Parking Rules in Lakewood, NJ

If you live in Lakewood or are thinking about moving there, parking rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Lakewood has 8 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of parking rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Street Parking Limits

Lakewood Township enforces its own street-by-street no-stopping and time-limit schedules on top of New Jersey's statewide standing rules under N.J.S.A. 39:4-138, which bars parking in front of driveways and other locations. Violations bring fines up to $50, and vehicles blocking a driveway can be towed at a flat $150 rate.

Key details: State standard incorporated: N.J.S.A. 39:4-138. Emergency no-parking authority: Chief of Police, § 11-7.2. Standard fine: Up to $50 or 15 days. Towing fee for blocking driveway: $150 flat rate. Sunday/holiday exception: Applies unless street is asterisked.

Under § 11-4, a violation of Chapter 11's parking and stopping provisions is punishable by a fine of up to $50 or imprisonment for up to 15 days, or both, unless a different penalty is specifically set by state statute or elsewhere in the chapter. A vehicle parked in violation, including one blocking a driveway, may be towed under § 4-6.11 at a flat $150 rate for an unregistered/impound-eligible tow picked up within 48 hours, on top of any court fine.

Loading Zones

Lakewood Township, Ocean County, New Jersey designates specific curb locations as Loading Zones/Unloading Zones under Code § 11-25, and parking there is limited strictly to active loading or unloading of goods during the posted hours. Every zone must be at least 50 feet long, and several carry a hard 15-minute time cap for commercial vehicles.

Key details: Governing section: Township Code § 11-25. Minimum zone length: 50 feet, all zones. Time limit (select zones): 15 minutes for loading/unloading. Construction-only zones: Separate schedule, § 11-25.1. Enforcement: Lakewood Township Police Department.

Parking a non-loading vehicle in a marked Loading Zone during its posted hours, or exceeding a zone's stated time limit (15 minutes where specified), is a parking violation enforceable by the Lakewood Township Police Department under Chapter 11. Vehicles left in a loading zone outside legitimate loading or unloading activity are subject to ticketing and towing consistent with the Township's general traffic enforcement and N.J.S.A. 39:4-136 stopping/standing restrictions.

Snow Removal Parking Rules

Once snow covers Lakewood Township's streets, an automatic parking emergency takes effect on listed streets and stays in force until plowing is complete enough that parked cars will not block traffic. Violators face towing as a nuisance vehicle plus a fine of up to $50 or 15 days in jail.

Key details: Trigger: Snow accumulation covering streets. Duration of ban: Until streets are sufficiently plowed. Applies to: Streets listed in the snow-route schedule. Enforcement condition: Required signs must be posted. Penalty: Up to $50 fine or 15 days.

A vehicle parked in violation of the snow emergency ban is deemed a nuisance and may be towed and stored at the owner's expense under § 11-7.3b, and the owner must pay those removal and storage costs before reclaiming the vehicle. Separately, unless a different penalty is set by New Jersey statute, a conviction under § 11-7.3 carries a fine of not more than $50 or imprisonment for not more than 15 days, or both (Subsection d).

Abandoned Vehicles

Lakewood Township, Ocean County, New Jersey, bans abandoning vehicles anywhere in the Township and gives property owners only 48 hours to remove a wrecked, junked or non-operating vehicle before the Police Department can impound it.

Key details: Governing section: Township Code § 3-9. Removal deadline on private property: 48 hours. Daily storage charge: $2 per day (§ 3-9.6). Maximum fine: $1,000 (§ 1-5.1). Related Board of Health rule: § BH3-2, Abandoned Vehicles.

The section carries no separate fine schedule, so violations of §§ 3-9.3 through 3-9.5 default to the Chapter 1 General Penalty, § 1-5.1: a fine up to $1,000, up to 90 days in the county jail, or up to 90 days of community service. Impounded vehicles are held under § 3-9.6 until the owner pays the towing cost plus a $2-per-day storage charge.

Driveway Rules

Lakewood Township, Ocean County, New Jersey, bans parking a motor vehicle on any unpaved surface of residential property, including the front yard setback, with tow-away enforcement and a $250 fine per violation.

Key details: Governing section: Township Code § 3-21. Fine: $250 per violation. Alternative penalty: Up to 30 days community service. Enforcement: Tow at vehicle owner's expense. Exempt surfaces: Paved, compacted or gravel driveways.

Section 3-21.3 sets its own penalty rather than defaulting to Chapter 1: violators are towed at the vehicle owner's expense and face a $250 fine or 30 days of community service, or both, per violation. Each day the vehicle remains on the unpaved surface counts as a separate violation under § 3-21.3c.

Overnight Parking

Lakewood Township's Unified Development Ordinance bars larger commercially-registered vehicles and lawn-equipment utility trailers from parking outdoors in any residential zone between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m., covering driveways, lots and streets alike. Smaller commercial vehicles get a narrower allowance: one per property, and never on the public street itself.

Key details: Curfew hours: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.. Large-vehicle threshold: over 1.5-ton payload or 4+ wheels. Large vehicles/trailers: banned from driveway, lot, and street. Small commercial vehicle: 1 allowed, not on public street. Max penalty: $1,000 fine and/or 30 days jail.

Violations of § 18-807D are enforced as violations of Chapter 18 generally: under UDO § 18-1109, Remedies and Penalties, a person who fails to correct a cited violation within 10 days of written notice can be fined up to $1,000, jailed up to 30 days, or both, for each 30-day period the violation continues, with each period treated as a separate offense. The Township may also seek an injunction in equity to stop or prevent the violation.

This is one of the stricter rules in Lakewood's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

RV & Boat Parking

Lakewood Township, Ocean County, does not ban parking or storing a recreational vehicle or boat on residential property, but its Unified Development Ordinance bars using one as living quarters. Section 18-907A1 prohibits housekeeping or residence in a single RV or boat townshipwide, with a narrow disaster-housing exception.

Key details: Governing section: UDO § 18-907A1. Core rule: No living/housekeeping in an RV or boat. Parking itself: Not restricted by this section. Disaster exception: § 18-909 permit, 20/5/15-ft setbacks. Exception duration: Up to 12 months with monthly renewal.

UDO Article XI, § 18-1109, Remedies and Penalties, governs enforcement of every UDO chapter, including § 18-907. A violator faces imprisonment in the Township or County Jail for up to 30 days, a fine of up to $1,000, or both, at the court's discretion. Each 30-day period that a violation continues after written notice counts as a separate offense, and the Township may also sue in equity to enjoin an ongoing or threatened violation.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

A commercially-registered vehicle over 1.5 tons payload or with more than four wheels cannot park outdoors in a Lakewood Township residential zone between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., under UDO § 18-807D1. A single smaller commercial vehicle can stay overnight only in a garage, driveway, or the resident's own parking area, not on the street.

Key details: Banned vehicle size: Over 1.5-ton payload or 4+ wheels. Restricted hours: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.. Where ban applies: Driveways, parking areas, and streets. Small vehicle exception: 1 vehicle, must be off-street. Also banned: Light utility trailers for lawn equipment.

Parking a prohibited commercial vehicle outdoors between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in a residential zone, or parking a permitted smaller commercial vehicle on the street overnight instead of in a driveway or garage, is a violation of the Unified Development Ordinance. Section 18-1109A sets the penalty at a fine of up to $1,000, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with each night of continued violation treated as a separate offense.

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

The Bottom Line

Lakewood is tougher than many cities when it comes to parking rules. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Lakewood, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

All of the above reflects Lakewood's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.