Rest Area & Overnight Truck Parking Rules
Where you can legally park and sleep overnight at a public rest area or welcome center, the posted time limit, and the penalty for overstaying. Covers all 50 states and DC. Reference only, not legal advice.
22Overnight allowed
13Time-limited
8Tolerated
8No overnight
01
The reality
You have to rest — the question is where
Federal Hours-of-Service rules force a break, but they do not create a parking space. States handle rest-area sleeping differently: most allow or tolerate overnight parking, some post a time limit, and a few prohibit it. The one rule that always wins is the posted sign at the site. Plan your break around a location that lets you stay.
02
By state
Rest area rules for all 50 states and DC
Tap a state for the full picture: whether overnight is allowed, the posted time limit, truck-parking availability, the HOS-rest allowance, and the penalty for overstaying.
| State | Overnight | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama AL | Tolerated | No posted limit statewide |
| Alaska AK | Tolerated | No statewide limit; whatever a site posts controls |
| Arizona AZ | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
| Arkansas AR | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
| California CA | Overnight allowed | 8 hours in any 24-hour period |
| Colorado CO | No overnight | No overnight parking |
| Connecticut CT | Tolerated | No posted numeric limit; unattended vehicles towed |
| Delaware DE | Tolerated | No posted limit at the I-95 Delaware Welcome Center; the Smyrna area |
| District of Columbia DC | No overnight | No rest areas exist in the District; commercial loading zones run 2 hours, daytime only; no dedicated overnight on-street truck parking |
| Florida FL | Time-limited | 10 hours for HOS-regulated CMV drivers; 3 hours for all others |
| Georgia GA | Overnight allowed | No posted limit at rest areas; Visitor Information Centers close overnight |
| Hawaii HI | No overnight | No overnight - using a vehicle for sleeping on public property is banned 6:00 p |
| Idaho ID | Time-limited | 10 hours |
| Illinois IL | Tolerated | 3 hours by rule |
| Indiana IN | Tolerated | No statewide posted limit; individual sites may post their own |
| Iowa IA | Overnight allowed | 24 hours; longer allowed for rest, poor weather, or reasonable need |
| Kansas KS | Overnight allowed | 24 hours; overnight camping permitted for one night only |
| Kentucky KY | Overnight allowed | 4 hours in any 24-hour period |
| Louisiana LA | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
| Maine ME | Time-limited | Maine Turnpike concession areas: 4 hours general, up to 12 hours for commercial vehicles to comply with HOS; MaineDOT rest areas: no posted limit |
| Maryland MD | No overnight | 3 hours at MDOT SHA rest areas |
| Massachusetts MA | Overnight allowed | No posted time limit; a vehicle left unattended over 30 minutes may be removed |
| Michigan MI | Tolerated | No statutory limit; overnight allowed unless a site is posted |
| Minnesota MN | Time-limited | 10 hours for a commercial driver complying with 49 CFR Part 395; 4 hours for other vehicles |
| Mississippi MS | Time-limited | 8 hours |
| Missouri MO | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
| Montana MT | Time-limited | 12 hours |
| Nebraska NE | Time-limited | 10 hours |
| Nevada NV | Overnight allowed | 18 hours in any 2-week period |
| New Hampshire NH | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
| New Jersey NJ | Time-limited | 2 hours posted at Turnpike/Parkway service areas |
| New Mexico NM | Time-limited | 24 hours in any 3-day period |
| New York NY | Time-limited | 10 hours |
| North Carolina NC | No overnight | No fixed NCDOT time limit; overnight |
| North Dakota ND | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
| Ohio OH | Time-limited | 3 hours if left unattended |
| Oklahoma OK | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
| Oregon OR | Overnight allowed | 12 hours in any 24-hour period |
| Pennsylvania PA | No overnight | 2 hours in any 24 at PennDOT rest areas and welcome centers; 24 hours at Pennsylvania Turnpike service plazas |
| Rhode Island RI | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
| South Carolina SC | Overnight allowed | 2 hours for passenger vehicles; no set limit for commercial trucks |
| South Dakota SD | Time-limited | 3 hours; 10 hours for a commercial driver subject to 49 CFR Part 395 |
| Tennessee TN | No overnight | 2 hours |
| Texas TX | Time-limited | 24 hours |
| Utah UT | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
| Vermont VT | Overnight allowed | No posted limit; overnight camping barred unless the site is designated for it |
| Virginia VA | No overnight | No overnight parking |
| Washington WA | Overnight allowed | 8 hours in any 24-hour period; commercial trucks may park up to 1 hour beyond a federally mandated rest period |
| West Virginia WV | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
| Wisconsin WI | Tolerated | No posted overnight limit; long-term |
| Wyoming WY | Overnight allowed | No posted limit |
Sources: state DOT rest-area policies and statutes; FHWA and Jason's Law truck-parking data. Last reviewed July 2026. Rules and posted limits change and some states vary by individual site, so read the sign before you park.
Rest Area & Truck Parking FAQ
Can truck drivers sleep at rest areas?
In most states, yes. About two-thirds of states allow or tolerate overnight parking at public rest areas so drivers can meet federal Hours-of-Service rest rules. A minority post a time limit (often 2 to 10 hours), and a few prohibit overnight parking outright. Always read the posted sign, because it controls.
Is there a time limit for parking at a rest area?
It depends on the state. Many set no posted limit and let you take a required rest break; others cap stays at 2, 3, 4, or 10 hours. Where a limit is posted, staying longer can bring a warning, a ticket, or a tow. The state page lists the limit and the penalty.
Which states prohibit overnight truck parking at rest areas?
A handful restrict or ban overnight rest-area parking, and several more allow only a short rest, not a full sleep. Because rules and posted signs change and some states differ by individual site, check the state page and the sign on the ground before you commit to parking for the night.
What is Jason's Law?
Jason's Law is a federal effort, named for a driver killed while parked at an unsafe spot, to measure and expand safe truck parking. It funds state truck-parking surveys and information systems. It does not override a state's rest-area time limits, but it is why many states now publish real-time space availability.
Can I be ticketed for resting to comply with Hours of Service?
Generally no, where overnight parking is allowed or tolerated. Many states specifically protect a driver taking a required HOS break. But in states or at sites that post a time limit or prohibit overnight parking, the posted rule still applies, so plan your break around a location that allows it.
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