Most high-demand public campgrounds use reservations, length limits and site-specific equipment rules.
Camper Rules Assistant
Build a country route and get compact allowed/do-not-assume/check cards for overnight rules, LEZ, tolls, documents and winter requirements.
United States
The United States is excellent for RV travel, but rules are fragmented by federal agency, state, county, city and private campground. Reservations and vehicle dimensions matter.
Do not assume that a roadside, trailhead or parking-lot space allows overnight sleeping. Use posted campground, public-land and local rules.
Toll roads, bridges and express lanes are state or facility based. Axles, height, weight and transponder compatibility can affect cost. The US does not have a nationwide LEZ sticker system, but states and cities can regulate parking, idling, emissions inspections and vehicle access.
Mexico
Mexico is a major overland motorhome destination, but planning depends on temporary vehicle import rules, toll-road costs, tourist road assistance, protected-area permissions and heat or hurricane-season routing.
Service density varies sharply: Baja and popular colonial or beach routes have more RV infrastructure than remote mountain, desert or jungle routes.
Use RV parks, campsites, guarded parking, private permission and official protected-area camping rather than assuming roadside or beach camping is allowed.
Mexico has a large paid-road network; toll costs can be significant for long motorhome routes and can differ by route and vehicle class. There is no simple nationwide low-emission sticker for foreign motorhomes, but city restrictions, old streets, police checkpoints and parking geometry matter.
Documents and insurance
United States
Foreign visitors may need both a home-country licence and an International Driving Permit depending on the states they visit.
- Insurance, registration and rental rules are state-specific; confirm coverage for every driver and state.
- Temporarily imported personal vehicles can trigger CBP, DOT and EPA rules; check before crossing the border.
Mexico
For foreign-plated vehicles, treat the tourist entry document, vehicle Temporary Import Permit and Mexican insurance as core trip documents.
- Temporary vehicle import is handled through Banjercito/SAT rules; cancel the permit correctly when leaving the applicable zone or country.
- Carry passport, immigration status proof, registration, title or rental permission, licence, insurance and category coverage for trailers or heavy motorhomes.