Selling an RV in Spokane, WA? Know the Street Rules Before You Move It
If you plan to sell an RV in Spokane, moving it onto the street to advertise it is not a useful first step. Spokane Municipal Code Section 16A.05.010 prohibits standing or parking a vehicle on a public right-of-way for the purpose of displaying it for advertising or sale. That gives Spokane owners a practical reason to evaluate the RV where it already sits before repositioning it for a private sale.
SamyRV buys RVs from owners across the U.S., with buying experience dating to 2009. Its current buying information covers common motorhome and towable RV types, including non-running units and RVs with mechanical problems or water damage. Repairs and cleaning are not required before requesting an as-is offer. For an accepted purchase, current Washington guidance includes free pickup when the RV can be safely accessed and removed.
Do Not Use the Public Right-of-Way as a Sales Display
Spokane Municipal Code Section 16A.05.010 says a vehicle may not be stood or parked on a public right-of-way for the purpose of displaying it for advertising or sale. The rule is about the reason the vehicle is being placed there, not merely how long it remains parked.
Spokane also has a separate parking rule for what it calls non-passenger vehicles. Section 16A.04.100 expressly includes motor homes, trailers of any type, and campers in that definition.
Outside the Paid Parking Zone, Section 16A.05.310 says a non-passenger vehicle may not remain on one block face for longer than 24 continuous hours for loading or unloading, unless a City-approved sign establishes a shorter period. Inside the Paid Parking Zone, the code establishes a 24-hour continuous limit for vehicles on one block face unless approved signs or a parking payment device specify a shorter limit.
The 24-hour provision does not create a 24-hour window for displaying an RV for sale. The separate sale-display prohibition still applies.
For a seller, the practical choice is to photograph, evaluate, and show the RV from an appropriate private location rather than moving it onto the public right-of-way simply to attract buyers.
Private Property Has Different Rules
Spokane’s private-property rules are more specific than a blanket statement that an RV can or cannot be stored in a driveway or yard.
Section 17C.230.145 applies to residential uses in the RA, R1, R2, RMF, RHD, and FBC CA4 zones. Within those uses, utility trailers, motorized recreation vehicles, and non-motorized accessory recreational vehicles cannot be stored within the first 20 feet from the front lot line or side street line.
That same section contains an important detail that should not be lost in summary: utility trailers and the covered recreational vehicles may be stored on unpaved surfaces.
A different rule applies when a vehicle falls within Spokane’s inoperable or unlicensed vehicle provisions. Chapter 10.63 defines an inoperable vehicle as a vehicle incapable of operating legally on a public highway, including a vehicle without a current or valid registration plate. Section 10.63.060 generally allows no more than one inoperable or unlicensed vehicle to be stored outdoors on private property and requires it to be on an all-weather surface rather than grass or dirt.
That section also lists exceptions for licensed commercial automotive repair facilities, licensed automobile dealers, and temporary private-property storage in a permissible off-street location to facilitate a pending minor repair.
So an ordinary stored recreational vehicle and a vehicle that meets Spokane’s inoperable or unlicensed definition should not automatically be treated as the same situation. Check the property’s zoning, the RV’s actual status, and the current code before moving it merely to prepare for a sale. This is a practical summary, not legal advice.
Decide Whether You Need the RV Show-Ready or Offer-Ready
Preparing an RV for a private retail buyer and preparing one for an as-is evaluation are different projects.
A show-ready RV may involve cleaning, detailing, repairs, replacement batteries or tires, polished listing photos, advertising, buyer communication, and repeated showings. That effort can make sense when the RV is desirable, usable, and you are willing to pursue a private buyer.
An offer-ready RV does not need to look like a retail listing. SamyRV’s current buying policy says owners do not need to repair or clean the RV before selling and specifically includes older or high-mileage RVs, non-running RVs, mechanical issues, and water damage or leaks.
Before spending money primarily to make the RV easier to advertise, compare the as-is option with what the private-sale path would actually require.
Gather the Information That Describes the RV Today
A useful evaluation starts with specifics rather than descriptions such as “good for its age” or “needs a little work.”
Have these details ready:
- Year, make, and model
- RV type and approximate length
- Mileage for a motorhome
- Current location
- Known mechanical, roof, water, structural, or interior problems
- Title status
- Any known lien
- Current exterior and interior photos
- Clear photos of important damage
- Tire and wheel condition
- Whether a motorhome starts
- Whether it rolls and steers
- Whether its brakes release
- For a towable, whether the hitch or pin box is accessible
- For a fifth wheel, the condition of the landing gear
- A wide view of the route from the RV toward the road
SamyRV’s current Washington page specifically asks for practical condition, ownership, mobility, and access information rather than requiring the RV to be made road-ready first.
For a motorhome, “doesn’t start” and “cannot be moved” are different statements. An engine may fail while the coach can still roll, steer, and release its brakes. For a travel trailer or fifth wheel, mobility depends more on the wheels, axles, brakes, hitch or pin box, landing gear, and available approach space. SamyRV’s non-running RV guidance makes the same distinction.
Keep the Offer Process in the Right Order
Requesting an offer is the beginning of the evaluation, not a promise that every later step has already been approved.
A careful reading of SamyRV’s current offer process is:
- Submit information about the RV.
- SamyRV reviews the details provided.
- An offer is communicated after that review.
- You decide whether to accept it. There is no obligation to do so.
- If you proceed, ownership or title questions and practical pickup access should be identified before scheduling.
