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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Boondockers Welcome only for RVers?

A: To be a guest on the site you must be traveling in a self-contained RV. NO tents, mini-vans, cars, SUVs, or pick-up trucks will be allowed to join as guests. Travel trailers, motorhomes, and truck campers are welcome. Most hosts are also RVers, but others join for a variety of reasons: They may be considering buying an RV, retired from RVing, enjoy meeting and introducing travelers to their region, have a property they enjoy sharing, enjoy hearing traveler's stories, or own a small business and, like Walmart, hope to gain a customer.

Q: What does "self-contained" mean? And why is this a requirement for guests?

A: A self-contained RV is one that is set up to allow all functions of living (sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation) to be handled completely while inside the RV. You must have a toilet with a separate waste holding tank, and a sink that is installed, and the drain connected by plumbing to a grey water holding tank. A self-composting or portable toilet is acceptable but only if it has a separate sealed-off waste tank. A removable greywater tank is also acceptable but it must be secured in place and have a watertight seal between the tank and pipe or hose connecting it to the sink. See examples at the bottom of this article of acceptable and unacceptable toilets and sinks.

Homemade or custom conversions are acceptable but must still meet the requirement of being self-contained. Buses, cargo vans, and box trailers can be converted but we will NOT accept tents, mini-vans, cars, SUVs, or pick-up trucks (RV truck campers are fine as long as they are fully self-contained). The vehicle should be able to be reassigned and registered as an RV (though the reassignment is not a requirement to be a guest).

This means it has to be designed and built for human habitation and contain facilities for safe food storage, cooking, eating, sleeping and washing so that all functions of living can happen while inside the RV. The bed or fold-out couch/table that converts to a bed must be built-in (not a mattress on the floor). There must be ventilation, lighting, and built-in cabinets to properly secure items during transit.

Q: What is boondocking, anyway?

A: Boondocking (or dry camping) refers to staying in an RV in a remote location for free without being hooked up to water, power, or sewer. Most RVers spend at least some nights parked without hook-ups, if only while traveling between destinations. Parking overnight at a truck stop, rest area, or Walmart parking lot is common. This is sometimes referred to as "blacktop boondocking."

Q: I have converted my car/pick-up truck/mini-van into an RV, can I join?

A: No, sorry. Our hosts have signed on with the expectation they'll only receive stay requests from travelers in fully self-contained RVs.

Q: Are there rules of etiquette for members?

A: Yes. They're basic common courtesy. But just to be sure there's no misunderstanding, we also require all guests to agree to a courtesy contract.

Q: Do hosts charge a fee?

A: Our hosts are not permitted to charge for parking. Free overnight RV parking (boondocking) is the whole idea of this platform. It's not intended to be an income source for hosts. They may, however, ask to be compensated for costs if a guest chooses to use any provided hookups, as long as free parking without hookups is always an option. Hosts are encouraged to include their expected compensation on their host location profile, but these must be reasonable and only cover costs.