Where You May Not Park
Veh. Code 22500 — the places a vehicle may not even stop, and Veh. Code 22514 — fifteen feet from a hydrant
Not even stopping. A person may not stop, park or leave standing any vehicle, attended or unattended, in any of the places the section lists, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a peace officer or official traffic control device.
- Within an intersection, except next to curbs where a local ordinance permits it.
- On a crosswalk.
- Between a safety zone and the adjacent right hand curb.
- Within 15 feet of the driveway entrance to a fire station.
- In front of a public or private driveway.
- On any part of a sidewalk, or with the body of the vehicle extending over it; lights, mirrors or required devices may extend over it up to 10 inches.
- Alongside or opposite an excavation or obstruction, where stopping would obstruct traffic.
- On the roadway side of a vehicle stopped, parked or standing at the curb or edge of a highway.
- In a tube or tunnel, or on a bridge, with the exceptions the section lists.
- In front of or on a curb cut down, lowered or built for wheelchair access to the sidewalk.
- In a part of a highway designated for the exclusive use of public transit buses.
| The place | The distance |
|---|---|
| The placeA fire hydrant | The distance15 feet |
| The placeA marked or unmarked crosswalk, on the vehicle approach side | The distance20 feet |
| The placeA crosswalk where a curb extension is present | The distance15 feet |
| The placeThe driveway entrance to a fire station | The distance15 feet |
The hydrant has exceptions. The 15 feet do not apply where the vehicle is attended by a licensed driver seated in the front seat who can immediately move it in case of necessity, where a local ordinance or resolution reduces the distance (a distance under 10 feet total along the curb is shown by signs or markings), or to a clearly marked fire department vehicle.
The crosswalk distance can change. A local authority may set a different distance by an ordinance finding it justified by established traffic safety standards, and by marking it with paint or a sign. It may also allow commercial loading in that space by ordinance and markings, and parking for bicycles or motorized scooters within 20 feet of a crosswalk.
Cities, counties and posted signs set their own parking limits on top of these, and those are not on this page. What a particular ticket means is a question for a licensed California attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Veh. Code 22500 — Stopping, standing, and parking: prohibited places
- Veh. Code 22514 — Stopping, standing, and parking: fire hydrants
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed California attorney.