RVs different for rural areas and urban areas? Let’s find it out.
Rural Laws
In most cases, the local laws equally apply to rural and urban areas. But the difference is that the authorities do not check them as strictly in rural areas as they do in urban areas.
You may be able to spend years living in an RV in a rural area without getting noticed by the authorities. But that does not mean you should do it if it is against the local laws.
Urban Laws
You should take extra care if you want to park or live in your RV in your property in an urban area. Most of the states in the US do not allow living in the RV permanently. However, you can live in it for a shorter duration if you have a building permit or are just camping in it for a few days.
Can You Live in An RV Legally?
Do you still want to live in an RV without running into legal issues? Here are the possible ways of living in an RV legally. You can choose what is best based on your preferences.
Rent or Purchase Land in RV Co-Op Parks
There are thousands of RV co-op parks or mobile home parks in different states. These RV parks are specifically designed for RVers. You can rent or purchase land in any of these parks and enjoy living in an RV for life.
It is one of the easiest ways of living in an RV legally. These parks provide you with all the convenience you need for RV hookups, such as gas, electricity, sewer, and water. You may also get more facilities like a gym, health center, or a swimming pool in the park.
However, a major con of choosing RV co-op parks to live in an RV is you have a small space and lack privacy. In addition, your neighbors living in RVs will be close by. But if you truly want to live in an RV legally, these issues won’t trouble you at all. In fact, you would really enjoy living among like-minded RVers.
Live in A Neighborhood That Allows RV Living
If you do not like small and noisy spaces in RV co-op parks, then the other option you have is living in an area that is zoned to permit living in RVs. There are many places in Alabama that allow people to purchase lands where they can legally live in RVs and get huge areas to park one or even two RVs.
Such neighborhoods are suitable for people who prefer nomad living styles. You will also find pools, gyms, and clubhouses in such friendly communities. People love a tight-knit and fun RV community.
These neighborhoods cost from $30,000 to $50,000. However, the cost can be more or less than it is based on the number and quality of facilities that it provides.
Travel in Your RV To Different Places
If you are adventurous, you may like living in an RV while traveling through the country. You can park your RV in an RV park, campsite, and a place that allows you to park it for a few days.
This way, you will be able to see different places while living in your own space. You should not have any legal problems because you will not be living in an RV parked in one place.
If you own a larger RV, you may first have to get a special driving license for it to drive around the country. Driving a large-sized RV without this license can cause legal issues.
Rural Land Zoned for Homesteading
Such lands are situated far from facilities and houses. If you do not have any issue living in an isolated land, then this might be the right option for you.
However, you will have to arrange everything from electricity, sewer, gas to water, etc., independently. You may also not have clubhouses, gyms, and hospitals near it.
Get A Building Permit
You can get a living permit if your own land is blank at the moment or it is under construction. A living permit will allow you to live in an RV on your own land for a shorter duration. However, living more than the allowed duration can lead to legal problems.
In most states, a building permit costs $1,000. However, their price can be more or lesser than this, depending on where your land is situated. Though the cost is higher, it will not trouble you if you really want to live in an RV with legal permission.
Get an Official Domicile
An official domicile status permits you to live in your RV full time. Domicile status is different from residency status. If you have residence status, you can have a residence in different places within the state.
On the other hand, a domicile status will allow you to live as an RV resident within the state where you applied for it. RV residents who have an official domicile status may have to pay a specific income tax.
The Best States for Full-Time RV Living
You can find many places in the US to live in the RV full time. However, below is the list of the states that are usually preferred by the RVers.
- Texas
- South Dakota
- Washington State
- Florida
These states provide many affordable lands to park your RV and live in it legally for a longer period. While choosing one state from these, you should consider the legal regulations and environment of the state.
Since you will be more connected to nature while living in an RV, it is better to choose a location that has a mild climate. Extreme weather conditions can cause trouble and make your experience of living in an RV less enjoyable.
Most of the enlisted states do not take income tax from RVers. But you should still do your research to find regulations regarding sales and property taxes to select a more affordable state for RV living.
Is Living in An RV Worth It?
If you are still deciding whether you should start living in an RV or not, here is the list of pros and cons of living in an RV to help you make a knowledgeable decision.
