Parking Rules in Long Beach, CA: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Long Beach or are thinking about moving there, parking rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Long Beach has 9 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of parking rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Preferential Parking Districts

Long Beach forms preferential parking districts under LBMC Chapter 10.32 when residents petition the City Council to curb nonresident on-street parking. A district requires a two-thirds resident petition, a public hearing, and proof the area meets the City's demand criteria before permits are issued.

Key details: Governing authority: Cal. Veh. Code §§ 22507, 22507.5. District petition threshold: 2/3 of residents fronting the curbs. High-demand criterion: Over 75% of on-street spaces occupied. Residential permits per address: Up to 3, plus 1 guest permit. Temporary permit limit: 7 consecutive days maximum.

Selling or transferring a preferential parking permit is an infraction punishable by a $100 fine under LBMC § 10.32.070. The Director of Financial Management may revoke any permit for misuse, and a person whose permit is revoked cannot get a new one for one full year after revocation, and only after reapplying and paying the renewal fee.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Long Beach actively enforces its preferential parking districts requirements.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Long Beach bars parking any 'Oversized Vehicle', over 85 inches high, 80 inches wide or 22 feet long, on a residential street under Municipal Code § 10.24.078, unless the owner displays a windshield permit valid only on the resident's own block. Commercial vehicles actively loading or unloading are exempt for up to 20 minutes.

Key details: Oversized threshold: 85" high, 80" wide, or 22' long. Where banned: Residential streets, public right-of-way. Permit exception: Windshield permit valid on resident's block only. 72-hr permit cap: 20 per resident/vehicle per year. Commercial loading exemption: 20 minutes (§10.24.005(E)).

Parking an Oversized Vehicle on a residential street without a displayed permit violates §10.24.078 and is enforced as a parking violation subject to citation under Chapter 10.24; a commercial vehicle actively loading or unloading is exempt only for the Permitted Commercial Loading Period, defined in §10.24.005(E) as 20 minutes unless the City Traffic Engineer posts a different time.

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

Curb Color Rules

Long Beach's Traffic Engineer marks curbs yellow, white, green or red to control parking: yellow gives two minutes for passengers or twenty for freight, white gives two minutes for passenger loading or mail, green allows ten to thirty minutes, and red bans all stopping except at a marked bus stop.

Key details: Yellow curb: passengers: 2 minutes, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.. Yellow curb: freight: 20 minutes, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.. White curb: 2 minutes, passengers/mail. Green curb: 10-30 minutes, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.. Red curb: No stopping, except marked bus stop.

Stopping, standing or parking in violation of an installed curb marking or sign under § 10.26.010 is unlawful; a vehicle left in a red zone for any purpose other than a marked bus stop, in a yellow zone beyond the two- or twenty-minute limits, in a white zone beyond two minutes (absent a taxicab exemption), or in a green zone beyond its posted time is subject to citation and, per § 10.26.010's enforcement clause, may be towed or cited under the applicable Vehicle Code and Municipal Code provisions administered by the Police Department and City Traffic Engineer.

Loading Zones

Long Beach marks curbs yellow for freight and passenger loading under Municipal Code § 10.26.010: two minutes for passenger loading, 20 minutes for freight, enforced only between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on non-Sunday, non-holiday days. White curbs allow two-minute passenger loading or mail drop-off, and green curbs limit parking to 10-30 minutes between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Key details: Yellow zone - passengers: 2 minutes, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.. Yellow zone - freight: 20 minutes, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.. White zone: 2 minutes (no limit for taxi stands). Green zone: 10-30 minutes, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.. Excluded days: Sundays and holidays.

Stopping, standing or parking in a marked loading zone beyond its time limit, or outside the loading purpose the color authorizes, is a citable parking violation under Chapter 10.26, enforced under the Code's general parking-violation citation process; each vehicle exceeding the posted 2-, 20-, or 10-to-30-minute limit is subject to a separate citation.

RV & Boat Parking

Long Beach zoning caps recreational vehicles stored on residential lots at seven tons, 36 feet long or 11'6" tall under Municipal Code § 21.41.276, and confines them to areas already usable for passenger-vehicle parking or, if blocked by a permanent building feature, to the side yard setback. Boats and camper shells visible from the street must sit on a licensed, operative vehicle.

Key details: Size cap: 7 tons, 36' long, 11'6" tall max. Zone: Residentially zoned lots (§21.41.276). Location rule: Same spots as passenger vehicles, or side yard if blocked. Boats/camper shells: Must be mounted on a licensed vehicle if visible. Nuisance backstop: §8.76.010(G) treats violations as public nuisance.

A recreational vehicle, boat or camper shell kept on a residential lot in violation of §21.41.276's size or location standards is enforceable as a zoning violation under the Code's general penalty, § 1.32.010, and Section 8.76.010(G) separately treats a vehicle 'parked or stored in a manner not permitted by the zoning regulations set forth in Title 21' as a public nuisance subject to abatement.

Street Parking Limits

Standard parking rules under LBMC Title 10. No parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. No parking in alleys. Time-limited zones enforced citywide.

Key details: Code: LBMC §§10.22–10.24. Fire Hydrant: No parking within 15 feet. Alleys: No parking permitted. Abandoned: 72-hour limit per CVC §22651.

Standard parking citation for 72-hour violation, metered parking, or posted restriction violations is $69. Preferential parking permit misuse or transfer carries a $100 fine per LBMC 10.32.040. Unpaid tickets may result in vehicle registration holds.

Overnight Parking

Long Beach has overnight parking restrictions in certain areas. Some neighborhoods require overnight parking permits. Street parking is limited to 72 hours per CA Vehicle Code §22651 (abandoned vehicle threshold).

Key details: 72-Hour Rule: CA Vehicle Code §22651. Permit Areas: Some neighborhoods require permits. Beach Areas: Restricted overnight parking. Code: LBMC Title 10, Ch. 10.22.

The rules around overnight parking in Long Beach lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Abandoned Vehicles

Vehicles parked 72+ hours without moving on a public street may be cited as abandoned under CVC §22651 and LBMC Title 10.

Key details: State Law: CVC §22651. 72-Hour Rule: No move = abandoned citation. Enforcement: LBPD / Parking Services. Private Property: Inoperable vehicles subject to nuisance abatement.

Vehicle may be towed at owner's expense. Storage fees accrue daily.

EV Charging

Long Beach encourages EV charging installation. CA AB 2097 eliminates parking minimums near major transit stops. New construction must include EV-ready infrastructure per CALGreen Code. Streamlined permits available for residential chargers.

Key details: AB 2097: No parking mins near transit. CALGreen: EV-ready wiring required in new builds. Permit: Streamlined for residential. Incentives: Utility rebates available.

The Bottom Line

Long Beach is tougher than many cities when it comes to parking rules. Out of the 9 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Long Beach, 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 Long Beach'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.