Highway Code

Generalised parking bans for motorhomes unlawful

For a seafront promenade in Pisa, the Florence Regional Administrative Court rejected the ban on motor caravans, confined to reserved spaces. The ruling and the most important precedents

by Guglielmo Saporito

9 July 2025

2' min read

Key points

The problem
The judgment
Possible fines
Previous

2' min read

The ordinance by which the municipality orders a ban on parking motor caravans on the coast is unlawful because of the encumbrance of such vehicles in the parking spaces designated for normal cars. The Highway Code (Article 185(1) and (2)) equates motor caravans with other vehicles, so that - if there is a limit - it must be the same for everyone, car or motor caravan. Therefore, motor caravans may freely park not only in the parking spaces reserved for them, but also in the parking spaces common to other vehicles. This was recalled by the Regional Administrative Court of Florence (judgement 26 May 2025, no. 921; president Giani, extensor Ricchiuto), upholding the appeal by the National Association for the Coordination of Motorhome Owners against the resolution with which the Municipality of Pisa prohibited the parking of motor caravans on a seafront promenade.

The problem

Precisely because of their characteristics and size, motor caravans are often targeted by local authorities, especially in small tourist resorts, which can only be reached by private vehicles, with problems of overcrowding and road congestion. Bars placed at a certain height (usually 2.5 metres) or other impediments to access are not uncommon here.

The Judgment

In the case decided by the Regional Administrative Court of Florence, according to the municipality, the width of the motor caravans exceeded the standard size of a single parking space (2.55 metres). This, combined with the presence of parking spaces on both sides of the carriageway and the frequency of motor caravans in summer, would have impededthe circulation. The motor caravans would therefore only have been able to park only in the parking areas set aside for them.

But the Tar recalls the equivalence to other vehicles established by Article 185 of the Code. That is, motor caravans cannot be required to behave differently from 'normal' motor vehicles. Moreover, the same driving techniques and traffic rules apply to both categories, so that the two categories cannot be differentiated only when parking.

Possible fines

However, it should be pointed out that a penalty applicable to motor caravanners remains: it is the one provided for any vehicle parked in a manner deviating from the signs (Article 157(5)), for example, projecting beyond the strips delimiting a parking space.

Previous ones

Already on other occasions, administrative judges have protected motor caravansfrom boycotts aimed at avoiding prolonged parking. For example, with the compulsory rotation every three hours in the parking bays for motor caravans, not provided for in the bays for other motor vehicles (Tar Trento, 179/2020). Or, in the case of paid parking with increased rates (Tar Cagliari, 267/2025).

In short, it excludes the possibility for the local authority to introduce discrimination with regard to circulation, parking and parking for motor caravans: i.e. the limit must be equal for all, both for cars and motor caravans.