Jurisdiction and research scope
Unincorporated Kitsap County, Washington only. Incorporated cities and towns, tribal lands and separately administered public lands require their own governing rules. Not Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo or Port Orchard; evaluated seasonal route applies only in RW/RP/RR zones. Current KCC 17.105.090.H and April 30, 2025 Seasonal RV Permit handout, read November 6, 2026. The code says minimum 200 square feet; the handout says maximum 200. Ordinance 650 (2026), flagged on the code page, amends research laboratory/warehousing definitions rather than this RV rule.
Research by Can I Park My RV?Official municipal sources; access limits shown belowEditorial standard
Kitsap County RV parking at a glance
| Location or use | What to check |
|---|---|
| Driveway / yard | Meet rural-zone setbacks and obtain a permit for each placement. Confirm parcel setbacks, access, critical areas and any shoreline or floodplain restrictions. |
| Street / loading | The private-property rule does not authorize parking or camping on a public road. No independent extended loading exception is established by these sources. |
| Sleeping / utilities | Permit for no more than three months in RW/RP/RR; owner or family only. Approved water and power plus health-district-approved septic or sewer required. |
Three rural zones and three months
KCC 17.105.090.H provides a permit route for RV occupancy of no more than three months in Rural Wooded, Rural Protection or Rural Residential zones. The occupant must be the property owner or a family member. This seasonal permission does not automatically apply inside a city, another county zone or a commercial rental arrangement.
Services and placement must be approved
The RV needs approved water and power, plus septic or sewer approved by the health district. Meet the underlying zone’s setbacks and any additional Director conditions needed for compatibility. A permit is required each time the RV is placed on the parcel, even if it returns to the same site in later years. A requested or paid application is not an issued permit.
Resolve the conflicting size instructions
The code states a minimum RV size of 200 square feet. The county’s April 2025 handout instead says maximum 200 square feet and expressly says legal requirements control. Do not infer a size answer from the handout alone. Have DCD confirm eligibility for the actual unit and permit. Temporary construction housing has a different rule; unoccupied storage, loading and ongoing residence are not established by this seasonal route.
Who to contact for your setup
Ask Kitsap County 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 Kitsap County 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
- Kitsap County Code 17.105.090
Three-month RV route in RW/RP/RR, owner or family occupancy, approved services, setbacks, minimum size and permit each placement.
- Kitsap Seasonal RV Permit handout
April 2025 guidance contains conflicting maximum-size wording; code controls and DCD must confirm the actual RV.
- Kitsap Ordinance 650 (2026)
Adopted August 26, 2026; changes laboratory and warehousing definitions, not the seasonal RV clause.
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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