Parking Rules in Allentown, PA

Every city handles parking rules a little differently. In Allentown, Pennsylvania, there are 10 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Street Parking Limits

On-street parking in Allentown is governed by Chapter 615, Part 3 (Stopping, Standing and Parking) of the Codified Ordinances and enforced by the Allentown Parking Authority and Police, layered on top of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code (75 Pa.C.S. Chapter 33). State law sets the baseline rules for where a vehicle may legally stop, stand or park, and the city posts metered, time-limited, and permit zones by signage and Traffic Control Maps.

Key details: City Code: Chapter 615, Part 3 (Stopping, Standing & Parking). State law: 75 Pa.C.S. Sec. 3351 & 3353. Fire hydrant clearance (state): 15 feet. Driveway: No parking in front of public/private driveway. Enforcement: Allentown Parking Authority + Police.

Parking citations are issued by the Allentown Parking Authority and the Bureau of Police and paid through the APA. A vehicle that receives three tickets within one year for handicapped space, loading zone, or timed-area violations, or that reaches 'scofflaw' status for unpaid tickets, is subject to immobilization (booting) and towing. Violations of the state stopping/standing rules under 75 Pa.C.S. Sec. 3353 are summary offenses carrying a fine of not more than $50 plus costs.

RV & Boat Parking

Allentown restricts on-street parking of recreational and oversized vehicles - including buses, dual-wheel motor homes, oversized vehicles, school buses, tractor trailers, trailers, and truck campers - within residential and most non-industrial zoning districts (Chapter 660, Zoning) under Chapter 615, Part 3, Article XIV. The Allentown Parking Authority issues only short-term (24-hour, renewable) permits to load or unload a truck camper.

Key details: City Code: Ch. 615, Pt. 3, Art. XIV (Parking of Trucks and Trailers). On-street RV/camper: Prohibited in non-industrial zones. Exempt zones: I-2 Limited & I-3 General Industrial only. Truck camper permit: 24-hour load/unload, renewable once. RV definition: Chapter 660 (Zoning).

Parking a prohibited oversized or recreational vehicle on a residential street is a violation enforced by the Allentown Parking Authority and Police; vehicles are subject to ticketing, immobilization, and towing. A vehicle left in one place on any street continuously for over 72 hours is also deemed 'stored' and may be impounded as abandoned.

Compared to other cities, Allentown takes a harder line on rv & boat parking. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Overnight Parking

Allentown does not impose a blanket residential overnight on-street parking ban, but a vehicle parked in one place on a public street for more than 72 consecutive hours is treated as 'stored'/abandoned and is subject to ticketing, immobilization, and towing. Overnight enforcement otherwise follows posted street-cleaning windows, meter hours, and residential permit-parking zones.

Key details: Overnight ban: No blanket citywide ban. Stored/abandoned trigger: 72 consecutive hours in one place. Permit exemption: Does NOT waive 72-hour rule. Enforcement: Allentown Parking Authority + Police. Re-park rule: No moving within same block/side to reset limit.

A vehicle left in one place over 72 hours is subject to ticketing, booting, towing, and impoundment as abandoned/stored. Permit holders remain subject to the 72-hour rule and to street-cleaning, loading-zone, five-minute-zone, and meter restrictions.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Allentown bars heavy commercial vehicles from residential neighborhoods both on-street and on-lot. The Zoning Ordinance (Sec. 660-90.C) prohibits parking a tractor trailer, a truck with a Class 5 license or above, or any truck over 11,000 pounds GVW for more than 2 hours per day on a lot in a Neighborhood (N) zone, and Chapter 615 bars tractor trailers, trailers, buses, and oversized vehicles from on-street parking in non-industrial districts.

Key details: Zoning rule: Sec. 660-90.C (Truck Parking in N Zones). Weight threshold: Over 11,000 lbs GVW or Class 5+. On-lot limit: Max 2 hours/day in N (Neighborhood) zone. On-street rule: Ch. 615, Art. XIV - banned in non-industrial zones. Exempt zones: I-2 & I-3 Industrial.

Exceeding the 2-hour daily limit for heavy trucks on a residential (N-zone) lot is a zoning violation enforced by code enforcement, while on-street commercial-vehicle parking in a prohibited district is enforced by the Allentown Parking Authority and Police with ticketing, immobilization, and towing.

Compared to other cities, Allentown takes a harder line on commercial & oversized vehicles. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Preferential Parking Districts

Allentown designates Residential Permit Parking zones where only permit-holding residents can park past posted time limits. Permits cost $25 to start, $20 a year to renew, and each household can get just two visitor passes at a time.

Key details: Governing law: City Code §§ 615-82 to 615-93. Initial permit fee: $25. Annual renewal: $20. Visitor permit: $2, max 2 per household, 14 days. Non-CBD occupancy threshold: 70% of legal capacity.

