Jurisdiction and research scope
Consolidated Butte-Silver Bow jurisdiction, Montana; confirm that the site is governed by this code, not separately incorporated Walkerville or another county. Current online Chapter 5.48, read November 6, 2026; provisions cite Ordinance 30 (1977). Full-code amendment cutoff is not stated in the retrieved chapter. The separate zoning-update working draft is not used as adopted law.
Research by Can I Park My RV?Official municipal sources; access limits shown belowEditorial standard
Butte-Silver Bow RV parking at a glance
| Location or use | What to check |
|---|---|
| Driveway / yard | Private occupied trailer coaches need an issued permit and compliant dwelling-yard conditions. Unoccupied yard storage requires a separate current zoning answer. |
| Street / loading | Covered trailer coaches: no more than six hours in a public thoroughfare or public place outside an approved trailer court. No separate longer loading exception is established in Chapter 5.48. |
| Sleeping / utilities | Private permit: up to 30 days, renewable to no more than 60 total; resolve one-business-day and 24-hour clauses with the authority. Occupancy permit does not by itself authorize utility connections. |
Which vehicles and public places
Chapter 5.48 defines a trailer coach as a licensable vehicle without self-propulsion constructed for dwelling or sleeping. Do not automatically apply it to a motorhome. A covered coach, occupied or unoccupied, cannot remain on a public thoroughfare or public place other than an approved trailer court for more than six hours.
Private occupancy requires an actual permit
Section 5.48.100 describes a private-property occupancy permit obtained within 24 hours, lasting at most 30 days and renewable to a maximum total of 60 days at that property. The preceding subsection prohibits placement and occupancy for more than one business day outside an approved court. Obtain the permit and the authority’s interpretation of both timing clauses before relying on this route.
Yards, neighbors and services
Occupied coaches outside approved courts must meet surrounding-yard requirements for a dwelling and must not interfere with adjacent owners’ rights. Licenses must be conspicuously posted. This chapter does not establish ordinary unoccupied yard-storage placement or authorize water, sewer or power connections; get those approvals separately.
Who to contact for your setup
Ask Butte-Silver Bow 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 Butte-Silver Bow 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
- Butte-Silver Bow Code 5.48
Trailer-coach definition, public six-hour cap and private occupancy permits.
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 local-government determination may still be required. Read our research method.
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