Jurisdiction and research scope
City of Bethlehem, Lehigh and Northampton Counties, Pennsylvania only. Sources read November 6, 2026. Official zoning PDF last revised August 21, 2023; §1319.06 amendment dated December 24, 2012, Ordinance 2012-43. Later amendments are not established. Confirm subsequent ordinances and parcel-specific approvals before relying on these provisions.
Research by Can I Park My RV?Official municipal sources; access limits shown belowEditorial standard
City of Bethlehem RV parking at a glance
| Location or use | What to check |
|---|---|
| Where can I store an RV at home? | Section 1319.06 requires all storage conditions: length strictly less than 40 feet; side or rear yard behind the front façade; district accessory-structure setbacks; sight screening from abutting properties by solid-board fencing or obscuring landscaping at least six feet high; and a macadam or concrete pad. Screening is not required along the alley side. RVs and watercraft must stay clean, well-kept, operational, currently licensed and inspected. |
| What counts as an RV here? | Section 1302.110 includes travel and folding-tent trailers, motor homes, truck campers removed from trucks, horse trailers, boat trailers with or without boats, boats, utility trailers, watercraft and other vehicles designed primarily for recreation. This is the City of Bethlehem in Lehigh and Northampton counties, not Bethlehem Township. |
| Can visiting guests park, or sleep inside? | The city allows RV parking on a residential lot when guests visit for up to seven days, no more than three times per year, without obstructing driveways or the right-of-way. The text expressly permits parking; it does not expressly authorize sleeping, residence or hookups. Ask zoning about occupancy and whether the storage-placement conditions apply to the proposed visit. |
Where can I store an RV at home?
Section 1319.06 requires all storage conditions: length strictly less than 40 feet; side or rear yard behind the front façade; district accessory-structure setbacks; sight screening from abutting properties by solid-board fencing or obscuring landscaping at least six feet high; and a macadam or concrete pad. Screening is not required along the alley side. RVs and watercraft must stay clean, well-kept, operational, currently licensed and inspected.
What counts as an RV here?
Section 1302.110 includes travel and folding-tent trailers, motor homes, truck campers removed from trucks, horse trailers, boat trailers with or without boats, boats, utility trailers, watercraft and other vehicles designed primarily for recreation. This is the City of Bethlehem in Lehigh and Northampton counties, not Bethlehem Township.
Can visiting guests park, or sleep inside?
The city allows RV parking on a residential lot when guests visit for up to seven days, no more than three times per year, without obstructing driveways or the right-of-way. The text expressly permits parking; it does not expressly authorize sleeping, residence or hookups. Ask zoning about occupancy and whether the storage-placement conditions apply to the proposed visit.
How long may loading take?
Temporary RV parking in a residential district for loading or unloading items is limited to three days. This zoning provision does not override traffic restrictions or establish a universal street-parking allowance. Parking RVs or watercraft for compensation is prohibited in residential zoning districts.
What about street parking?
Confirm the exact street with city parking enforcement. Section 1319.06 is a residential zoning provision, and Bethlehem Township’s separate oversized-vehicle rules do not govern the city.
Who to contact for your setup
Give City of Bethlehem zoning staff the parcel address, vehicle type and dimensions, intended location, duration and any occupancy or hookups. Ask police about the exact street and posted restrictions. Confirm easements, private covenants and later amendments separately.
Use the City of Bethlehem 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
- City of Bethlehem §§1302.110 and 1319.06
Official zoning PDF last revised August 21, 2023; §1319.06 amendment dated December 24, 2012, Ordinance 2012-43. Later amendments are not established.
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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