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Is it illegal to sleep in your car? Whether you’ve found yourself suddenly homeless or if you’re living out of a vehicle by choice, it’s good to know the ins and outs about where to spend the night.
Sleeping on the side of the road in your car is illegal in some cities, but there are ways to get away with urban stealth camping. We’ll give you tips and ideas about where to spend the night, and a list of places you can legally camp.
We’ve camped on many city streets in both a Toyota Prius and a Chevy Astro and know how stressful it can be finding a legal place to park.
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Is it illegal to sleep in your car?
It’s not necessarily illegal to sleep in your car, especially if you’re taking a quick nap on a city street. You also won’t find any federal or state laws banning sleeping in cars.
So, whether it’s illegal to sleep in your car is left up to the particular city, county or state you’re in.
Some cities don’t explicitly prohibit sleeping in cars but have time limits on how long you can park in a certain area. We’ve also seen signs on particular streets banning overnight parking.
If you plan on sleeping in your car in a city, you’ll have to research local laws and ordinances and decide if you want to take the risk.
Also, be aware that rest stops aren’t always a free-for-all. Certain states prohibit overnight parking at all rest stops and only allow you to stay a few hours to catch some ZZZs.
Here are a few examples of laws concerning whether it’s illegal to sleep in your car:
- Berkeley, California has banned RV parking overnight between 2am-5am. It’s also been known to give tickets or tow cars people are living in.
- Los Angeles, California banned sleeping in cars for the fourth time in three years.
- In San Francisco, it’s illegal to sleep in a car overnight from 10am-6pm and you could be fined $1,000. However, we’ve slept in San Francisco a lot and this has never happened to us.
Usually, those laws are put into place to cut down on the number of homeless people sleeping in cars or to prohibit loitering.
Should You Sleep in Your Car Where it’s Illegal?
The amount of risk you’re willing to take when it comes to sleep in your car is entirely up to you.
We’ve slept in cars in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Bellingham and other major cities without getting caught.
The trick is to be super stealthy, obey parking signs and restrictions, arrive late and leave early and keep your vehicle looking clean and organized.
For example: Don’t hang white sheets from all your windows. It looks bad and you’ll probably get caught. Use dark sheets that blend in.
When it’s illegal to sleep in your car, nobody should even think anyone is in there.
Here are a few tips and tricks to make sure you’re stealth:
- Park late and leave early
- Move to a new parking spot every night
- Tint your windows, get blackout curtains or make your own, use a front windshield sunshade and hang a dark sheet or blanket between the two front seats
- Use dark bedding so you blend in
- Don’t use lights late, talk on the phone or watch movies
- Be very quiet and respectful
- Brush your teeth and use the bathroom far away from the place where you’re planning on parking for the night
- Make sure your car looks clean and is in good shape to the best of your ability
We haven’t heard of people being ticketed or towed very often when sleeping in a city. You’ll usually just deal with a knock from a police officer or a security guard, asking you to move.
Crack your windows so they don’t fog up overnight.
If this is a risk you’re willing to take, you can probably get away with sleeping in your car even in cities where it’s illegal.
TIP: Some cities are implementing Safe Parking Lots as a way to address homelessness. However, these are typically meant for people who are truly homeless and have to go through an application process. If you are experiencing homelessness, it’s worth looking into.
A Few Instances When It’s Always Illegal to Sleep in your Car
Sometimes, it is just downright illegal to sleep in your car. Here are some examples when you shouldn’t be sleeping in a vehicle at all:
When you’re intoxicated. Depending on state laws, you could be arrested for DUI if you’re sleeping in your car while drunk. The point is to stop someone from turning the key and driving away while still intoxicated.
On private property. Obviously, you can’t just park on private property and expect it to be legal. Read signs carefully and choose a place to park wisely.
When signs expressly forbid it. It’s definitely illegal to sleep in your car in areas that are clearly marked. Some cities now have laws against car camping in particular areas, especially in areas prone to homeless problems.
Places to Stealth Camp in a Car in an Urban Area
There are a couple of different approaches when it comes to sleeping in your car.
- You can park on city streets, which is public property.
- Or you can park on private property, like in large parking lots.
If you park on city streets, you might get a knock from a police officer. If you’re on private property, you’ll deal with a security guard.
Here are some places to try out when you’re sleeping in your car. You can use Google filters in the Google maps app to find many of these places.
- Public libraries, where you can use the bathrooms and internet and sleep during the day hours if you need to.
- In an industrial area
- In hospital parking structures
- In hotel parking lots
- We’ve often parked on city streets in urban areas, like outside our gym
- Outside a bar or brewery, just make sure you aren’t intoxicated or you could get a DUI in some state
- Marina parking lots (We’ve had a lot of good luck with this one)
- Church parking lots (some allow this)
- 24-hour restaurants (we’ve done this!)
