How Longmont Handles Parking Rules: A Practical Guide

Longmont maintains 106 local ordinances across all categories, and 11 of those deal specifically with parking rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Longmont falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Abandoned Vehicles

Under Longmont Municipal Code 11.12.040 and 11.12.050, a vehicle left on a public street or other public property for 48 hours or longer is considered abandoned, and a 'junked' vehicle is one that lacks valid license plates, is wrecked or dismantled to inoperability, or has flat tires. Abandoned vehicles on private property without the owner's consent are also subject to removal after 48 hours. Police may tag and later tow noncompliant vehicles.

Key details: Public Abandonment Threshold: 48 hours (LMC 11.12.040). Junked Vehicle Standard: Inoperable, no plates, flat tires (LMC 11.12.050). Move Distance Rule: 600 ft, no return for 7 days. Tow Threshold: 4+ unpaid parking tickets. Report Line: Code Enforcement 303-651-8695.

Leaving a vehicle on a Longmont public street for 48 hours or longer violates LMC 11.12.040 and exposes the owner to citation, marking, and tow at the owner's expense. Storing a wrecked, dismantled, plate-less, or otherwise inoperable vehicle on the public way violates LMC 11.12.050 immediately regardless of time elapsed. A vehicle is also subject to tow when the owner has four or more unpaid parking tickets, when it blocks a driveway, fire hydrant, or fire lane, or when it remains in the same on-street location after a Notice of Abandonment.

RV & Boat Parking

Longmont prohibits parking a sleeper vehicle (camper coach, camper trailer, motor home, multi-purpose trailer, trailer coach, or recreational vehicle) on any public street, alley, or right-of-way without a temporary permit. The ban was adopted by the City Council in November 2020 and took effect January 1, 2021, codified in Longmont Municipal Code (LMC) Chapter 11.12. A 7-day permit is available from Code Enforcement for $25, capped at four per vehicle per calendar year, with no back-to-back issuance.

Key details: Street RV Ban: Effective Jan 1, 2021 (LMC Ch. 11.12). Permit Cost: $25 for 7 days. Annual Permit Cap: 4 per vehicle, no back-to-back. Post-Permit Cooldown: 7 days off the public way. Code Enforcement: 303-651-8695.

Parking a sleeper vehicle on a Longmont public street, alley, or right-of-way without a current permit violates LMC Chapter 11.12 and is subject to citation, marking, and tow at the owner's expense after notice. Using a sleeper vehicle as an occupied accessory dwelling on a residential lot is a separate code violation under LMC Chapter 11.12. Apply for the 7-day RV/Sleeper permit through the city's online portal or by calling Code Enforcement at 303-651-8695.

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

Snow Removal Parking Rules

Longmont Municipal Code Section 9.04.130 requires every owner, agent, or tenant to remove snow, sleet, ice, or other obstruction from the public sidewalk adjoining their property within 24 hours after the last accumulation stops. The city's snow-and-ice control program plows 146 of 356 centerline miles - primarily arterials, collectors, and routes to hospitals - but does not plow on-street parking lanes, so vehicles on the street are not required to be moved during a storm.

Key details: Sidewalk Clearing Window: 24 hours after snow stops (LMC 9.04.130). Responsible Party: Owner, agent, or tenant. Plowed Centerline Miles: 146 of 356. Parking Lane Plowing: Not performed by city. Code Enforcement: 303-658-4432.

Failing to clear snow, sleet, or ice from a sidewalk abutting your Longmont property within 24 hours after the storm ends violates LMC 9.04.130 and may result in a civil penalty (typically $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second, and $500 for a third or subsequent violation under the city's code-enforcement schedule), plus city abatement costs assessed against the property if the city must clear the walk. Report uncleared sidewalks to Code Enforcement at 303-658-4432.

