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Sleeping in a motorhome in Germany

The three legal facts are distinct: parking, sleeping inside and camping. The mistake that costs money is assuming that the second follows from the first.

Park

Park
YES, WITH LIMITS — No federal hour limit for motorhomes of up to 7.5 t MAM. Over 7.5 t MAM (or a trailer over 2 t): REGULAR parking is prohibited from 22:00 to 06:00 and on Sundays/public holidays within built-up areas, in purely residential and general residential zones, special recreation zones, spa zones and clinic zones. Trailer without towing vehicle: maximum 2 weeks (§ 12 Abs. 3b).
  • The federal criterion is WEIGHT, never length: 7.5 t GVW (motor vehicle) and 2 t (trailer). TRAP: a 3.5-7.5 t motorhome is NOT caught by the night-time ban of § 12 Abs. 3a; the ban only reaches vehicles over 7.5 t. What is forbidden is 'regelmaessiges Parken' (regular, habitual parking), not a single night. It does not apply in car parks signposted for the purpose or to scheduled buses at their terminus. On top of this come signs 314/315 with supplementary sign 1010-70 (restriction by vehicle type), which are local by-law. Sleeping inside is not forbidden by any federal rule; what is forbidden is CAMPING, and that is regulated by the law of each Land.
Strassenverkehrs-Ordnung (StVO) vom 6. Maerz 2013; Bussgeldkatalog-Verordnung (BKatV), Anlage (Bussgeldkatalog) § 12 Abs. 3a y Abs. 3b StVO (definicion de Parken en § 12 Abs. 2); BKatV Anlage lfd. Nr. 56 y 57 · verified on 2026-08-09
«(3a) Mit Kraftfahrzeugen mit einer zulaessigen Gesamtmasse ueber 7,5 t sowie mit Kraftfahrzeuganhaengern ueber 2 t zulaessiger Gesamtmasse ist innerhalb geschlossener Ortschaften 1. in reinen und allgemeinen Wohngebieten, 2. in Sondergebieten, die der Erholung dienen, 3. in Kurgebieten und 4. in Klinikgebieten das regelmaessige Parken in der Zeit von 22.00 bis 06.00 Uhr sowie an Sonn- und Feiertagen unzulaessig. Das gilt nicht auf entsprechend gekennzeichneten Parkplaetzen sowie fuer das Parken von Linienomnibussen an Endhaltestellen. (3b) Mit Kraftfahrzeuganhaengern ohne Zugfahrzeug darf nicht laenger als zwei Wochen geparkt werden.»
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Regions

The signage on site and the local authority prevail. This reproduces the written rule as at the date indicated: it is not legal advice or an authorisation.