Vehicles without a valid displayed permit that overstay the posted time limit in an RPP zone are ticketed under the general Chapter 615 stopping/standing/parking penalty schedule. A resident who fails to surrender a revoked permit on request from the Parking Authority commits a separate violation of Article XVI under § 615-92. Vehicles parked in violation remain subject to towing and impoundment costs like any other Chapter 615 parking violation.

Loading Zones

Vehicles in a marked Allentown loading zone can stay only 20 minutes without active loading, and just 5 minutes in a five-minute zone. Break the limit and it's a $35 ticket plus possible immediate towing.

Key details: Governing law: City Code § 615-56. Loading zone limit: 20 minutes without loading. Five-minute zone limit: 5 minutes. First-tier fine: $35 within 10 days. Towing: Immediate towing authorized.

A first loading-zone ticket costs $35 if paid within 10 days of the violation, rising to $45 if paid between 11 and 21 days, under § 615-58G. Unpaid tickets after 20 days carry a penalty up to $100. The vehicle can be towed immediately for the violation, and a third citation for loading-zone or handicapped-parking violations within a year triggers automatic towing under § 615-58L, with the owner bearing all towing and storage costs before the car is released.

Snow Removal Parking Rules

When the Mayor declares a snow emergency, parking is banned citywide on designated snow emergency routes until the streets clear or the Mayor lifts it. Violators are ticketed $35, rising to $50 after 10 days, and cars may be towed at owner expense.

Key details: Governing law: City Code §§ 615-33 to 615-39. Declaration window: 7 a.m.-11 p.m., any day. Takes effect: 4 hours after announcement. First-tier fine: $35 within 10 days. Snow-dumping fine: $25-$300 plus costs.

A snow-emergency or posted-removal parking ticket costs $35 if paid within 10 days, $50 if paid between 11 and 20 days, and up to $100 if unpaid after 20 days under § 615-39A. Dumping shoveled snow into the street in violation of § 615-38A carries a separate fine of not less than $25 nor more than $300 plus costs upon conviction. Towed vehicles stay impounded until the owner pays all towing and storage costs.

Abandoned Vehicles

A car left unattended and inoperable, unregistered, or on someone else's property without consent for more than 48 hours is legally abandoned under Allentown code. Police can tow it after 5 days' notice, or immediately if it's a safety hazard.

Key details: Governing law: City Code §§ 615-102 to 615-108. Abandonment threshold: 48 hours. Standard notice before removal: 5 days written notice. Safety-hazard removal: Immediate, notice within 12 hrs. Max fine: $300.

Anyone who violates Article XVIII's abandoned-vehicle rules is fined not more than $300 under § 615-108. A property owner who lets a vehicle sit abandoned on their land, or who unlawfully permits another person to abandon one there, faces the same penalty and can also be billed the towing contractor's fee if the city removes the vehicle on the owner's behalf.

Driveway Rules

In Allentown's N (neighborhood/residential) zoning districts, Zoning Ordinance § 660-91.P limits how much of a front or corner-side yard can be paved for parking and driveways: no more than 50% of that street yard area. The rule targets oversized driveway aprons and front-yard parking pads that turn residential frontages into pavement.

Key details: Coverage cap: 50% of street yard. Applies to: front and corner-side yards. Zone: N (neighborhood) Zones only. Governing section: § 660-91.P. Max penalty: $500 per day.

Exceeding the 50% front or corner-side yard coverage cap in an N Zone is a zoning violation under § 660-91.P, enforceable by the Zoning Officer under § 660-123. The Officer can order discontinuance of the illegal paved area and, if the owner does not comply, pursue a civil enforcement judgment of up to $500 per day under § 660-123.D(1), with each day of continued violation a separate offense.

EV Charging

Allentown's zoning code treats private electric vehicle charging as an accessory use permitted outright in every zone under § 660-44, letting homeowners and businesses install chargers without a special exception, while public charging stations serve nonresidential uses and can count toward the site's required off-street parking minimum.

Key details: Governing section: § 660-44, Zoning Ordinance. Private chargers: Permitted accessory use in all zones. Public chargers: Accessory to nonresidential uses only. Parking credit: Chargers count toward minimum parking spaces. Permit needed: Standard building/electrical permit, no special exception.

Installing charging equipment that blocks a sidewalk or obstructs pedestrian, bicycle, or wheelchair movement violates § 660-44.C and is enforced by the Zoning Officer under § 660-123, which authorizes an order to discontinue the illegal condition and, if uncorrected, a civil judgment of up to $500 plus court costs and the City's attorney fees, with each day counted separately.

The rules around ev charging in Allentown lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

The Bottom Line

Allentown is tougher than many cities when it comes to parking rules. Out of the 10 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Allentown, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Allentown can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.