Can you sleep in your car at rest stops? Here’s what Florida law says

With hundreds of miles of highways spanning the Sunshine State, it can be a long drive for those traveling by car.

And with over 60 rest areas across the state, along with eight turnpike plazas and four welcome centers, it might be tempting to catch a few winks on longer routes.

But News4JAX sister station WKMG in Orlando wanted to know: Are you actually allowed to do that?

What the law says

Nearly every rest area in Florida is open 24 hours a day, making them a great spot to take a nap.

However, Florida Administrative Code only allows drivers to park for up to three hours. As such, drivers might be able to take a short snooze, but it’s no substitute for a full night’s sleep.

For commercial drivers, though, that figure is hiked up to 10 hours, which can help with their often longer drives.

Either way, FDOT officials assure residents that Florida’s rest areas feature overnight security, so drivers can feel safer if they decide to use these spots to drift off for a bit.

That being said, picnic areas at these rest stops are not open at night, so you’ll be limited to other activities during this time.