Am I allowed to wild camp in Sweden?
Yes — the right of public access (allemansrätten) lets you pitch a tent for a night or two on most undeveloped land without asking anyone. The core rule is "don't disturb, don't destroy". You can stay one or two nights in the same spot; longer needs the landowner's permission, and so do large groups and many tents. Stay outside the hemfridszon around dwellings — the law gives no exact metre, but out of sight of the house is a good rule of thumb. The trap is that the right does not apply everywhere: gardens, fields and plantings are excluded, national parks and reserves have their own stricter rules, and Stockholm bans camping in parks. Light a fire only without fire risk and never during a fire ban.
📋 The rules
- Camp for a night or two in the same spot
- Core rule: don't disturb, don't destroy
- Keep your distance from dwellings (the hemfridszon)
- Large groups / many tents need the landowner's permission
- Fire only without fire risk — never during a fire ban
🔓 Exceptions
- National parks and nature reserves have their own, often stricter rules
- Not on a garden plot, field or planting
- Stockholm and other municipalities ban camping in parks via local bylaws
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Camping on someone's garden plot can be judged as trespass, with fines or up to 1 year in prison — being inside the hemfridszon is enough. Damaging ground, trees or vegetation is åverkan: fines plus damages payable to the landowner for what you destroyed. Driving a car or campervan off-road to reach your pitch is banned under the Off-road Driving Act and is fined, even where the camping itself would have been fine. Lighting a fire during a fire ban breaches the ban, and you can also be liable in damages for whatever the fire destroys.
📎 Official sources
- Swedish EPA · Right of public access →
- Swedish EPA · Camping and fires →
- Off-road Driving Act (1975:1313) · Riksdagen →
❓ Frequently asked
How long can I camp in one spot?
A night or two in the same place — the right of public access covers a short stay, not a season. To stay longer you must ask the landowner, and the same applies if you are a large group or pitching several tents at once.
How close to a house can I camp?
Outside the hemfridszon. The law gives no exact metre, but a good rule is to camp out of sight of the house — a tent close enough to be seen from the kitchen window can be judged as trespass.
Can I light a fire?
Only when there is no fire risk, and never during a fire ban. Never light one directly on bare rock or moss either: the rock cracks and moss can smoulder on beneath the surface, and the damage counts as åverkan.
Does the right of public access apply in national parks?
Only partly. National parks and nature reserves have their own, often stricter bylaws with designated pitches or an outright camping ban, so read the signs or the park's rules before you pitch.
Can I camp with a campervan off-road?
No. The Off-road Driving Act bans driving a motor vehicle off-road, so you cannot drive out into nature to camp. You can park the vehicle legally by the road and carry your kit the last stretch.
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