Can You Legally Live In Your RV Year-Round in Maine?

This is becoming an often-asked question on social media.

Buying a house in the current market, or even renting for that matter, seems a little more impossible everyday, for too many folks. Maine's real estate and rental markets, while they look good on paper, are becoming unattainable for people who've lived here their whole lives.

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More and more on social media, I'm seeing posts from people who've chosen to forgo houses and apartments, and have chosen to live year-round in an RV instead. I personally know of at least two people in my circle of friends who've made this life choice. One because it sounded fun, and the other because they had no choice.

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But is it legal to live year round in RV?

This is one of those yes and possibly no, situations. While there's no specific state law about where you can and can't park an RV, even temporarily, there are often local laws in towns that have more rigid rules about it. For instance, in Portland you can't park an RV on the street for more than 24 hours in one spot.

This would make it impossible to try and make a go of it there. Other people bounce to Walmart parking lots as safe havens for RV's. Even that was under fire a few years ago. A state rep once proposed making it illegal in Maine, to park overnight in commercial areas, like Walmart. That rep dropped their bid, and the whole idea never came to be.

It's a creative, if not kinda sad, solution to Maine's housing shortages.

I'm not sure the concept of a shortage is really up for debate. People sometimes argue that real estate is booming. But that doesn't necessarily translate to a lot of new houses. Many are built immediately into short-term rentals to accommodate tourists coming into Maine, leaving a lot of Mainers struggling to find permanent housing.

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So yes, in general, it's legal to live in your RV. But again, you're going to want to check where you intend to park it. 5 years ago, this wasn't the case. I'm not saying everyone had stable housing, but there weren't tenants being kicked out every other year so landlords could jack the rent to whatever they want. what's happening now, is nuts.