Lodi's Parking Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles parking rules a little differently. In Lodi, California, there are 8 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.

Loading Zones

Lodi's public works director designates and signs loading zones and passenger loading zones citywide. Freight loading is capped at twenty minutes and passenger loading at three minutes, running 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Sundays and holidays unless a sign states otherwise, under Municipal Code § 10.44.150.

Key details: Freight loading limit: 20 minutes. Passenger loading limit: 3 minutes. Default freight hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.. Passenger zone hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.. Fine schedule: $100 / $200 / $500.

A vehicle left in a marked loading zone longer than the posted limit, or parked in a passenger loading zone outside its purpose, is cited under Municipal Code § 1.08.010, the general penalty section: a first infraction draws up to a $100 fine, a second violation of the same provision within a year up to $200, and a third or later violation within that year up to $500. The city treats each day of a continuing violation as a separate offense, and the prosecuting attorney can instead charge a misdemeanor.

RV & Boat Parking

Lodi's zoning code keeps boats, trailers, campers and mobile homes out of a property's required off-street parking area, and separately bars anyone from sleeping overnight in a recreational vehicle anywhere in the city except an approved RV park, under Development Code Section 17.32.030(C) and (E).

Key details: Overnight RV occupancy: Barred outside approved RV parks. Exception: RV as temporary dwelling during construction, with permit. Required parking spaces: Can't store boats, trailers or campers. Governing law: Development Code § 17.32.030(C), (E).

Storing a boat, trailer, or camper in a required parking space, or occupying an RV overnight outside a permitted RV park, is a zoning violation enforceable under Chapter 17.76 (Enforcement). Code enforcement can issue a notice to remove the equipment from the required space or stop the overnight occupancy; a property owner who does not comply can face the city's public nuisance abatement process and associated cost recovery.

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

EV Charging

Lodi requires any vehicle parked in a city-owned lot's designated electric vehicle charging stall to be actively connected for charging, and separately bans blocking or obstructing access to those stalls, under Section 10.44.125.

Key details: Core requirement: Must be connected to charge to occupy stall. Blocking access: Separately prohibited, Sec. 10.44.125(B). Applies to: City-owned parking lots only. State authority cited: Vehicle Code Section 22511. Adopted: Ordinance No. 1881, August 7, 2013.

Parking in a designated electric vehicle stall without being connected for charging, or blocking access to one, violates Section 10.44.125 and is enforced by the Lodi Police Department as an infraction under the city's general penalty schedule in Section 1.08.010, with fines starting at up to $100 for a first offense and rising for repeat violations of the same section within a year.

Driveway Rules

Lodi allows residential parking inside a required front, side, or rear setback only on a paved surface that meets the city's parking design standards; unpaved dirt or gravel parking in a setback is not allowed. The same setback rules bar storing inoperable vehicles, scrap, junk, or building materials in any setback visible from the street.

Key details: Setback parking surface: Paved surface required, Sec. 17.14.060(E)(2). Storage ban: No inoperable vehicles/junk visible from street. Pool equipment setback: 5 ft. from side/rear property lines. Garage setback: 20 ft. from street right-of-way.

Parking a vehicle on an unpaved surface inside a required setback, or storing an inoperable vehicle, scrap, or junk in a setback visible from the street, violates Section 17.14.060(E) and is enforceable as a zoning code violation. Property owners can be required to remove the unpaved parking area or relocate the stored materials to bring the site back into compliance.

Street Parking Limits

Lodi bars stopping, standing or parking in posted no-parking zones, on any parkway or sidewalk, in alleys except for active loading, and in specific hazard locations such as within one hundred feet of a sight-hazard curb marking or in front of a wheelchair ramp, under Section 10.44.020.

Key details: Sidewalk/parkway parking: Prohibited outright, Sec. 10.44.020(B). Alley parking: Allowed only for active loading. Sight-hazard zone: Within 100 ft of marked hazard curb. Marking authority: Public works director, signs or red curb paint. First-offense fine: Up to $100, Sec. 1.08.010(C)(1).

Stopping or parking in violation of Section 10.44.020, 10.44.050 or 10.44.070 is enforced by the Lodi Police Department and is punishable under the city's general infraction schedule in Section 1.08.010: up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for further violations of the same provision. Vehicles parked against a legible no-parking sign or red curb marking can be cited under Section 10.44.010.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Lodi bars commercial vehicles heavier than one and one-half tons of gross load capacity, such as tow trucks, ambulances, mini-buses and large delivery or service trucks, from parking on private property in a residential zone unless the vehicle sits out of public view behind the front setback line, per Development Code Section 17.32.030(D).

Key details: Weight threshold: Over 1.5 tons gross load capacity. Placement required: Behind front setback, out of view. Exception: Brief immediate loading or unloading. Governing law: Development Code § 17.32.030(D). Applies to: Private property in residential zones only.

A commercial vehicle parked in view on residential property in violation of Section 17.32.030(D) is a zoning code violation, handled through the enforcement procedures of Chapter 17.76. The city can issue a correction notice ordering the owner to relocate the vehicle behind the front setback or off the property; an uncorrected violation can be pursued as a public nuisance, with the city recovering abatement costs from the property owner.

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

Overnight Parking

Lodi bans parking any vehicle on a street or public right-of-way for more than a consecutive seventy-two hours under Section 10.44.030, regardless of the time of day; the rule targets long-term storage of vehicles on public streets rather than setting a nightly curfew.

Key details: Time limit: 72 consecutive hours, Sec. 10.44.030. Applies to: Any street or public right-of-way. Enforcement method: Tire chalking by police. Evasion offense: Removing chalk marks, Sec. 10.12.040. First-offense fine: Up to $100, Sec. 1.08.010(C)(1).

A violation of Section 10.44.030 is enforced by the Lodi Police Department and is punishable as an infraction under the city's general penalty schedule in Section 1.08.010, up to $100 for a first offense and rising to $500 for repeat violations of the same section within a year. Removing or obliterating an officer's chalk mark to evade the seventy-two-hour count is a separate offense under Section 10.12.040.

Abandoned Vehicles

Any vehicle parked on a Lodi street more than 72 hours without moving is treated as abandoned under California Vehicle Code §22651(k) and can be cited and towed. Vehicles with registration expired more than six months, or that are inoperative, may be towed immediately without notice.

Key details: Abandonment threshold: 72 hours (CVC §22651(k)). Expired registration tow: >6 months (CVC §22651(o)). Inoperative vehicle tow: Immediate (CVC §22669(d)). City tow release fee: $160. Report line: 209-269-4043.

Tow plus a $160 City of Lodi tow-release fee paid to the Police Department (cash during business hours Mon-Thu 8am-4pm; exact $160 cash at other times). Tow operator storage fees are separate and the owner's responsibility. Failure to claim the vehicle can result in lien sale by the tow company.

Compared to other cities, Lodi takes a harder line on abandoned vehicles. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Lodi is tougher than many cities when it comes to parking rules. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Lodi, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Lodi's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.