Wild camping and sleeping in your vehicle in Europe: the rules by country
Tent, motorhome, van or SUV: where you may spend the night outside a campsite, in 24 countries and regions, each checked against an official source.
Every row links the page it was checked against. Where we could not confirm a rule, it says “unclear — check locally”, never “allowed”: a wrong “yes” costs a fine of up to €14,500 in Austria. Local bans always come on top — follow the signs.
What the labels mean
- allowed, with rules
- only in marked places
- depends on the region
- only as parking
- one night to rest
- forbidden
- unclear — check locally
Austria
Tentdepends on the region
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
Set by each state: banned in Tyrol, Vienna, Carinthia and Lower Austria; elsewhere by municipality. Fines up to €14,500. Official source ↗
Croatia
Tentforbidden
In the vehicleforbidden
Camping outside campsites and designated places is forbidden (Hospitality Act art. 29). Official source ↗
Czechia
Tentforbidden
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
Forest Act §20: no camping outside designated places in forests, and no driving or parking in them. Protected areas are stricter. Official source ↗
Denmark
Tentonly in marked places
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
Free tenting only in marked state forests: 1 night, up to 2 tents, out of sight. Vehicles on marked car parks. Official source ↗
England & Wales
Tentforbidden
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
England and Wales: not without the landowner’s consent; Dartmoor commons are the exception. Official source ↗
Estonia
Tentallowed, with rules
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
Camping on private land is allowed for up to 24 h; longer needs the owner’s consent. Not in yards. Official source ↗
Finland
Tentallowed, with rules
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
Temporary tent camping where access is allowed; in national parks only at marked sites. No off-road driving. Official source ↗
France
Tentallowed, with rules
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
With the landowner’s consent; banned on the coast, in protected sites and near monuments. The mayor can ban it. Motorhomes: use aires de camping-car. Official source ↗
Germany
Tentforbidden
In the vehicleone night to rest
Wild camping is not allowed. One night in the vehicle to restore fitness to drive is tolerated — no chairs, awning or table outside. Official source ↗
Greece
Tentforbidden
In the vehicleforbidden
Free camping is strictly forbidden. ÖAMTC camping club summary ↗
Iceland
Tentunclear — check locally
In the vehicleforbidden
Campervans, caravans and tent trailers must use campsites outside towns (Act 60/2013). Official source ↗
Ireland
Tentforbidden
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
No general right to camp without the landowner’s consent. Official source ↗
Italy
Tentdepends on the region
In the vehicleonly as parking
Highway Code art. 185: parking is not camping if only the wheels touch the ground and nothing sticks out. Tents: regional rules. Official source ↗
Latvia
Tentallowed, with rules
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
State forests outside protected areas: a tent anywhere; report stays over 7 days. Official source ↗
Netherlands
Tentforbidden
In the vehicledepends on the region
Wild camping is forbidden; sleeping in a vehicle is set by each municipality’s bylaws. Official source ↗
Norway
Tentallowed, with rules
In the vehicleallowed, with rules
Tent at least 150 m from houses, up to 2 nights in one place without the landowner’s consent. Motorhome: park and sleep on the shoulder of a public road in the countryside unless signs forbid it; the same 150 m and 2 nights apply. Driving off the road into the terrain is banned by the motorferdselloven. Official source ↗
Poland
Tentonly in marked places
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
Wild camping only in the State Forests “Zanocuj w lesie” zones: up to 9 people, 2 nights. No driving into forests. Official source ↗
Portugal
Tentforbidden
In the vehicleallowed, with rules
Lei 66/2021: overnight in a vehicle up to 48 h per municipality, not in Natura 2000, protected or coastal zones. Fines €60–600. Official source ↗
Scotland
Tentallowed, with rules
In the vehicleunclear — check locally
Lightweight tent for 2–3 nights (Outdoor Access Code); vehicles are not covered. Loch Lomond zones need a permit Mar–Sep. Official source ↗
Slovenia
Tentforbidden
In the vehicleforbidden
Free camping is forbidden; municipalities fine (e.g. €500 in Gorenjska). ÖAMTC camping club summary ↗
Spain
Tentdepends on the region
In the vehicleonly as parking
A motorhome may park like any vehicle but not camp (DGT instruction PROT 2026/04); towns can restrict. Tents: regional rules. Official source ↗
Sweden
Tentallowed, with rules
In the vehicleonly as parking
A tent for a night or two (allemansrätten). Motorhomes are not covered by it — ordinary parking rules apply. Official source ↗
Switzerland
Tentdepends on the region
In the vehicledepends on the region
Cantonal and municipal rules. Above the tree line one night is generally fine; one night in a vehicle varies by canton. Official source ↗
Checked on October 30, 2026. Rules change; towns add their own bans.
Not confirmed yet
For these countries we could not confirm the rules from an official source, so we do not state them: Albania, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Romania, Slovakia. Ask locally or at the campsite.
Plan the nights, not just the drive
The free planner shows these rules at each night of your trip for an SUV or tent, and park4night spots and campsites for a motorhome or caravan.