Jurisdiction and research scope
Town of North Smithfield, Rhode Island only; not the separate Town of Smithfield. Current codified §340-4.18 in Chapter 340 adopted March 16, 2026, read November 6, 2026. The chapter supersedes the older standalone §6.14 numbering.
Research by Can I Park My RV?Official municipal sources; access limits shown belowEditorial standard
North Smithfield RV parking at a glance
| Location or use | What to check |
|---|---|
| Driveway / yard | Permitted residential accessory use; open storage must be in side or rear yards. At least 20 feet from side/rear lines; one RV up to 65,000 square feet, two on larger lots; confirm mixed-equipment counts. |
| Street / loading | The residential storage section does not authorize public-street parking. No loading-time exception is established by §340-4.18. |
| Sleeping / utilities | No living, sleeping or housekeeping on the ordinary residential lot. Storage permission does not authorize utility connections. |
Residential accessory storage
The route is accessory to a permitted residential use in a residential district. Enclosed buildings and carports are expressly recognized. For open storage, equipment must be safe and effective for its intended function; unregistered or unserviceable vehicles have additional rules in §340-4.17. Do not assume an unregistered RV qualifies just because it fits the lot.
Side and rear yards, setbacks and counts
Open storage is prohibited in the front yard and limited to side and rear yards. Keep it at least 20 feet from side and rear lot lines. Subsection E allows one RV on lots of 65,000 square feet or less and two on larger lots. The opening provision otherwise limits open recreational vehicles, boats and equipment to one; ask the town to resolve mixed RV-and-boat arrangements rather than adding counts together.
Sleeping and other uses
No equipment may be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping on a residential lot or in another location not approved for that use. Enclosed storage or a carport is not an occupied-use approval. Public-street parking, loading duration, utilities and separate special approvals need their own determination.
Who to contact for your setup
Ask North Smithfield 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 North Smithfield 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
- North Smithfield Code §§340-4.17–340-4.19
Residential accessory storage, equipment condition, occupancy, side/rear placement, setbacks and RV counts.
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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