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When it comes to sleeping inside your car in the United States, there is no nationwide ruling against such an act.
However, it is expected that you shouldn’t drive when you’re drunk, and you shouldn’t be caught behind the wheel feeling dizzy while your car engine is still on.
But, is it illegal to sleep in your car in Tennessee? YES, it is generally illegal to sleep in your car in Tennessee. But you could get a safe and legal space in some stores that allow longtime parking.
Going on a road trip across Tennessee can be fun and interesting. The state has beautiful sights on the roadsides. However, when it comes to parking overnight to catch some good sleep, TN isn’t a state to find many good spots that allow for such.
Read Also: Can You Sleep In Your Car in Florida?
Is It Illegal To Sleep In Your Car In Tennessee?
Like others such as Florida and North Carolina, the U.S. state of Tennessee does not allow overnight parking. More so, different cities in the state have stricter rules that frown against sleeping inside your car. You may be charged with FWI if you go against these rules.
In TN, there are rest stops and designated parking areas where drivers can rest for a maximum duration of three (3) hours. This is very much a short time – with North Carolina allowing up to four hours in their rest stop spots.
To make things worse, outdoor camping is not allowed in this state. If you are a car camper, you have to get into a campground and read the rules they’d provide to you.
It could get really boring trying to find a safe and legal place in Tennessee where you park to catch some sleep before continuing in your journey.
But then, there are still means of sleeping inside your car while in the state of Tennessee. The options are minimal, and to some extent, not as comfortable as you may have wished.
Read Also: Can You Sleep In Your Car in Virginia?
Where Is Safe and Legal To Sleep In Your Car In TN?
Your top choice will be to find 24-hour retail stores that allow people to park in their car lot overnight. However, you may need to inform the store’s security you’re planning to park in before going on with your plan. You should be polite when discussing with them so that you can be considered.
Interestingly, there are quite a lot of retail stores that support overnight parking across the cities of Tennessee. In contrast, if you want to get a quick (short) nap, maybe you should consider church parking lots. Well, different churches allow different parking hours.
There is practically nowhere else you can find to park and sleep inside your car without getting pulled over asides churches and some stores.
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Conclusion
Many drivers have asked, “Is it illegal to sleep in your car in Tennessee?” Generally, it is illegal to sleep in your car in TN – it doesn’t matter if the car is completely turned off or not. But, you could get a safe and legal space in some stores that allow longtime parking.
Alternatively, you can book for a hotel and crash in a comfortable suite. If you’ve got a friend residing in Tennessee, you can ask them to accommodate you.
These options mean you won’t be sleeping inside your car anyway – but inside a house or hotel suite. It may be expensive to resort to these options, but it would save you from facing a jury.