RECREATIONAL CAMPGROUNDS AND CAMPING PARKS

RSA tit. XIX, ch. 216-I

in effect

RSA 216-I:1 Definition.

216-I:1. Definition. In this chapter: I. "Approved disposal system" means a system: (a) Constructed prior to July 1, 1967; or (b) Constructed in accordance with plans submitted to and approved by: (1) The former New Hampshire water supply and pollution control commission; or (2) The department of environmental services. II. "Campsite" means a parcel of land in a recreational campground or camping park rented for the placement of a tent, recreational vehicle, or a recreational camping cabin for the overnight use of its occupants. III. "Campground owner" means the owner or operator of a recreational campground or camping park, or their agents. IV. "Dependent vehicle" means a recreational vehicle which does not have toilet and lavatory facilities. V. "Individual sewage disposal system" means any sewage disposal or treatment system, other than a municipally-owned and operated system, which receives either sewage or other wastes, or both. VI. "Portable sanitary service vehicle" means a vehicle used to transport septage or waste water from a recreational vehicle to a sanitary station. VII. "Recreational campground or camping park" means a parcel of land on which 2 or more campsites are occupied or are intended for temporary occupancy for recreational dwelling purposes only, and not for permanent year-round residency, excluding recreation camps as defined in RSA 170-E:55, I. VII-a. "Recreational camping cabin" means a structure on a campsite, 400 square feet or less, calculated by taking the measurements of the exterior of the cabin, including all siding, corner trim, molding and area enclosed by windows, but not the roof or porch overhang, or log overhang at corners. It shall be designed not for use as a permanent dwelling but as a temporary dwelling for recreational camping and vacation use. VIII. "Recreational vehicle" means any of the following vehicles: (a) Motorhome or van, which is a portable, temporary dwelling to be used for travel, recreation and vacation, constructed as an integral part of a self-propelled vehicle. (b) Pickup camper, which is a structure designed to be mounted on a truck chassis for use as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreation, and vacation. (c) Recreational trailer, which is a vehicular, portable structure built on a single chassis, 400 square feet or less when measured at the largest exterior horizontal projections, calculated by taking the measurements of the exterior of the recreational trailer including all siding, corner trim, molding, storage space and area enclosed by windows but not the roof overhang. It shall be designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as a temporary dwelling for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use. (d) Tent trailer, which is a canvas or synthetic fiber folding structure, mounted on wheels and designed for travel, recreation, and vacation purposes. IX. "Sanitary station" means an approved facility used for accepting and disposing of wastes from recreational vehicle holding tanks, portable recreation toilets, or portable sanitary service vehicles. X. "Tent" means a portable canvas or synthetic fiber structure used as a temporary dwelling for vacation or recreation purposes. Source. 1989, 343:1. 1996, 228:108. 2000, 130:1-3. 2001, 49:1, eff. Aug. 10, 2001. 2019, 346:137, eff. Jan. 1, 2020.

RSA 216-I:2 Density Requirement.

216-I:2. Density Requirement. A minimum of 600 square feet shall be provided for each tent site and a minimum of 1,000 square feet shall be provided for each recreational vehicle and recreational camping cabin campsite, with or without connections to an approved sewage disposal system. Source. 1989, 343:1. 2000, 130:4, eff. May 8, 2000.

RSA 216-I:3 Water Supply.

216-I:3. Water Supply. An accessible, adequate, safe and potable supply of water shall be provided in each recreational campground or camping park. Where a public supply of water of sufficient quantity, quality, and pressure is available, connection shall be made to the supply and that supply shall be used exclusively. When a satisfactory public water supply is not available, a private water supply system may be used if approved by the department of environmental services. Source. 1989, 343:1. 1996, 228:108, eff. July 1, 1996.

RSA 216-I:4 Disposal System.