Pros
The reasons you should try living in the RVs:
More Affordable Than A Traditional Home
Living in an RV is a lot cheaper than living in a traditional home. You can rent a place for a few hundred dollars and park your RV for a month.
You will certainly have to pay for gas, electricity, etc., but these bills will still be more affordable than the bills of traditional homes if you are not living in a very luxurious place.
Travel Around the World
If you are adventurous and life traveling, RV living will give you an amazing opportunity to travel around different states and explore the world. In addition, it will be less costly compared to traveling by plane and booking hotel rooms to stay.
Meet People Having the Same Interests
RV living will give you many opportunities to meet people from different places. Most of these people will share your interests regarding living style and traveling. You will meet kayakers, climbers, hikers, retirees, and people from different professions. You’ll make new friends who have the same interests as you.
You will not get the same opportunity while living in a home where most of us rarely get time to go out and meet neighbors.
Spend More Time in Nature
One of the many benefits that people enjoy while living in RVs is that it gives them a chance to enjoy nature and spend more time around it. It automatically relaxes their mind and reduces stress levels. You can also go boondocking and explore nature more.
You can take all the essential accessories like batteries, fresh water, food, etc., with you and still have the comfort of your home while staying in the middle of nowhere.
More Time to Do Fruitful Activities
When you are living in a permanent residence, you often have a long to-do list of daily chores that never end. On the contrary, when you choose RV living, you have fewer daily chores and more time to do enjoyable activities. As a result, you can learn more new things and spend more time with your partner.
Become Adaptive and Experience Personal Growth
While living in an RV, you experience changing weather conditions and many new things every other day. It allows you to learn how to deal with the changing circumstances while having fewer resources and still enjoy your life.
You become adaptive with the passage of time and find easy ways to tackle challenges. As a result, RVers experience fast personal growth compared to the people living in the comfort of their traditional homes.
Cons
Reasons you may not enjoy living in an RV include:
Small Space
One of the major drawbacks of living in an RV is living in a small space. You can only take a few essential things with you and leave the rest behind. In addition, you cannot keep extra things with you for emergencies.
The shower is really small, and you do not have a bathroom. Many campers have small refrigerators that can accommodate only a few food items. The water tank is also small. You may also not have a generator in your camper and have to pay extra to install a battery system.
Endure All Kinds of Weather
While living in an RV, be ready to experience all sorts of weather conditions and endure them no matter what. Most of the RVs do not provide much insulation. So if it is cold outside, the inside will also be cold inside. And if it is hot and humid outside, the inside will also be hot even if the AC is running.
Constantly Driving Can Be Stressful
Driving can be really stressful, especially if you have an RV larger than the normal RVs. You also may not get space for parking around the establishments and end up traveling more.
Your RV, along with its accessories, experiences a bumpy ride every time you take it on the road. It can result in things breaking or cracking, which can make your experience of living in an RV more stressful.
FAQs
Can I Make My RV A Guest House in My Backyard?
You can turn your RV into a guest house where your guests can live for a shorter period. However, note that you or your guest cannot live in it for more than a few weeks.
No law will prohibit you from living in an RV only occasionally. However, while using an RV as a guest house, your guests will have to use your permanent residence or home for utilities like gas, electricity, water, etc.
Can I Live In A Camper While Building My Home?
Yes, you can live in your camper while building your home. But for this, you will first have to get a building permit. Living in an RV without a building permit is illegal and results in legal problems. Also, living in an RV for more time than allowed can lead to legal problems.
Can I Live In An RV On Someone Else’s Property?
When people are not allowed to live in an RV on their own property, some of them start thinking about living in the extra free space of their relative or friend. If you, too, are planning to do that, then, unfortunately, you will have the same issues for living in an RV permanently.
You cannot live in an RV permanently, whether it is parked on your own property or on someone else’s property. If you are planning to live in an RV on the property of your family member or a friend, then you will land them in legal trouble, and they may end up paying a huge fine.
Therefore, avoid living in an RV permanently in an area that is legally for residential use.
The Bottom Line: Is It Legal to Live in a Camper in Your Backyard?
Living in a camper in your backyard can help you save money and simplify your life. But note that most states in America do not allow living in RVs permanently. You can only live for a few weeks consecutively without having any legal issues.
Check local laws if you want to ditch your home and move into an RV. If you live in an area regulated by the homeowners association (HOA), you will have to follow their regulations.