The APV Trap
It feels like the ultimate violation of property rights: you’ve paid a fortune for your house and the land it sits on, yet the municipality decides what may or may not be there. The culprit is the General Local Ordinance (APV). Almost every Dutch municipality includes a clause specifically targeting recreational vehicles. The standard rule is well known: you may park for a maximum of three consecutive days on public roads.
What many people still don’t realize—even in 2025, and where things go wrong—is the fine print about “visibility.” In most ordinances, the parking ban applies not only to the street, but to any location visible from the road. Is your camper on your own driveway, but visible to the neighborhood officer from the sidewalk? Then legally, you’re still in violation, and your private property is effectively fair game.