216-I:4. Disposal System. I. An approved disposal system shall be provided in all recreational campgrounds or camping parks. II. Septage or waste water shall be discharged from recreational vehicles or portable recreational toilets into portable sanitary service vehicles, individual sewage disposal system connections, or sanitary stations. III. Flush toilets or other approved toilet facilities, such as self-composting toilets or incinerating toilets, shall be provided in all recreational campgrounds or camping parks. IV. The storage, collection, and disposal of refuse in recreational campgrounds or camping parks shall be conducted in a manner that will prevent health hazards, rodent harborage, insect breeding, accident or fire hazards. V. A sanitary station shall be provided for disposal of waste from recreational vehicle holding tanks, portable recreational toilets and portable sanitary service vehicles. This requirement shall not apply to those recreational campgrounds or camping parks that have individual sewage connections to every campsite. Existing recreational campgrounds or camping parks which do not comply with this paragraph shall comply within 5 years of the effective date of this paragraph. VI. A recreational camping cabin which has water plumbed to it shall have a connection to an approved sewage disposal system. Source. 1989, 343:1. 2000, 130:5, eff. May 8, 2000. 2011, 52:1, eff. July 8, 2011.

RSA 216-I:5 Registration.

216-I:5. Registration. All persons upon entering a recreational campground or camping park shall register with the appropriate authorities. All recreational campground or camping park owners or operators or their agents shall upon the registration of each camper or camper's guest cause an entry to be made on a registration book or card system which shall record the campers' or camper's guests' agreed-upon departure time and date. No camper or camper's guest shall, without the consent of the campground or camping park owner or operator or his agent, remain on a campsite beyond the departure time and date so recorded at registration. Source. 1989, 343:1, eff. June 2, 1989.

RSA 216-I:6 Eviction and Remedial Action.

216-I:6. Eviction and Remedial Action. I. All recreational campground or camping park owners or operators or their agents may remove or cause to be removed from such recreational campground or camping park any person remaining in a recreational campground or camping park in violation of this chapter by notifying such person that the establishment no longer desires to entertain him and requesting that he immediately leave. Any person who remains or attempts to remain after being so requested to leave shall be guilty of a violation. II. All recreational campground or camping park owners or operators or their agents may remove, or cause to be removed by a law enforcement officer of this state, any person refusing to pay registration or visitors' fees, any person who willfully denies other persons their right to quiet enjoyment of their recreational use of such facilities, or any person who violates any local or state law. The right to remove or cause to be removed shall arise after the recreational campground or camping park owner or operator, or their agent, makes a reasonable attempt to verbally warn the person to cease and desist the breach of quiet enjoyment or violation of local or state law. Following eviction, said person may make written request to the owner or operator or their agent of such recreational campground or camping park within 30 days for the refund of the unused portion of his prepaid campsite rental or visitor fee. Upon such a request, such owner or operator shall refund such unused portion of the fees, less any amount deducted to pay for damages. III. Any law enforcement officer of this state, upon request of a recreational campground or camping park owner or operator or their agent, shall place under arrest and take into custody any person who violates this section in the presence of the officer. Upon arrest, the person shall be deemed to have abandoned his right of use of the recreational campground or camping park and the owner or operator or their agent may then make such campsite available to other persons. The owner or operator or their agent of a recreational campground or camping park shall employ all reasonable means to protect any personal property left in storage at the recreational campground or camping park. Source. 1989, 343:1, eff. June 2, 1989.

RSA 216-I:7 Storage of Property.

216-I:7. Storage of Property. Any property left in a recreational campground or camping park after check-out time or eviction pursuant to RSA 216-I:6 shall be considered abandoned. Such abandoned property may then be moved off the campsite and placed in storage. Any owner or operator or their agent of a recreational campground or camping park shall have a lien upon such property, so long as it shall remain in their possession, for proper charges due them for the storage and care of the property. Source. 1989, 343:1, eff. June 2, 1989.

RSA 216-I:8 Notice and Sale.

