Tips for correctly parking and leaving motorhomes and caravans
Anyone who travels with a motorhome or a caravan knows the scenario: endless traffic jams, long waits and growing tiredness. If there is no site nearby, unplanned parking and overnight stays in the motorhome or caravan are inevitable. At such moments, many people wonder where and for how long it is generally permitted to park a motorhome or caravan.
Before following the tips, you should always make sure that your own safety is guaranteed when choosing a parking place – whether in public spaces or at motorway service areas.
Tip 1: Parking in public spaces
If you cannot find a parking space for your motorhome or caravan, you can generally park them anywhere in Germany where it is not prohibited according to the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO). The StVO does not specify where you may leave your vehicle, but rather where parking is forbidden. If you see a sign marked "car park", parking a motorhome is permitted there too. It is only prohibited if an additional sign with symbol 314 ("car parks" reserved for certain vehicles such as buses or cars) is present or your vehicle is not road legal.
Please note the following when leaving a caravan correctly: A caravan without a towing vehicle may not be parked at the roadside for longer than two weeks. Generally, parking a caravan is only allowed if it remains coupled and parking with a trailer is not prohibited by a traffic sign at the designated spot. If the caravan is coupled with a vehicle, both may be parked at the roadside with no time limit.
Tip 2: Parking on private property
If you want to leave your motorhome or caravan on the same property for an extended period of time or on a recurring basis, current case law sees this as predominantly permanent use. For planning law purposes, a caravan or motorhome is regarded as a "structural facility". For this, approval from the building authorities is required. If you intend to place your caravan or motorhome mainly in a fixed position outdoors, you always need a building permit, as this use can impact public interests (cf. § 35(2) and (3) of the German Building Code).
Tip 3: Overnight stays only to a limited extent
Spending a night to restore your ability to drive is fully legitimate. As a guide, you can plan for a period of about ten hours. Staying overnight at the same spot multiple times, however, is considered special use and requires a permit. Do not set out tables or chairs in the car park, as this is not in accordance with correct traffic behaviour and is not allowed.
Tip 4: Pay attention to special signage
Things become confusing when special signs regulate parking: for example, if parking is expressly permitted "for cars only", you are not allowed to leave your motorhome or caravan there, as these are not classed as cars by definition. If it is a lorry car park, your vehicle is included under this rule if it weighs over 3.5 tonnes.
With a caravan, you may only park where parking with a trailer is not prohibited by a traffic sign at the designated spots. Even though parking with two wheels on the pavement is common in many places, it is actually only allowed where signposted. However, even with this traffic sign, the permission only applies to vehicles with a permissible gross weight up to 2.8 tonnes, which most do not have.
Tip 5: Parking at motorway service areas
Parking at motorway service stations is even more confusing, as only car and lorry parking bays are signposted. Motorhomes or caravans with a maximum permissible gross weight of 3.5 tonnes technically have nowhere they are permitted to park correctly in these areas. The only advice is to park as compactly as possible in a car parking bay, drive on, or stop at a privately operated service area.
A tip from the expert
Thanks to innovative lightweight construction technology, the AMC-CHASSIS not only saves weight for the motorhome, but also makes finding a parking space easier thanks to its excellent suspension comfort.
