# Camping legally in Uruguay

> Mochila Oriental: Unofficial information site about where to camp, walk, enjoy the landscape and climb in Uruguay: campsites, trailheads, waterfalls, viewpoints and climbing areas. Every figure shows its source, its date and its confidence level.
> Source: https://mochilaoriental.uy/en/normativa/

What the law says, explained without reading decrees. An informative summary: it is not legal advice. Translated from Spanish; if in doubt, the Spanish page prevails. Rules reviewed on 22 Oct 2026.

## In 4 points

- **Organised or not**: An organised campsite (camping organizado) is a defined plot with facilities and registration. Everything else is non-organised camping (camping no organizado).
- **Where it is allowed**: Outside a campsite, only on land authorised by the departmental government (Intendencia) or on private land with the owner’s permission, more than 100 m from national roads.
- **Register with the police**: Non-organised camping requires registering at the nearest police station (seccional policial).
- **Public spaces**: Camping or sleeping in a public space and staying after being told to leave is an offence: 7 to 30 days of community service.

## Can I camp here?

Follow the questions from top to bottom. The first “Yes” gives you the answer.

1. Is it an authorised campsite (municipal or registered private)? Yes: **Allowed**. You can camp, following the campsite’s rules. No →
2. Is it private land? Yes: **Allowed with conditions**. You need the owner’s written permission and must register with the police. Decree 462/990 also requires authorisation from the Intendencia. No: it is public →
3. Is it land the Intendencia has authorised for camping? Yes: **Allowed**. Allowed, with police registration and more than 100 m from national roads. No →
4. Is it inside a protected area? Yes: **Only at designated sites**. Only at the sites the area designates. Elsewhere: a fine of 10 to 1,000 UR (Unidades Reajustables, an inflation-indexed unit). No →
5. **Not allowed or, at most, tolerated (tolerado)**. If you are told to leave and do not, it is an offence under the Penal Code (Código Penal), art. 368. In Colonia, San José, Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado and Rocha there is also a fine of 10 to 20 UR (Decree 584/990).

## The rules

- **Decree 451/992** (Camping regulations): Separates organised and non-organised camping. The latter only on authorised land or private land with permission, more than 100 m from national roads and with police registration (art. 9). In force · verified. [See on IMPO](https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/decretos-reglamento/451-1992)
- **Decree 462/990** (Campsites and motorhomes): On private land it requires the owner’s written permission and authorisation from the Intendencia. Motorhomes may not camp on public roads (art. 9). In force · verified. [See on IMPO](https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/decretos/462-1990)
- **Decree 584/990** (20 km coastal strip): In Colonia, San José, Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado and Rocha it bans camping or lighting fires outside authorised areas. Fine of 10 to 20 UR (art. 2). In force · verified. [See on IMPO](https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/decretos/584-1990)
- **Penal Code, art. 368** (Occupying public spaces): Camping or sleeping in a public space and staying after being told to leave: 7 to 30 days of community service. In force · verified. [See on IMPO](https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/codigo-penal/9155-1933/368)
- **Penal Code, art. 356** (Entering fenced land): Entering someone else’s fenced land against the occupant’s will: a fine of 10 to 100 UR. That is why we only list trails with permitted access. In force · verified. [See on IMPO](https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/codigo-penal/9155-1933/356)
- **Decree 52/005** (Protected areas (SNAP)): Sleeping or lighting a fire at non-designated sites on state land is a minor offence: 10 to 1,000 UR. In force · verified. [See on IMPO](https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/decretos/52-2005)
- **Decree 320/019** (Adventure tourism (climbing)): Lists climbing as adventure tourism: anyone selling climbing trips must be registered, insured and have qualified staff. It does not regulate people climbing on their own: no Uruguayan rule does. In force · verified. [See on IMPO](https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/decretos/320-2019)
- **Water Code, art. 153 · Law 18.308, art. 50** (Coastal strips): They protect the coast (250 m) and riverbanks, but they neither create nor regulate a right to camp. In force · verified. [See on IMPO](https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/codigo-aguas/14859-1978/153)
- **Decree 245/025** (Fire season): Bans open-air fires and burning nationwide from 1 Nov to 30 Apr, with three exceptions. In force · verified. [See Fire](https://mochilaoriental.uy/en/normativa/fuego/)
- **Rocha Coastal Ordinance** (Decree 12/2003, art. 9.7): Bans camping on Rocha’s sea shore. No repeal was found. Not verified. No verified link to the official text
- **Montevideo beaches** (Departmental Digest, art. D.2352): Bans fires on the beaches. We did not find the article that bans camping on them, although the press says it exists. Not verified. No verified link to the official text

## The rules contradict each other

- **Decree 451/992** (Camping regulations · art. 9): On private land, the **owner’s permission** and police registration are enough.
- **Decree 462/990** (Campsites and motorhomes · art. 9): On private land it requires the owner’s written permission **and authorisation from the Intendencia**.

