Where to Park a Campervan Overnight in the UK: Apps, Brit Stops and the Rules

Where can you actually park a campervan overnight in the UK? The dream is waking up by a loch or a quiet beach with nobody around. The reality is often a "No overnight parking" sign! The rules are different in England, Scotland and Wales, and they change from one car park to the next. So it is no surprise that so many van lifers feel confused.

We have explored the UK in hired campervans, from the Peak District to Eryri and the Scottish Highlands, and we often sleep in our car on camping trips. Park4night is our most used app when we look for a place to sleep. In this guide I explain the rules, the best apps, how Brit Stops works and the official overnight schemes, all checked for 2026.

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Quick answer

• Is it legal? There is no general UK law against sleeping in a campervan. But you must be legally parked, follow car park signs and byelaws, and never be over the drink-drive limit while "in charge" of the vehicle.
• Best apps: Park4night (400,000+ places, free) and Searchforsites (over 15,000 UK sites) for finding spots. Brit Stops for free overnight stops at pubs, farms and other hosts.
• Brit Stops: an annual membership (£44, often discounted) for self-contained motorhomes, with more than 1,200 hosts in the UK and Ireland. You are expected to buy something from your host.
• Official schemes: Gwynedd's Arosfan sites in Wales (£16.50 a night) and the Highland Campervan and Motorhome Scheme in Scotland (£40 for 7 days).
• Where you can't stay: Dartmoor's byelaws ban overnight sleeping in vehicles, and some councils ban it in their car parks.

Is it legal to sleep in a campervan in the UK?

There is no law that makes sleeping in a campervan illegal in itself. Whether it is allowed depends on where you park and what you do there. These are the rules that matter most:

• Drink driving: under section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, it is an offence to be in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place while over the alcohol limit. This can apply even if you are just sleeping in it. So skip the pub drinks if you are sleeping in a lay-by.
• The Highway Code: at night you must not park on a road facing against the traffic unless you are in a recognised parking space (Rule 248). On roads and lay-bys with a speed limit over 30 mph, you must show parking lights (Rule 249).
• Car park rules: councils and private operators set their own rules. For example, the City of Lincoln Council has banned overnight sleeping in vehicles in its car parks since 25 November 2024. Always read the signs at the entrance.
• Motorway services: official motorway service areas must give at least two hours of free parking. After that, charges usually apply, so they are fine for a nap but not a cheap overnight stop.
• Private land: you need the landowner's permission.

Scotland

Many people think the Scottish right to roam lets you wild camp in a van. It doesn't. Scottish access rights do not include motor vehicles. Highland Council's guidance says stopping overnight in a motorhome outside a formal site is not wild camping under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

However, you can rest overnight in a formal lay-by or car park, as long as you follow these rules:

• Everything stays inside the vehicle, so no awnings, tables, chairs or cooking outside.
• You follow any parking conditions and pay any charges.
• You don't use a lay-by someone else is already in, and you avoid parking on verges.
• You never park in a passing place, which is illegal.
• You are ready to move on if asked.

Rooftop tents count as part of the vehicle, not as tents, so the same rules apply.

Dartmoor

Dartmoor is one of the few places in England where wild camping in a tent is allowed, but this does not include vehicles. The National Park's byelaws restrict overnight sleeping in vehicles, including in lay-bys and car parks. Use a campsite instead. If you want to camp on the moor, you have to backpack in with a tent. Read more in my post about wild camping on Dartmoor.

Best apps for finding overnight spots

Park4night

This is our favourite and most used app when we are looking for a place to sleep in the car. Users add spots, photos and reviews. It lists more than 400,000 places and the app is free. The paid park4night+ version adds an offline mode and itinerary search.

One honest warning. When we used Park4night on a cold night in the Brecon Beacons, most of the suggested places had a sign saying no overnight camping. So always read the latest reviews, and check the signs when you arrive.

iOverlander

We use iOverlander regularly as well. It works in a similar way, with spots added by other travellers, and it also shows some regular campsites.

Searchforsites

Searchforsites is especially strong in the UK. It lists over 51,000 places in 44 countries, including more than 15,000 in the UK. You can filter for overnight parking with or without services, pub stopovers and campsites. Joining is free, but some content is only for app subscribers.

Brit Stops: how it works

Brit Stops is a membership scheme that gives you free overnight stops with hosts like pubs, farm shops, vineyards and attractions. It started as a book, and now comes with an app.

• Price: an annual membership. The full price is £44, but it is often discounted. In November 2026 it was £35.20 with a 20% offer.
• Hosts: more than 1,200 locations in the UK and Ireland.
• Vehicles: it is designed for self-contained motorhomes. Caravans and car-and-tent set-ups are generally not suitable, though some hosts accept caravans.
• How long: stops are mainly for one night. A host may allow a second night by prior arrangement.
• Etiquette: arrive during opening hours and introduce yourself as a member. Don't put out awnings or outdoor furniture unless the host says it's OK, and leave promptly the next morning.
• Buy something: there is no minimum spend, but you are expected to support your host. Brit Stops suggests spending roughly what a basic campsite pitch would cost.

