Can you sleep in your car while parked in a Fort Worth neighborhood? Here’s the law?
Many Texans are facing financial hardship with housing costs soaring, leaving some to consider living or sleeping in their car. But is that legal?
That’s exactly the question a user posed on the Reddit Plano thread: “I’m in between places currently and don’t feel like spending money on a hotel or AirBnB. Everything I own fits in my car right now and so I just need a safe place to sleep in my car at night. Is this illegal or even a good idea?”
Commenters were quick to respond, offering up Walmart and gym parking lots as places to park and sleep. But commenters did caution the poster about the relative safety of sleeping in a car.
The average cost to rent in the U.S. is $2,052, a 3.3% increase compared to this time last year, according to NerdWallet. However, rental costs have seen a slight decrease in price from June to July and into August.
Here’s what we know about sleeping in your vehicle in Texas:
Is it legal to sleep in your car overnight in Texas?
Yes, there are no laws against Texans sleeping in their cars.
Best practices for people sleeping in their car is to not have any alcohol or drugs in the vehicle, as the police could charge the person with a DUI or DWI, according to My Vehicle Talk. Make sure the key is out of the ignition and sleep in the back seat.
Drivers will also need to turn off all lights and the engine, as they could be a disturbance to those who live in the area.
Where are the best places to sleep in your car in Texas?
At the top of the list are Texas-ran rest areas. Texas has rest areas located along most major highways and interstates across the state. These rest area have restrooms, free WiFi, play areas for kids, security and a large parking lot. But Texans can only stay in these rest areas for 24 hours before it violates the law under Texas Transportation code section 545.411.
Most Walmart’s allow drivers to camp out in their parking lots, but its a good idea to call ahead to make sure its okay with the store. The same rules apply for parking in their lots: turn off any lights and keep the noise down to a minimum, according to Outdoorsy.
Hospital and gym parking lots may allow you to stay in their lots overnight, but its a good idea to ask for permission as well.
Where are the worst places to sleep in your car overnight in Texas?
Pretty much any type of private property, as the owner could easily call the police and charge you with trespassing or other crimes.
Texas has a surplus of Buc-ee’s gas station locations across the state, but think twice about staying in their parking lots.
“In our efforts to maintain a safe and secure environment for all of our customers, we cannot accommodate vehicles for an extended amount of time in our lots,” the website statement reads.
Is it legal to sleep in your car in a neighborhood in Texas?
Yes, as long as you stay off private property.
The road in front of someone’s house is public property, meaning that anyone can park there as long as they don’t block the driveway. It’s illegal in Texas for someone to block a driveway, including the owner of the property.
If you are to park and sleep overnight in a neighborhood, make sure to turn off the vehicle’s lights and engine to not disturb anyone, according to My Vehicle Talk. Neighbors could call the police on you for making noise, and asking you to move your vehicle from the neighborhood.
You only have a 24-hour window to stay parked at any one spot in Texas, after that you will need to move your car.
Is it safe to sleep in your car overnight?
It all depends on where you park.
Just because you have permission to sleep in your car on private property or in a sanctioned area, doesn’t always mean its safe. People could break-in or cause outside damage to the vehicle.
DubLabs recommends overnight drivers park in an area with the following attributes:
Well-lit
Level ground
Out of the way of passing traffic
Free from debris