Both rules are in force and it is not clear which one prevails. Meanwhile, the safe choice is to follow both: the owner’s written permission, authorisation from the Intendencia and police registration.

## National System of Protected Areas (SNAP)

General rule: inside a protected area you may only sleep or light a fire at designated sites. Elsewhere it is an offence with a fine of 10 to 1,000 UR (Decree 52/005).

- **Quebrada de los Cuervos**: Camping only at the marked sites; fires only in designated places (Departmental Decree 3/2022). (Source: Treinta y Tres departmental board)
- **Arequita (National Park)**: Fires, pets, drones and disturbing archaeological sites or geological material are banned (Decree 306/024). With no approved management plan, any exception needs prior permission from the Ministry of Environment. (Source: Ministry of Environment)
- **San Miguel (National Park)**: No campfires or fire pits outside the set places (management plan, 2021). (Source: IMPO)
- **Montes del Queguay**: Private land: trails only with a guide. (Source: National Environmental Observatory)
- **Santa Teresa (National Park)**: Camping only on pitches, registration with a 3-night minimum, fire pits 5 m from tents and trees. It is not confirmed that it belongs to the SNAP. (Source: Army Parks Service, 2025)

## By department

Which departmental rule covers camping and fire. For most we found no specific rule: national law applies.

- **Artigas** (No rule found): No departmental rule found.
- **Canelones** (Partial): Coastal Ordinance (Decree 11/017, art. 25): bans camping on beaches, fine of up to 70 UR. Decree 1002/982 sets a different fine for the same conduct.
- **Cerro Largo** (No rule found): The 2022 Digest does not cover camping or fire.
- **Colonia** (No rule found): No departmental rule; Decree 584/990 applies.
- **Durazno** (No rule found): No rule on free camping. Decree 2181/2011 protects riverside strips.
- **Flores** (No rule found): No specific rule.
- **Florida** (No rule found): No rule. There is a 2021 bill (File 1279/21) with no confirmed approval.
- **Lavalleja** (No rule found): No departmental rule. Arequita has been a National Park since 2024.
- **Maldonado** (Verified): Camps Ordinance (art. D.42) and Res. 1713/2016: bans tents on the coast and in urban areas; fine of 10 to 250 UR per day.
- **Montevideo** (Partial): Fires banned on beaches (art. D.2352, not opened). Camping on beaches: no article found.
- **Paysandú** (No rule found): No digest online; no rule found.
- **Río Negro** (No rule found): Only the Environment Ordinance (Decree 101/007), which is general in scope.
- **Rivera** (No rule found): No rule on free camping. In Parque Gran Bretaña you camp with authorisation.
- **Rocha** (Verified): Coastal Ordinance (Decree 12/2003, art. 9.7): bans camping on the sea shore. Rules of the Santa Teresa campsite.
- **Salto** (Partial): Decree 7.270/2021 (waste and burning) and Decree 7.668/2025 (coastal strip).
- **San José** (Partial): 1947 beaches decree: bans fires on the beach. The Kiyú plan declares coastal camping a “non-conforming use”.
- **Soriano** (No rule found): No rule found.
- **Tacuarembó** (No rule found): No rule found.
- **Treinta y Tres** (Verified): Departmental Decree 3/2022: public use of Quebrada de los Cuervos.

## Recommendations

- If it is not a campsite, tell the nearest police station before you camp.
- On private farmland, ask the owner for written permission.
- Camp more than 100 m from national roads.
- Between 1 Nov and 30 Apr, do not light fires outside grills or designated places.
- Check with the Intendencia or the site: rules change.

## Blind spots

- Departmental rules are rarely published online: there may be local rules we did not find.
- A “tolerated” place is not legal: authorities can tell you to leave at any time.
- The Rocha Coastal Ordinance and the Montevideo beaches article have no verified link to the official text.