Street Parking Limits

Street parking in Longmont is governed by LMC Title 11 (Traffic), most notably Chapter 11.12 (Stopping, Standing & Parking), Chapter 11.16 (Parking Assessments), and Chapter 11.24 (Parking Penalties). The default on-street limit is 48 hours in one spot, after which the vehicle must be moved 600 feet and may not return for seven days. Over-time parking citations in posted time-limit zones are $20.

Key details: Primary Code: LMC Title 11 (Chapters 11.12, 11.16, 11.24). Stationary Cap: 48 hours, then 600 ft / 7-day no-return. Over-Time Ticket: $20. Payment Window: 60 days to avoid delinquency. Parking Enforcement: 303-651-8663.

Common citations under Title 11 include over-time parking ($20), parking longer than 48 hours in one spot (LMC Chapter 11.12), blocking a driveway, fire hydrant, fire lane, or alley, and parking on a posted no-parking street. Unpaid tickets accrue delinquency charges after 60 days, and accumulating four or more unpaid tickets makes the vehicle subject to immediate tow. Appeals are due within 20 days; a formal Municipal Court hearing requires written request and a $25 hearing fee within 60 days.

Commercial Vehicle Restrictions

Longmont applies the same general on-street rules to commercial vehicles as to passenger vehicles - a 48-hour limit on any one location under LMC Chapter 11.12, then a required 600-foot move and seven-day no-return. Contractor trailers may remain on the street for up to 180 days during active repairs or alterations if a conspicuous dated notice with the job-site address and contact information is posted. Sleeper-vehicle commercial rigs require a permit.

Key details: Street Time Limit: 48 hours, then 600 ft (LMC Ch. 11.12). Contractor Trailer: Up to 180 days with posted notice. Sleeper Rig: Banned without $25 / 7-day permit. Private Property: Paved or graveled surface (Title 15). Tow Threshold: 4+ unpaid tickets.

Leaving a commercial vehicle or trailer on a public street more than 48 hours violates LMC 11.12.040 and is subject to citation and tow. Posting no dated notice on a contractor trailer eliminates the 180-day allowance and reverts the trailer to the 48-hour rule. Parking a commercial sleeper rig on the public way without a permit violates LMC Chapter 11.12. Storing a commercial vehicle on unimproved residential yard area violates Title 15 of the Land Development Code.

Overnight Parking

Longmont does not impose a citywide overnight parking ban on passenger vehicles. The default rule for any vehicle on a public street is the 48-hour stationary limit in LMC Chapter 11.12: a vehicle may sit in one location up to 48 hours, must then be moved at least 600 feet away, and may not return to the same approximate spot for at least seven days. Sleeper vehicles, however, are banned overnight on the public way without a $25 permit.

Key details: Overnight Ban: None for passenger vehicles. Stationary Limit: 48 hours (LMC Ch. 11.12). Move Distance: 600 ft, 7-day no-return. Sleeper Vehicle Overnight: Prohibited without permit. Over-time Ticket: $20.

Leaving a vehicle in the same on-street location longer than 48 hours violates LMC Chapter 11.12 and is subject to citation; over-time parking tickets in time-limited zones are $20 each, and tickets must be paid within 60 days to avoid delinquency charges. Parking a sleeper vehicle overnight on the public way without a permit is a separate violation under LMC Chapter 11.12. A vehicle is towable when the owner has four or more unpaid parking tickets.

Longmont is more permissive than most cities when it comes to overnight parking. That said, there are still limits.

Driveway Rules

Longmont restricts where you may drive or park on residential property: under Title 15 (Land Development Code), vehicles in front and side yards facing city streets must be on a surface of asphalt, concrete, or gravel - no parking on lawn, dirt, or landscaping. New or modified driveway curb cuts in the public right-of-way require an engineering permit. Vehicles parked across a driveway apron or sidewalk are towable under LMC Chapter 11.12.

Key details: Allowed Surfaces: Asphalt, concrete, or gravel (LMC Title 15). Curb Cut Permit: Required from Public Works. Blocking Driveway: Immediate tow under LMC Ch. 11.12. Parking Minimums: Eliminated citywide May 2024. Planning Contact: 303-651-8330.