- Apartment building parking lots with unassigned parking
The Walmart Conundrum: Is it Illegal to Sleep in Your Car at Walmart?
Walmart parking lots used to be a safe haven for RVers and van lifers either living in a city or moving through town.
While most Walmart stores still do allow overnight parking in their spacious parking lots, more and more are opposed to RVers on store property.
Here’s what Walmart’s website says about whether it’s illegal to sleep in your car overnight
“We do permit RV parking on our store parking lots as we are able. Permission to park is extended by individual store managers, based on availability of parking space and local laws. Please contact management in each store to ensure accommodations before parking your RV.”
Our best advice if you’re worried is to call the Walmart store manager to make sure they don’t prohibit overnight camping in their parking areas.
You can use the Walmart Store Finder to look for WalMarts near you.
Places to Sleep in Your Car Legally
If you’re not into playing Russian Roulet with cops and security guards, you can just go ahead and find a completely legal place to park overnight to get your shut-eye.
Here are some of our top picks for a safe place to sleep:
Truck Stops
Truck drivers often park their rigs in parking lots to sleep overnight when they work long hours. It’s an easy and safe place to find spots near the highway with security guards.
Truck stop parking lots are also often listed on websites like Rest Area Parking or Truckstops of America, and they will usually have a list of what truck stops allow camping overnight.
You can take a hot shower at many truck stops. We also like that you can wake up and grab fresh coffee and use the restroom in the morning.
Rest Areas
There are rest areas all across the country, but laws vary by state on how long you can stay in a rest stop.
In California, you can stay at a rest stop for up to 8 hours. We had a favorite one overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge where we’ve spent the night.
In South Dakota, by contract, you aren’t allowed to spend the night at a rest stop and it’s considered a petty crime.
Same goes for Minnesota: you are only allowed to spend 4 hours in rest areas. Still, it’s a good place to get a little shut-eye before moving to your next destination.
We recommend researching state laws before sleeping in your car overnight at a rest stop.
Campgrounds
Many cities have campgrounds nearby or even within city limits. We recently stayed at the Spearfish City campground right downtown when I was getting my residency in that state.
San Francisco also had several nearby campgrounds where it’s legal to sleep in a car.
You can use apps like iOverlander or The Dyrt to find campgrounds near you and read reviews.
On Federal Land
If you’re able to travel a bit, you can usually find free campsites on public land, like National Forest land or land run by the Bureau of Land Management.
This is called boondocking, and is a great way to live in your vehicle on the cheap. Plus, you’ll have to peace of mind knowing you’re in a legal place to spend the night!
We also use iOverlander and The Dyrt to find federal land to camp on.
To learn more about this, read this article: Can You Camp Anywhere in a National Forest?
Casinos
Some casinos allow you to sleep in your car overnight and even encourage it! They hope people will come eat, drink and gamble inside the casino.
You can easily findcasinos with overnight parking here.
Boondockers Welcome & Harvest Hosts
If you have a self-contained campervan or RV (with an indoor bathroom, sleeping and cooking areas), you can sign up for Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts.
Boondockers Welcome connects you with people who have private property that allow overnight camping. This is sometimes in a driveway or a field.
With Harvest Hosts, you pay a one-time membership fee to camp at wineries, breweries, museums, golf courses and farms.
Both of these programs can save you money if you’re moving around a lot. The cost of an annual membership is about the same as two nights of campgrounds!
- Click here to sign up for Boondockers Welcome
- Click here to check out Harvest Hosts
Parking Lots at Certain Big Box Stores
Some stores love the business RVers and van lifers bring to the property, so allow you to park your car and sleep for the night.
Here are a few places to try sleeping in your car:
- Cabellas
- Cracker Barrell
- Sam’s Club
- Camping World
If you’re nervous about sleeping in your car at any of these businesses, you can call the manager first and ask.
Sometimes that peace of mind when you’re car camping on private property makes for a better night’s sleep!
Apps to Help you Find Places to Park
More and more people are car sleeping these days, so there are apps now to address the need.
Here are my two favorite apps you can use to search for locations to spend the night:
iOverlander App
iOverlander is a crowd-sourced app where you can see where other people have camped. People typically leave reviews, directions and photographs of campsites. You can click on the link to any car camping spot and the route will load on your phone’s map.
You can use this to identify places people have stealth camped or boondocked, and to find designated campgrounds.
