What is Overnight RV Parking all about? What does it mean?

When you're on a long trip in your RV, a trip that will take two days or more, you probably need to stop someplace to sleep overnight. You want to be rested so you can continue your trip safely in the morning. If all you need to do is stop and sleep, you don't need all the amenities that RV Parks and Campgrounds offer, and you don't need to pay for those amenities, either. Across the USA and Canada there are literally thousands of places that allow or even encourage RVers to park overnight, for one night only, for the purpose of sleeping overnight.

How is Parking different from Camping?

Camping in an RV generally includes using RV awnings, lawn furniture, BBQ grilles, and often electric, water and/or sewer hookups. Most Overnight RV Parking locations don't have RV hookups, and it's considered inappropriate to use awnings, BBQs, lawn furniture, etc. Use of levelers and slides is also discouraged in most Overnight RV Parking locations, but may be possible to use in others. In general, if your RV looks like you're camping, you're camping. If your RV looks like you've just parked it for a short time, you're parking.

A number of major RVing organizations have adopted a set of Overnight Parking Courtesy Guidelines that address this more fully.

How can I find out where I can park overnight in my RV?

After you log in, a map appears on the screen with a set of controls in the upper left hand corner, as shown below:

You can click on the search text box to type the name of the city, state, province, or any other name of the location. A drop-down list appears with matching names, simply select your desired location from the list.

The icon which looks like an magnifying glass is the search button, which takes the text entered into the "Search" box and tries to find the specified location. The search text can be a city, state, province, zip code, or coordinates.

The icon which looks like an arrow sign is a button which moves the map to be centered on your current location, if you have granted permission to use your current location.

Click on any pointer for all the details on that location. Then, you can zoom in or out on the map, or drag the map, and the search engine will rep-populate the map with new pointers. (This can take a few seconds, depending on the speed of your Internet connection.) When you click on the (i) icon in the menu bar, you can switch between "Street View", "Satellite View" and "Auto" which starts in Street View when zoomed out and switches to Satellite View when zoomed in.

You must be a current subscriber to see the map with the location information. Subscribe or renew your subscription today!

How can I find out where I'm not supposed to park?

A search of our database will show you not only places where Overnight RV Parking is allowed, but also where it isn't. Refer to the Color Key (by clicking the (i) icon in the menu bar) to interpret the colored pointers.

How does OvernightRVParking.com know about these places?

We've been compiling this information since January 2007. A lot of it comes from our subscribers, and even more of it comes from our own research. We contact stores, casinos, local and state governments, company headquarters, and others in order to be sure that the information we provide through our database is as complete, accurate and as up to date as possible. Every record in our database includes the date when the information about that location was gathered, and every detail is verified to the best of our ability, using multiple sources.

How can I access this information when I have no Internet Access?

Log into your account and click on "Files".

If you're going to be without completely without any kind of Internet access for a day or more -- meaning you have no cell phone, tablet or computer access to the Internet an no access to ANY public Wi-Fi hotspots, we can email you a PDF file which includes all of our listings for the US State or Canadian Province or Territory where you'll be at that time. These PDF files are updated once every 24 hours, which insures that they’re always within 24 hours of being as current as our online database.

Will you keep adding to your database?

In a word, yes.

We add new locations and update the information on existing locations at the rate of more than 100 database locations per week, and we’ve been doing that continuously since 2008. We started with fewer than 4000 location listings, and thought it might grow to 10,000. We passed 10,000 listings in January of 2013, and there’s no end in sight. We think it’s a never-ending job!

How can I add a new location?

Click here to add a new location

You can also access this form from the "About>New Report" menu.

For each valid report that you submit, we'll add additional time to your subscription as described below.

Adding a new location to our database isn’t supported in the mobile application at this time. We hope to add this feature in future releases.

How can I update an existing location?

When you park overnight at a location that's in our database, please send in an update. You may get time added to your subscription as described below.

First, search for the location in question. Click on the colored pointer, and the database listing for that location will open. Scroll down to the [Update Location] button, click it, and when our update form opens, fill it out & submit it. Valid updates may earn additional subscription time as described above, provided we receive your report within 60 days of the "date of report".

Every entry in our database is dated, with the date of the most recent report on that location. If everything in the listing is correct, we still want to know the date you were there, because this tells other RVers that the information is still current.

When I submit a report, how much time is added to my subscription?

IMPORTANT! Credit for new or update reports is only granted if you submit the report using the new or update forms. Credit is not given if you email us directly due to the extra processing time required.

We must receive these reports within 60 days of the "date of report," which is the date when you verified the Overnight RV Parking policy.

For each valid report that you submit, we'll add additional time to your subscription:

• For locations that are new to our database we add two weeks to your subscription.
• For updates on locations, when our last report was more than two years before, we add two weeks to your subscription.
• For updates on locations, when you provide significant new or additional information, we add two weeks.
• For updates on other locations, we add one week.
• For updates on locations where the Overnight RV Parking Policy is set by law, such as highway rest area regulations or local No Overnight Parking ordinances, we don't grant credit unless there is a significant change in the information for that location or the previous report was more than two years before.
• For reports which you submit the report more than 60 days after the "date of report," we reserve the right to use the information without granting subscription time.

