Jurisdiction and research scope
City of Bellingham, Washington only, not surrounding unincorporated Whatcom County or another municipality. Bellingham Municipal Code current through Ordinance 2026-09-027, passed September 28, 2026; retrieved November 6, 2026.
Research by Can I Park My RV?Official municipal sources; access limits shown belowEditorial standard
Bellingham RV parking at a glance
| Location or use | What to check |
|---|---|
| Driveway / yard | Private-driveway storage needs separate zoning confirmation. Confirm the parcel zone, legal parking surface, setbacks, access and any private restrictions. |
| Street / loading | Over-80-inch vehicles need the loading or manufacturing/industrial exception; unsigned street spaces otherwise have a 72-hour maximum. Loading does not waive other street, placement or occupancy rules. |
| Sleeping / utilities | Ordinary private-property RV residence is restricted; approved safe parking and other specified settings have separate rules. Parking permission does not authorize utility connections; confirm electrical, water and wastewater requirements separately. |
Width comes before the 72-hour rule
BMC 11.33.060(A)(8) prohibits street parking of vehicles over 80 inches wide except while loading or unloading property, or in manufacturing or industrial use districts. The separate 72-hour limit for unsigned spaces does not override this restriction.
Trailers, time and signs
A trailer normally must remain attached to a vehicle that can draw it. The accident exception has its own red-signal and removal conditions. Posted time limits control; otherwise one-place street parking cannot exceed 72 consecutive hours. Reparking within the same block to avoid a time limit is prohibited. Keep sidewalks, bike lanes, fire lanes, driveways and sight lines clear.
Sleeping and private-property storage
BMC 20.10.030(C) prohibits using an RV or other vehicle as a residence unless it is in a defined safe parking area or improved right-of-way; it also recognizes specified manufactured-home-park residence rights. The improved-right-of-way wording does not erase street width, time, permit-area or safety restrictions. Sleeping and ongoing occupancy need a site-specific answer. These sections do not establish a complete private-driveway storage route.
Who to contact for your setup
Ask Bellingham Planning or Code Enforcement to confirm jurisdiction, the actual parcel or road, vehicle classification, position, duration and intended use. Obtain the required road, building, electrical, plumbing or wastewater approvals before relying on a parking exception. Easements, HOA rules and leases remain separate. Start with the official rule or permit guidance.
Use the Bellingham parking checker to organize the starting conditions. The checker cannot approve a parcel, a variance or an unverified exception.
Official sources reviewed November 6, 2026
- BMC 11.33.060 street parking
Width, trailers, time limits, signs and prohibited locations.
- BMC 20.10.030 vehicle residence
Residential-use restriction with safe-parking, improved-right-of-way and manufactured-home-park distinctions.
A review date records when we checked these sources. The notes above explain any use of older code editions or limits on access to the full source; an address-specific city determination may still be required. Read our research method.
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