216-I:8. Notice and Sale. If any of the charges referred to in RSA 216-I:7 shall remain unpaid for 60 days, the lien holder may sell such property at public sale. The proceeds, after first paying the expense of sale, shall be applied in payment of the storage charges, and the balance, if any, shall be paid to the owner of the property or the person entitled to such balance. Notice of such sale shall be given and record made as provided in RSA 444. Source. 1989, 343:1, eff. June 2, 1989.

RSA 216-I:9 Fireplaces and Fires.

216-I:9. Fireplaces and Fires. I. All fireplaces in recreational campgrounds or camping parks shall be on an area cleaned to mineral soil at least 8 feet across. Where fires are built on the ground, there shall be at least 6 inches of sand or gravel under the fire. II. All tree limbs or other burnable material within a height of 10 feet above the fireplace area shall be removed. III. Fireplaces shall not be moved. IV. Fire shall not be kindled except in fireplaces provided by recreational campgrounds or camping parks. V. Recreational campground or camping park owners or operators or their agents shall obtain a fire permit as required pursuant to RSA 227-L. Source. 1989, 343:1. 1995, 299:11, eff. Jan. 1, 1996.

RSA 216-I:10 Liability.

216-I:10. Liability. Any person who through his negligence causes a fire to damage a recreational campground or camping park or adjacent lands shall be liable to reimburse the owner or operator or their agent of a recreational campground or camping park for all damages and costs incurred in attending or extinguishing such fire. Source. 1989, 343:1, eff. June 2, 1989.

RSA 216-I:11 Penalty.

216-I:11. Penalty. Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a violation. Source. 1989, 343:1, eff. June 2, 1989.

RSA 216-I:12 Manufactured Housing Exempted.

216-I:12. Manufactured Housing Exempted. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to apply to "manufactured housing" as defined in RSA 205-A:1. Source. 1989, 343:1, eff. June 2, 1989.

RSA 216-I:13 Partial Exception for Certain Uses of Recreational Vehicles.

216-I:13. Partial Exception for Certain Uses of Recreational Vehicles. Except as provided in RSA 216-I:4, II, this chapter shall not apply to the occasional commercial or noncommercial use of recreational vehicles on parcels of lands if the parcels are used for not more than 7 days in any calendar year; however, the owner of the land or the party responsible for the land shall file a statement of compliance with the governing body for the municipality in which the parcel is located, stating the method of compliance with RSA 216-I:4, II, within 7 days prior to the commencement of each use. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or modify the authority of local municipalities to enforce local regulations and ordinances relative to zoning and health and safety. Source. 1989, 343:1, eff. June 2, 1989.

RSA 216-I:14 Exception for Agricultural Fairs.

216-I:14. Exception for Agricultural Fairs. Except as provided in RSA 216-I:4, II, this chapter shall not apply to recreational vehicles used in conjunction with events or fairs sponsored by any member of the New Hampshire Fairs Association. However, the person responsible for the operation of the events or fairs at the fairground shall file a statement of compliance with the governing body for the municipality in which the fairground is located, stating the method of compliance with RSA 216-I:4, II within 7 days prior to the commencement of each event. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or modify authority of local municipalities to enforce local regulations and ordinances relative to zoning and health and safety. Source. 1989, 343:1, eff. June 2, 1989.

RSA 216-I:15 Exception for Motorsport Events.

216-I:15. Exception for Motorsport Events. I. Except as provided in RSA 216-I:4, II, this chapter shall not apply to recreational vehicles used in conjunction with scheduled racing events held at motorsport facilities. II. This exception shall apply to: (a) Motorsport facilities with permanent seating capacity greater than 40,000 seats. (b) Property that is used for the parking of vehicles at the motorsport facility, or contiguous land used for vehicle parking and under the control of the motorsport facility. Source. 1996, 220:1, eff. June 10, 1996.

Source: New Hampshire General Court (gc.nh.gov)URL: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/NHTOC/NHTOC-XIX-216-I.htmFetched: 10/20/2026