Wild camping and free overnight stays in Austria

The rules of the federal states

Status, summary, source and check date – exactly as Place me applies them on the map.

Allowed: sleeping in the vehicle is expressly permitted. Tolerated: no rule of its own or only with restrictions – signage and the municipality decide. Forbidden: only on official sites.

• Burgenland

  Forbidden

  In open country it is prohibited to camp or park caravans and motorhomes outside licensed campsites. Only short-term parking on car parks is exempt.

  Source: oesterreich.gv.at – Campen im Burgenland (Bgld. Naturschutz- und Landschaftspflegegesetz), as of 6 September 2026 · www.oesterreich.gv.at

• Carinthia

  Forbidden

  In open country it is prohibited to camp or park caravans outside licensed campsites (§ 15 K-NSG 2002). Only short-term parking on parking areas is exempt.

  Source: RIS – Kärntner Naturschutzgesetz 2002, § 15, as of 6 September 2026 · www.ris.bka.gv.at

• Lower Austria

  Forbidden

  In green-land zones it is prohibited to set up or park caravans, motorhomes or mobile homes outside licensed campsites (Lower Austrian Nature Conservation Act). A breach is an administrative offence.

  Source: oesterreich.gv.at – Campen in Niederösterreich (NÖ Naturschutzgesetz), as of 6 September 2026 · www.oesterreich.gv.at

• Upper Austria

  Tolerated

  Camping outside campsites is not generally prohibited; municipalities may restrict it to certain places or ban it by ordinance. Any stay in or next to vehicles beyond a short stop counts as camping.

  Source: oesterreich.gv.at – Campen in Oberösterreich (Oö. Tourismusgesetz, Oö. Natur- und Landschaftsschutzgesetz), as of 6 September 2026 · www.oesterreich.gv.at

• Salzburg

  Tolerated

  Camping outside campsites is not prohibited in principle; the mayor may ban it where public interests are seriously affected and the municipality may permit or exclude places by ordinance (§ 13 Salzburg Campsite Act). Several municipalities ban overnight stays in motorhomes.

  Source: oesterreich.gv.at – Campen in Salzburg (Salzburger Campingplatzgesetz), as of 6 September 2026 · www.oesterreich.gv.at

• Styria

  Tolerated

  Styria has no provisions that expressly allow or prohibit camping outside campsites. Nature conservation rules, alpine pastures and municipal ordinances may restrict it.

  Source: oesterreich.gv.at – Campen in der Steiermark, as of 6 September 2026 · www.oesterreich.gv.at

• Tyrol

  Forbidden

  Camping outside campsites is prohibited (§ 3 Tyrolean Camping Act 2001), fine up to 600 euros. A stop solely to restore fitness to drive does not count as camping; municipalities may designate temporary exception areas.

  Source: RIS – Tiroler Campinggesetz 2001, § 2 lit. a und § 3, as of 6 September 2026 · www.ris.bka.gv.at

• Vorarlberg

  Tolerated

  The mayor may ban setting up tents and caravans outside campsites where public interests are grossly affected; the municipality may permit or ban places by ordinance (Vorarlberg Campsite Act). Nature conservation rules, e.g. at lakes, take precedence.

  Source: oesterreich.gv.at – Campen in Vorarlberg (Vorarlberger Campingplatzgesetz), as of 6 September 2026 · www.oesterreich.gv.at

• Vienna

  Forbidden

  Parking motorhomes, caravans or cars for residential purposes and using them for sleeping is prohibited in public places outside campsites (Vienna Camping Ordinance). A breach is an administrative offence.

  Source: oesterreich.gv.at – Campen in Wien (Kampierverordnung des Magistrats), as of 6 September 2026 · www.oesterreich.gv.at

For all other federal states we have not yet verified a rule of their own; Place me applies the national rule there.