Credit is applied when we process your report.

What if I find out that your information on a particular location is incorrect or incomplete?

Submit an update, as described above.

Do you cover the entire USA? What about Canada & Mexico?

We have listings in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. Our database also includes hundreds of listings in Canada. We do not cover Mexico.

How many locations do you have in my area?

Click here to see the number of locations

Our listings are updated regularly. On this page, you can see how many locations we have in each state or province. You can also scroll down to take a look at the pictures, and zoom into your area.

What do the all the icons mean?

After you log in, a map appears on the screen with a set of controls in the upper left hand corner, as shown below:

You can click on the search text box to type the name of the city, state, province, or any other name of the location. A drop-down list appears with matching names, simply select your desired location from the list.

The icon which looks like an magnifying glass is the search button, which takes the text entered into the "Search" box and tries to find the specified location. The search text can be a city, state, province, zip code, or coordinates.

The icon which looks like an arrow sign is a button which moves the map to be centered on your current location, if you have granted permission to use your current location.

The icon on the far right with the three lines is the settings menu. Select this button to see additional information such as the map's key, Frequently Asked Questions, and other information.

The icon which looks like an plus sign is a button which zooms the map in. Double clicking or using a "pinch-out" on the map will also zoom the map in.

The icon which looks like an minus sign is a button which zooms the map out. "Pinching" on the map will also zoom the map out.

You may see the blue circle above on the map. This indicates your current location. If there is a larger light blue circle around the blue circle icon, this means that your position is not accurately known and this is the error radius of your estimated position.

On the map, you will see various markers, similar to the green marker shown above. Click on the marker to see more information about that site.

What do all the colors mean?

How do I fix the error message "Error! Please grant permission to enable navigation."?

When the Overnight RV Parking application starts, all users are asked if they will allow Overnight RV Parking to use their current location. If you would like to use this feature, please click the "Allow" button:

If you are still seeing the error message, then you need to check your settings.

• iPhone App: Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services, then find the OvernightRVParking App in the list and set to "While Using the App".
• Android App: Settings -> Apps -> OvernightRVParking. Make sure Locations Services is turned On.
• Chrome: Settings -> Advanced -> Privacy and Security -> Content Settings -> Location. Make sure our website isn't on the "Blocked" list.
• Safari: Safari -> Preferences -> Websites -> Locations. Make sure our website isn't set to "Deny".
• Firefox: Tools -> Page Info -> Permissions. Make sure "Access Your Location" isn't set to "Block".
• Edge: Settings -> Privacy -> Location. Make sure "Allow apps to access your location setting" is set to "On".

Do you automatically renew my subscription?

No.

We'll let you know when it's time to renew. About a week before your subscription renewal date, we'll send you a "renewal reminder" email. You can then log in and renew your subscription.

We don't keep your credit or debit card information on file. If we did, that information could become a target for hackers, and with changes in card numbers and expiration dates, many automated renewal payments wouldn't go through anyway.

How can I renew my subscription?

Log into the website at OvernightRVParking.com, and click on Account to renew your subscription.

We do not offer renewals through the App.

We'll let you know when it's time to renew. About a week before your subscription renewal date, we'll send you a "renewal reminder" email. You can then log in and renew your subscription.

How can I subscribe?

In any web browser, go to OvernightRVParking.com, and click on [Subscribe]. On small screens, you may have to first click the "bars" icon in the top right corner: ☰

You may purchase the subscription through the App Store by downloading the app and clicking [Subscribe].

Payment is made through Paypal on the website, which accepts credit cards and does not require an account. Payment is made through Apple "In App Purchases" using the App and requires an iTunes account. We recommend paying at OvernightRVParking.com, because PayPal is far easier to deal with than Apple if there are difficulties with a payment.

Thank you for considering our service!

What is your “Refer-A-Friend” program?

Our “Refer-A-Friend” program rewards our subscribers for telling other RVers about us. If you were referred to OvernightRVParking.com by a current active subscriber, and you told us that they referred you to our site, we rewarded them for the referral by giving them an extra free month on their subscription.

Similarly, if you’re subscriber to OvernightRVParking.com and you refer other RVers to us, and if they subscribe and tell us that you referred them, you will get an extra free month.

How can I change my email address used to log in?

We always recommend that you use your primary email address to log in. If you need to change your log-in address, that's something that we need to do for you.

Here’s what to do:

Email info@overnightrvparking.com and say that you need to change your log-in address. Include the following:

• Your name
• The email address you currently use to log in
• The new email address you want to use

We'll make the change for you. This process also requires that we assign you a new temporary password (which you'll be able to change). We'll email a confirmation of this change to your new email address, and we'll include instructions on how to change your password.

Still need help?

If this advice doesn't work, please let us know! Fill out the Contact Us form and tell us:

• What device you’re using – desktop, laptop, tablet, cell phone, or something else?
• What operating system you’re using – Windows (& which version), Apple iOS (& which version), Android, etc…
• Which internet browser you’re using – Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.
• A screenshot of the screen that doesn’t look right (this is really helpful!) - you may have to email this directly, send to info@overnightrvparking.com