The Dyrt App
The Dyrt App is one of our favorite apps to read campgrounds reviews. You can sort by price, location, amenities, etc. We like to search for campgrounds with showers after we’ve been boondocking for awhile. You can also use The Dyrt to look at boundaries for federal land where you can find free campsites.
Click here for a FREE 90-day trial of The Dyrt Pro.
How to Get Your Car Ready for Sleeping
There are a few ways to sleep in your car. It really depends on what type of car you have. I’ve heard of people sleeping in small sedans, hatchbacks, vans and pickup trucks. Some people just recline the front seat and sleep for the night.
If you have a small car….
Fold down the back seats so you can access the trunk area. Put down a camping mat and lie with your feet in the trunk and your head toward the front seats.
Make sure your back windows are tinted or covered somehow so nobody can see you if they try to look inside. Hang a sheet or blanket over the two front seats so people can’t see in the back when looking in a front window. When doing this, though, try to keep everything neat and tidy.
If you have a hatchback….
You’ll have a larger sleeping area if you have a hatchback like a Toyota Prius. Just fold down the two back seats and you’ll have plenty of space to create a bed. Again, make sure those back windows are tinted or covered up somehow so nobody will see you.
If you’re going to be living in your car for an extended period and you’re on your own, you might want to consider removing the front passenger seat so you have a dedicated bed area, with storage next to you.
For more tips and resources about living in a car, check out this article: Living in a Car: The Ultimate Guide to Staying Comfortable on the Road
Conclusion on the question: “Is it Illegal to Sleep in Your Car?”
The legality of sleeping in your car is dependent on a number of factors. The most important factor to consider when deciding if it’s legal to sleep in your car is whether or not you’re trespassing, which means entering private property without the owner’s permission.
In some cases, parking lots at certain big box stores allow overnight camping for RVers and van lifers who bring business to those retailers’ properties; just make sure that you ask before doing so as sometimes they may have rules against it.
Apps like iOverlander can help locate places where other people have stealth camped or boondocked so that you know what types of sites are available near you.
If all else fails, search through federal land boundaries for free campsites!
Just know this: In all our years of camping in parking lots or on city streets, we have NEVER gotten that dreaded “door knock” or been asked to move.
Just take a little time to research local ordinances or find a legal place to park like a campground or rest area.
Make sure to read the comments below for additional tips, or leave one of your own!
FAQ about sleeping in your car:
Can you get a ticket for sleeping in your car?
It depends on where you’re caught sleeping in your car. However, some municipalities, like Los Angeles, do issue citations and monetary fees for people caught sleeping in their cars.
Is it illegal to sleep in your car in California?
According to the California State Department of Transportation, it is legal to sleep in your car in rest stops for up to eight hours. Cities and counties have varying laws, but most don’t allow sleeping in cars overnight. Big cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego don’t allow sleeping in cars overnight between 9am-6am, and never within 500 feet of schools or residential homes. Berkeley just banned RVs from overnight parking on city streets.
Is it legal to sleep in your car at WalMart?
It depends. Many WalMarts do allow overnight parking, and often you’ll see campervans and RVs lined up all over the parking lot. However, some WalMarts don’t allow sleeping in your car. The best thing to do is call the WalMart before you stop for the night. You can also use an app like iOverlander to see where other people have spent the night in their vehicles.
Where can you legally park overnight?
Even though it’s usually illegal to park on city streets overnight, you can find legal places to sleep. You can usually sleep in your car at WalMart, Cabellas, casinos, rest stops, campgrounds and for free on many public lands owned by the Bureau of Land Management or the U.S. Forest Service. You can also legally sleep in your car overnight in someone’s driveway or private property.
Is sleeping in your car safe?
To stay safe while sleeping in your car, it’s all about location. Don’t park and sleep in your car in bad neighborhoods. Even sleeping in your car on city streets can result in a break-in and a scary situation. The safest places to sleep in your car are usually at rest stops and campgrounds. Also, make sure you leave the windows cracked and don’t leave your car on overnight! This can result in carbon monoxide poisoning.
Can I sleep in my car at a campsite?
Yes, you can sleep in your car at a campsite. You don’t have to bring gear to set up a tent. We often pay the fee and spend the night in our campervan at various campsites where we feel safe. We’ve also crept in late at night and slept in our car in a campsite without paying the fee.
How do you sleep comfortably in a car?
There are many ways to make sleeping in your car comfortable. When we slept in a Toyota Prius, we flattened the two back seats to make a bed bigger than a twin bed. If you have a small car, you can put your feet in the truck and your head on the back seat. Many people just recline their front seats to sleep in cars, but that’s not as comfortable. The best way to sleep in your car is to own a campervan.
Where are spots you’ve slept in your car? What’s worked for you? Add your comment below so other readers can learn from you!
