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Louisiana rules for RV dumping and overnight stops at rest areas

A plain-English summary of what Louisiana law, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), and Louisiana State Parks say about rest-area stops, camping on public property, and where to empty your tanks. Each rule links to the official page it comes from.

Last checked Nov 2026 · Published Nov 2, 2026

This is a plain-English summary of official sources, not legal advice. Rules and signs change, so always check posted signs and ask staff when you're not sure.

Rest areas: follow posted signs

DOTD's rest area list doesn't post a statewide time limit for stays. It does list 12-hour nighttime security at every rest area. Read the signs where you stop. DOTD rest areas

No camping setups on public property

A 2026 state law bars setting up a tent, shelter, or bedding for overnight use on public property that isn't a designated campground. Fine up to $500. R.S. 14:107.6

Six rest areas list an RV dump

DOTD lists an RV dump station at six rest areas. On I-10 it's the westbound Slidell rest area at mile 270. DOTD rest areas

On this page

Stopping at Louisiana rest areas

Louisiana's rest areas are run by DOTD. Its rest area list gives parking counts and features for each one. On I-10 there are three:

  • Toomey (Vinton) Rest Area & Visitor's Center, mile 1 near the Texas line, eastbound. 16 truck and 61 car spaces, a welcome center, 24/7 security cameras, and 12-hour nighttime security.
  • Butte La Rose Rest Area (Atchafalaya Welcome Center), mile 122, both directions. 47 truck and 50 car spaces and 12-hour nighttime security.
  • Slidell I-10 Rest Area & Visitor's Center, mile 270, westbound. 34 truck and 94 car spaces, 12-hour nighttime security, video surveillance, and an RV dump station.

DOTD rest area list

DOTD's list doesn't state a time limit for stays and doesn't say overnight stays are allowed or banned. We couldn't find a statewide rest-area time limit on an official page, so we don't list one. Follow the signs posted at each rest area.

Louisiana's camping law for public property

Louisiana Revised Statute 14:107.6, added by Act 788 of 2026 and in effect since June 9, 2026, makes unauthorized camping on public property a crime.

The law defines it as intentionally using a tent, shelter, or bedding arranged for overnight use on public property that is not a designated campground. Public property means property owned or controlled by the state or a local government. R.S. 14:107.6

The penalty is a fine of up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both. R.S. 14:107.6

Rest areas are state property. The simple way to stay clear of this law: don't set up tents, awnings, chairs, or bedding outside your RV at a rest area, and use a campground when you want to camp.

RV dump stations at Louisiana rest areas

DOTD lists an RV dump station at these six rest areas:

  • I-10 Slidell Rest Area & Visitor's Center, mile 270, westbound
  • I-20 Greenwood Rest Area & Visitor's Center, mile 3, eastbound
  • I-20 Mound Rest Area & Visitor's Center, mile 184, westbound
  • I-49 Grand Prairie Rest Area, mile 34, both directions
  • I-55 Kentwood Rest Area & Visitor's Center, mile 65, southbound
  • I-59 Slidell (Pearl River) Rest Area & Visitor's Center, mile 1, southbound

DOTD rest area list DOTD doesn't list dump hours or fees, so we show those as unknown. Call ahead or check on arrival. The I-10 Vinton and Butte La Rose rest areas don't list a dump station.

Where you can empty your tanks

Louisiana's environmental law says no one may cause or allow trash, garbage, sewage, or sewage sludge to be discharged in the state in violation of the state's rules, and no one may discharge waste that pollutes the waters of the state in violation of those rules or a permit. R.S. 30:2076

The simple way to stay on the right side of this: empty your tanks only at a dump station.

Louisiana state parks

The Office of State Parks rules (Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 25, Part IX) say no one may drain or dump waste, including gray water, from any trailer or other vehicle except in places or receptacles provided for it. State Parks rules §310

You can enter a state park just to use the dump station. The rules charge general admission plus a $5 dump station fee. General admission is $3 per person per day for ages 4 to 61. Seniors 62 and up and children 3 and under get in free. State Parks rules §310 and §500

Other rules worth knowing: any overnight stay needs a written permit or payment receipt, quiet hours are 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., and camping is limited to 15 days in a row. State Parks rules §331 Fees can change, so check the park before you go.

Truck stops and travel centers

Truck stops are private businesses, so overnight parking is up to each store. On our stop pages we only say what the operator's own store page lists, like "RV parking spaces" or overnight parking. When a store page doesn't say, our listing says so. Ask inside and follow posted signs.

Parking signs everywhere else

Louisiana law says no one may park a vehicle at any place where official signs prohibit parking. R.S. 32:143 Read the signs wherever you stop.

Operator-confirmed dump stations on I-10 in Louisiana

These 5 stops have an RV dump station listed on the operator's own page, west to east. Hours and fees are often not published, so call ahead.

We also list 1 Louisiana rest area or travel information center. See them all on the I-10 route page.

Sources

We read each of these official pages in Nov 2026. If a page changes, the rule here may be out of date.

Something here out of date? Report a correction.

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