We don't have experience with Brit Stops ourselves, as it is mostly for vans with a toilet on board. But if you have a self-contained van, it is a lovely way to stay somewhere different and support local businesses.

Official overnight schemes in Wales and Scotland

Arosfan in Gwynedd, Wales

Gwynedd Council runs "Arosfan" sites, which are like French aires. They are in council car parks in four towns:

• Y Maes, Criccieth
• Y Glyn, Llanberis (handy for Yr Wyddfa)
• Cei'r Gogledd, Pwllheli
• Doc Fictoria, Caernarfon

Price: £16.50 per night, covering 4 pm to 10 am. Daytime parking is charged at the normal car park rate.

Rules: only self-contained motorhomes with an onboard toilet and water supply can stay. You can stay up to two nights in a row and you can't return within 7 days. Bays are first come, first served, and you can't book. No barbecues, outdoor tables, chairs, awnings or washing lines. Most sites have fresh water and waste disposal.

Please note that Gwynedd Council does not allow sleeping overnight in any of its other car parks. If you are visiting Eryri, see my Eryri and Wales guide for ideas.

Highland Campervan and Motorhome Scheme

In the Scottish Highlands, Highland Council runs a scheme for campervans and motorhomes. Membership costs £40 and lasts 7 days. It lets you stay at the council's designated overnight car parks and use the showers at High Life Highland leisure centres. Part of the money goes to local nature projects and improving facilities.

For more ideas, read our Scotland hiking and road trip guide and why we chose a campervan over a hotel room in Scotland.

Campsites and small club sites

Campsites are the easiest legal option, and you get toilets, showers and somewhere to empty your waste. On our 10-day campervan trip in Snowdonia with Bumble Campers we stayed at some epic campsites. On our Parklife Campers road trip in the Peak District, we didn't pay extra for electricity at our campsite. We drove enough during the day to recharge the leisure batteries.

For something quieter and cheaper, look at the clubs' small sites:

• Camping and Caravanning Club Certificated Sites: over 800 small members-only sites. Each takes up to 5 caravans or motorhomes and 10 tents, with fees from £10 per unit per night.
• Caravan and Motorhome Club Certificated Locations: members-only sites for up to five caravans, motorhomes or trailer tents.

If you are on a budget, read my tips on how to save money on UK outdoor trips.

How to park overnight responsibly

Wherever you stop, use common sense and behave responsibly. These are the rules I follow:

• Arrive late and leave early. Don't stay for days in the same place.
• Keep everything inside. No chairs, tables, awnings or cooking outside unless you are on a site that allows it.
• Empty waste properly. Use proper motorhome waste points. Highland Council asks you not to empty toilet cassettes in public toilets, as many rural ones run on small septic tanks.
• Take your rubbish with you. If a bin is full, don't leave bags next to it.
• Respect privacy. Don't park in front of houses or block gates and entrances.
• Spend money locally. Buy your groceries in village shops and have a meal at the local pub.
• Move on if asked. Always, politely.

Handy kit for sleeping in a van or car

For me, the most comfortable way to sleep in a vehicle is in total darkness. Window covers also give you privacy, so nobody can see that you are sleeping inside. These are the car camping window covers I recommend in my guide to car camping in the UK.

Without hook-up, power can be a problem. I tested our Ecoflow Delta 2 Max at home, running different appliances for hours, and I think it would be great for van life or a multi-day car camping trip. It is heavy though. Read my full Ecoflow Delta 2 Max review before you buy.

Safety: never run the engine, a barbecue or a gas stove inside your vehicle to keep warm. Exhaust fumes and burning fuel produce carbon monoxide. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm and leave a window slightly open.

FAQ

Can you sleep in a campervan anywhere in the UK?

No. There is no general law against it, but you must be legally parked and follow car park signs, local rules and byelaws. Some councils ban overnight sleeping in their car parks, and Dartmoor's byelaws ban it across the national park.

Is wild camping in a campervan legal in Scotland?

Not under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, which does not cover motor vehicles. You can rest overnight in a formal lay-by or car park if everything stays inside the vehicle, you follow posted rules and you move on if asked. Off-road parking needs the landowner's permission.

What is the best app for campervan overnight spots in the UK?

Park4night is our favourite. It is free and has more than 400,000 places across Europe. Searchforsites is good for UK stopovers, and Brit Stops is great if you have a self-contained motorhome.

How much is Brit Stops?

It is an annual membership, priced at £44 and often discounted (it was £35.20 with a 20% offer in November 2026). It covers more than 1,200 hosts in the UK and Ireland.

Can you sleep in a campervan at motorway services?

You can take a nap. Official motorway services must give at least two hours of free parking, but charges usually apply after that, and overnight parking is not free.

Are there aires in the UK?

Only a few. The best known are Gwynedd's four Arosfan sites in North Wales (£16.50 a night) and the Highland Council's designated overnight car parks for members of its campervan scheme.

Have you found a great overnight spot in the UK? Which app do you use? Let me know in the comments!