- Pickup is arranged for the accepted transaction.
- SamyRV’s published process states that payment is made on pickup.
This sequence is more useful than assuming a form submission guarantees a particular offer amount, pickup date, or same-day transaction.
Photograph the Way Out, Not Just the RV
Pickup is a property-specific question. There is no factual basis for calling Spokane as a whole easy or difficult for RV removal.
A motorhome on open pavement creates a different job from a fifth wheel behind a narrow gate or an RV with locked wheels. Wide photographs help show the practical situation before transportation is arranged.
Include anything that could matter to access:
- Gates or fences
- Trees or low branches
- Overhead obstructions
- Soft or uneven ground
- Significant grades
- Parked vehicles
- Limited turning space
- Flat or damaged tires
- Locked wheels or brakes
- Insufficient working room near a hitch or pin box
If the RV is at a storage facility, campground, repair shop, or property you do not control, confirm that you have authority to release it and find out whether gate hours, facility procedures, or surrounding vehicles could affect pickup.
SamyRV’s current Washington guidance similarly asks owners to disclose access issues and provide photos of the route from the RV toward the road.
Compare the Selling Paths Fairly
Private sale
A private sale can make sense when the RV is marketable and you are willing to prepare it, advertise it, respond to buyers, arrange showings, negotiate, and handle the transaction.
In Spokane, the local difference is that the public right-of-way cannot be used to park a vehicle for the purpose of displaying it for sale. Build the private-sale plan around an appropriate private location.
Dealer trade
A dealer trade can be useful when you are replacing the RV and want to include the old unit in another transaction. Whether the trade is attractive depends on the individual RV and dealer proposal.
Direct as-is sale
A direct sale can be useful when you want to compare an offer before paying for repairs, detailing, advertising, showings, or an unnecessary move.
SamyRV’s current buying policy includes Class A, Class B, and Class C motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels, and toy haulers, including running and non-running units.
No route is automatically best. Compare the money, work, timing, and preparation required by each option.
Keep Washington Paperwork on the Washington Page
Title transfer, duplicate-title procedures, liens, state forms, license plates, and seller reporting are statewide matters rather than Spokane rules.
Have your title and lien situation available when requesting an evaluation, particularly when the title is missing, another owner appears on it, or a lender may still have an interest.
Detailed Washington paperwork belongs on the statewide SamyRV page instead of being repeated here. Use the Washington RV selling page for the state-level guidance.
A Non-Running RV Is Not Automatically a Removal-Only RV
If a motorhome does not start, that does not by itself establish that the unit should be treated as junk. Current SamyRV buying information includes non-running RVs, and its dedicated non-running RV guide explains how starting condition and physical removability can be separate issues.
If the main goal has changed from selling the RV for value to getting a severely deteriorated unit off the property, use the separate Washington junk RV removal resource. That page makes clear that free junk RV removal is evaluated and is not automatic for every RV.
Keeping those intents separate prevents a mechanically troubled but potentially sellable RV from being treated as a disposal problem too early.
Questions Spokane RV Owners Commonly Need Answered
Can I park my RV on a Spokane street with a for-sale sign?
Not if it is being parked on the public right-of-way for the purpose of displaying it for sale. Spokane Municipal Code Section 16A.05.010 prohibits that use of the public right-of-way.
The separate parking-duration rules do not override that sale-display restriction.
How long can an RV remain on a Spokane street?
The answer depends on the location and vehicle classification. Spokane defines motor homes, trailers of any type, and campers as non-passenger vehicles. Outside the Paid Parking Zone, the code limits a non-passenger vehicle to no more than 24 continuous hours for loading or unloading on one block face, unless a shorter City-approved posted limit applies. The Paid Parking Zone has its own 24-hour rule and can also have shorter posted or payment-device limits.
Do I need to repair or clean the RV before requesting an offer?
No. SamyRV’s current buying policy states that repairs and cleaning are not required before selling, and its condition scope includes non-running units, mechanical issues, and water damage or leaks.
Condition still affects the evaluation, so disclose the problems accurately rather than trying to hide them.
What if the RV is stored at a Spokane storage facility or repair shop?
Confirm release authority and access before pickup is arranged. Find out when equipment can enter, whether the facility has a release procedure, and whether other vehicles, gates, or structures block the route.
Send wide photos along with the normal condition pictures so the removal situation can be evaluated before the RV is moved.
Where should I check Washington title requirements?
Use the statewide Washington RV selling page for SamyRV’s Washington-specific guidance. Detailed title transfer, lien, duplicate-title, plate, and seller-reporting issues are state matters rather than Spokane-specific content.
Decide What Needs to Happen Before You Move the RV
Spokane gives RV owners a concrete reason to make the selling decision before moving a vehicle merely for visibility. The city prohibits using public right-of-way to display a vehicle for sale, treats motorhomes, trailers, and campers as non-passenger vehicles for its parking rules, and has separate private-property provisions that can matter depending on zoning and whether a vehicle is inoperable or unlicensed.
Start with the RV where it sits. Document what it is, what works, what does not, what ownership information you have, and whether pickup equipment can reach it. Then compare an as-is offer with the preparation, moving, advertising, and transaction work required by the other selling options.
That gives you useful information before you spend money simply to make an RV easier to display or show.
Compare an As-Is Offer Before You Move the RV
Use the condition, mobility, ownership, and access details you have gathered to request an offer, or call SamyRV to discuss the RV.