The fact that you have a boat is, without a doubt, the most beneficial quality of being a boat owner. You can accomplish what many landlubbers yearn to do: get out on the water. You can also sail the high seas or glide across the reflected serenity of the lake on cool April afternoons or warm August nights.
Eventually, you’ll have to return to dry land, which takes us to the most challenging part of owning a boat: parking it. You can achieve this, whether it’s a fast, compact speedboat for holiday fishing on the bayou or a majestic oceangoing yacht for a sunset cruise. Don’t worry; we researched for you, and here are the guidelines for parking your boat on the street or in your driveway.
Is It Okay To Park a Boat on The Street?
According to our research findings, it is generally against the law to park recreational vehicles such as boats on the street as they are considered oversized loads as compared to passenger vehicles.
You need to check with your local law enforcement about the laws related to the parking of boats in your community. Some areas do allow boats to be parked on the street for a specific period but again it all depends on the width of the street, average traffic, and traffic laws.
Is It Okay To Park a Boat on The Driveway?
There is no problem if the boat can fit in your driveway or if you’ve built a small dry dock/storage facility on your land. Apart from having a space on the driveway, you need a cooperative homeowners society that understands you have a boat to park. To keep people from parking their boats on the street, some parking meters have a 48- or 72-hour limit.
Boat parking is usually a problem when homeowners start complaining. However, we’ve discovered that the more boat-friendly a town (on the coast of the ocean or a lake) is, the more probable it is to have strict laws. In a coastal region, however, the actions taken to protect the environment will differ from one municipality to another.
Is It Legal To Park The Boat on The Driveway?
Yes, it is legal to park your boat on the driveway, especially if it is your private property. It all depends on the rules and regulations laid down by the homeowner association in your vicinity and local rules and regulations.
Suppose you don’t have a homeowners association watching over your shoulder. In that case, you may want to inquire with the municipal government about whether or not you are required to keep your boat hidden behind your house or whether or not you are permitted to show it off to your neighbors.
In some cities, it is allowed and only stipulated for some days, and then you get to pay ticket fees if your boat is spending over certain days.
Homeowners associations are likely to be very straightforward about what is not permitted in a homeowner’s driveway. So make a thorough inquiry about the rules where you reside to avoid getting fined by either the homeowners association or the government.
Rules For Parking Boats on The Street And Driveways
Homeowner’s associations and cities all have their own set of restrictions, and those rules may or may not apply to you. Regardless of where you live, you should follow a few general rules.
Parking on the Street
Most localities will allow temporary on-street parking to load or unload your sailboat. If you’re taking advantage of this chance, you’ll want to ensure that you don’t abuse the privilege and keep a close eye on how long your boat is on the street.
Parking on Driveways
Parking on a driveway is usually permitted more time than on the street; however, this is not always the case. As with the on-street limitations, local regulations might vary, although it’s common for boats to be restricted to a driveway for no more than 72 hours.
This can even be reduced to 48 hours in some areas. Like on-street parking, driveway parking can reduce the neighborhood’s curb appeal.
Can You Get a Ticket For Parking the Boat on The Driveway?
Yes, you can get a ticket for parking your boat on the driveway, even if it’s in your apartment. You might have been parking on the driveway for a long time, and you weren’t fined, probably because you were not violating parking guides.
Technically, not all part of your driveway is yours. Some belong to the government as well. Officially, the government owns lands (lawns, grass, and pavements) between sidewalks and the street, even though you get to cut and maintain them.
Sideways and roads close to your park must be considered if you plan to park your boat. So you have to be extremely careful not to violate any rules. As a precaution, get ahead of the law enforcement by knowing the areas to park in your driveway.
How Much Room Does a Boat Need in a Driveway?
A boat needs enough space it can get when parked in a driveway. If you intend to park your boat in your driveway, it needs to be twice the size of a four-seated vehicle to be fully fitted, no matter how small it is. Your boat, which I assume is massive, must not step outside the sideways to avoid being fined.
Driveways, which are commonly used for outdoor boat storage, provide the advantage of being able to accommodate boats of any size. If you have a boat too big to fit in a storage unit, a covered vehicle storage facility may be the best solution for you.
Driveways are an excellent choice for storing wakeboard boats with towers, which may prevent them from being able to be placed inside a self-storage facility while they are on a trailer.
Does a Boat Damage a Driveway?
Generally, it does, especially when you often park the boat on your driveway. The size of your boat also plays a significant role in this situation. Big boats get to damage driveway walkways. However, as much as this is true, it all boils down to your maintenance.
A vehicle tends to damage a garage after spontaneously parking it due to scratches and several factors. If you’re comfortable with the maintenance it would cost you, then go for it. But if you’re, try as much as possible to find a suitable parking space for your boat.
Your driveway should only be meant for very compact boats to avoid unnecessary repairs and damage. It would be unfortunate to spend the same amount on your driveway with your boat maintenance.
Can Your Neighbor Complain To The Police About This?
No, your neighbor can’t report you to the police as long as you are not obstructing their driveway on a public roadway and it is not a private driveway. In addition, you are free to park in front of your home so long as you do so in a manner compliant with the law and provided that there is not a restricted parking area on that side of the street.
Always make sure you are on your driveway, not theirs. Parking your boat on a neighbor’s driveway can get very clumsy, and they might attempt to call the police on you for trespassing and indecent parking of your boat.
It is illegal to park in front of a driveway in most places, public or private. The parking inspectors will side with the homeowner if another boat is within four feet of their driveway.
Can You Park a Boat in the Backyard?
It is common practice for communities to stipulate that a boat must be “sight-screened” before it may be kept in a garage or other private location. This indicates that you must keep your boat hidden from public view by parking it in your backyard rather than on the street.
The intricacies of these norms, like everything else, vary depending on the community. You can keep your boat in the backyard or behind the house in specific locations where passers-by will not notice it.
In specific neighborhoods, it is even against the rules to have more than a certain number of boats or trailers in your yard or elsewhere on your property at the same time, regardless of whether or not they are visible.
Can You Park the Boat Anywhere?
What if I want to park my boat someplace other than where I usually keep it? Apparently, there are those who park their boats on the street and refuse to allow anyone else to utilize the space for parking their cars. You can park your boat wherever in certain cities, but in others, you must be aware of any limits or requirements.
When it comes to parking your boat, there are a variety of options. If there isn’t an off-street parking space available, you can leave it anywhere you choose.
It is possible to park your boat in a parking place behind someone’s house in the event that you cannot park it on the street. However, these areas are rarely allowed to be occupied for an extended period of time. Make sure you find a parking spot for your boat or trailer somewhere else, as it’s generally illegal to park in a parking spot.
Conclusion
Your options may be limited due to the regulations in most communities. Some communities with many boat owners may provide a shared space where these vehicles can be parked.
These can be partitioned or storage rooms. You can also keep your boat in commercial storage. These locations are frequently positioned near your launch or marina and offer enough room for your boat. So go ahead and give it a try.