Pitches, parking lots, wild camping – where is it permitted to stay overnight in a roof tent and where is it not?
It is not only in Austria that many a mountain lake entices you to simply stop on the shore and sleep there. In Germany, agricultural paths between vineyards or even a parking lot in the dunes tempt you to simply stop with a roof tent on the roof of your car. But is that allowed? And what about motorhome pitches? Are rooftop tent travelers welcome here?
This overview provides you with the most important information on where it is possible to spend the night in a roof tent – and where it is prohibited.
Camping Ratgeber:
Spend the night in parking lots with the roof tent
As you are always traveling with a car with your roof tent, one of the first regulations to be observed in Germany is the StVO.
Because no matter where and how you are traveling with a roof tent, you are always taking part in road traffic.
Even if you have parked your vehicle and folded up the roof tent.
Because then you are part of stationary traffic, which includes all parked, stopped and inactive vehicles on public roads.
As far as spending the night is concerned, the StVO allows you to rest in your car, camper or roof tent in order to continue your journey afterwards.
So if you sleep in a roof tent for a night to get fit again for the onward journey, you are allowed to spend the night in a parking lot.
Are you still parking or already camping?
What is not allowed, however, is camping or living in a public parking lot. So as soon as you set up a table and chair in front of your car, fire up the barbecue or hang up the hammock, you are camping. Even spending several nights in a parking lot no longer serves the sole purpose of restoring your fitness to drive. And that is not allowed.
Please note: If you have a pop-up roof tent on your car, you must of course make sure that you do not obstruct moving traffic or cross any relevant road markings with the roof tent unfolded. However, this is usually not a problem in natural parking areas, such as gravel parking lots for hikers.
Sleeping place with sea view: Spend the night on the beach
Naturally, nature reserves of any kind are taboo. Bird or landscape conservation areas should also not be entered or used for an overnight stay. The following also applies: wild camping, i.e. camping outside designated camping areas, is not permitted in Germany.
But there is another obstacle to spending the night directly on the beach: Only very few beaches are open to vehicles. In Germany, there is one stretch of beach in St. Peter-Ording where this is permitted. In New Zealand, the 90-Mile Beach can be accessed with your own 4×4 vehicle. There are also car beaches in Denmark and the Netherlands. But the list of beaches where you can park your car is hardly much longer.
If you fancy driving directly onto the sand and staying there, you should find out exactly what to do beforehand.
But then a car beach offers a unique experience, especially for kitesurfers and wave lovers.
Forest and pastures: Overnight stays on forest and agricultural roads
As always, the same applies here: Campers have no business camping in areas designated as protected for animals and the countryside.
But even on private land, such as agricultural pastures or gardens, you should not pitch up in Germany without prior consultation with the owner.
No matter how large and extensive the area is in which you want to camp.
Forests are also subject to the State Forestry Act and may not simply be driven through one way or another.
It is also not permitted to park vehicles of any kind in forests outside of designated parking areas.
Anyone who still parks in the forest risks a hefty fine of up to 25,000 euros.
These rules serve to protect the forest and are intended to prevent unauthorized driving in the forest from causing damage to fauna and flora and, in the worst case, starting forest fires.
Stopover at the motorhome site: roof tents welcome?
As a rule, only motorhomes are permitted on public motorhome sites.
Even caravans are usually not allowed to park here.
In addition, only self-sufficient campers are permitted on many motorhome pitches, i.e. campers that have a toilet and fresh and waste water tanks.
So unless you have mounted your roof tent on a self-sufficient camper, these pitches are already out of the question for you.
The situation is different on private pitches.
Here, the operator sets their own rules and can allow other campers and vehicles in addition to the classic motorhome.
You can find out whether you are allowed to pitch a roof tent on a private pitch on the site’s website, for example, or simply give them a call.
The decisive factor will often be whether sanitary facilities such as a washroom and toilet are available.
It is often worth checking in advance whether you can use a private pitch at your destination.
Some are beautifully situated on old farms, at the edge of the forest or next to fragrant orchards.
There are even pitches at airfields.
Is a roof tent a tent? Sleeping in tents
Let’s keep it short and sweet: a roof tent is usually mounted on a vehicle.
However, tent pitches are not intended for vehicles.
Accordingly, you are not allowed to sleep in a tent field with your roof tent.
Even if it is a tent.
Spending the night in a roof tent: Countries where wild camping is permitted
Wild camping or free standing – the dream of many nature lovers and campers! But in many countries, including Germany, this is not permitted. So if you want to go wild camping, it’s best to head to the north of Europe. Because wild camping is permitted in many places in Finland, Norway and Sweden. Wild camping is also permitted in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Scotland.
However, rules of conduct for wild camping also apply in these countries. Watch out! The frequently cited Everyman’s Right in Scandinavia only applies to hikers and cyclists. Different rules apply to campers, vans and the like. Nevertheless, even with a roof tent and car, you enjoy great freedom in the Nordic countries when it comes to wild camping – as long as you limit yourself to (forest) roads and parking lots, do not damage nature or disturb landowners.
Rules for wild campers
What is definitely not permitted, however, is camping on agricultural land, and staying longer than one or two nights is not allowed. In addition, you must always keep a reasonable distance from residential buildings, leave no garbage behind and not break anything. You should also refrain from making noise or disturbing the wildlife. Consideration is the top priority, especially with so much freedom allowed!
In all countries where wild camping is generally permitted, the following also applies: Nature reserves are also taboo here. You should always find out in advance about other important rules of conduct, such as those in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. There are often time-limited restrictions that must be adhered to.
Conclusion: The rules surrounding wild camping are very different and often confusing. Whenever you want to spend the night in your rooftop tent outside of official campsites, you should find out exactly what the rules are.