Parking a vehicle on unpaved or non-gravel portions of a front or street-facing side yard violates Title 15 of the Longmont Municipal Code and is enforced by Code Enforcement with notices, civil penalties (typically $100/$200/$500 escalating), and orders to remove the vehicle and restore the surface. Constructing or widening a driveway approach without a city permit is a Public Works violation. Blocking a driveway or alley with a parked vehicle violates LMC Chapter 11.12 and is grounds for immediate tow.

Oversized Vehicle Parking

Longmont's principal restriction on oversized residential vehicles is its sleeper-vehicle ban under LMC Chapter 11.12, which prohibits camper coaches, camper trailers, motor homes, multi-purpose trailers, trailer coaches, and recreational vehicles from being parked on the public way without a $25, 7-day permit. Other large vehicles (box trucks, large trailers, semis) are governed by the universal 48-hour stationary limit and the 600-foot move requirement.

Key details: Sleeper Vehicles: Permit required ($25 / 7 days). Other Oversized: 48-hour limit, 600 ft move. Contractor Trailer: 180 days max with posted notice. Annual Permit Cap: 4 per vehicle per year. Reporting: Code Enforcement 303-651-8695.

Parking a sleeper vehicle or RV on the public way without a permit violates LMC Chapter 11.12. Leaving any oversized vehicle in the same on-street location longer than 48 hours violates LMC 11.12.040. Parking that obstructs a driveway, fire hydrant, fire lane, or sight distance, or that intrudes into a travel lane, is enforced immediately and may result in tow. Storing an oversized vehicle on an unimproved residential yard violates Title 15 of the Land Development Code.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Longmont actively enforces its oversized vehicle parking requirements.

Curb Color Rules

Curb markings and colored-curb paint in Longmont are installed and maintained exclusively by the city; residents and property owners may not paint, alter, or add markings to a public curb. State law (Colorado Revised Statutes 42-4-1204) sets the underlying no-parking distances incorporated into Longmont's Title 11, including no parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Painting or defacing a public curb is a code violation.

Key details: Curb Marking Authority: City only (LMC Titles 11 & 13). Fire Hydrant Clearance: 15 ft (CRS 42-4-1204). Crosswalk Clearance: 20 ft at intersection. Resident Curb Paint: Not permitted. Report Fading: Public Works & Natural Resources.

Painting, repainting, or altering a public curb without city authorization violates LMC Title 13 (Streets, Sidewalks & Public Places) and may require restoration plus civil penalties. Parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in a marked red zone or fire lane, or in a posted yellow loading zone outside delivery hours is citable under LMC Title 11, with an immediate-tow risk for fire-lane and hydrant violations. Tickets must be paid within 60 days; appeals are due within 20 days.

Loading Zones

Loading and unloading on a Longmont public street is allowed during active operations as an enumerated exception to the city's parking rules in LMC Chapter 11.12, including the sleeper-vehicle ban. Posted loading zones in the downtown core - administered jointly by city Parking Enforcement and the Longmont Downtown Development Authority - are restricted to commercial loading during posted hours. Over-time citations are $20.

Key details: Loading Exception: Active loading exempt (LMC Ch. 11.12). Downtown Zones: City Parking Enforcement + LDDA. Over-Time Ticket: $20. Pay Deadline: 60 days. Parking Enforcement: 303-651-8663.

Parking a non-delivery vehicle in a posted commercial loading zone during posted hours violates the zone's signed restriction and is citable under LMC Title 11. Overstaying a loading window or using a loading zone as long-term parking is a $20 over-time citation in time-limited zones, with delinquency charges after 60 days. Blocking a designated loading zone or a private driveway loading apron is an immediate-tow condition under LMC Chapter 11.12.

EV Charging

Longmont Power & Communications (LPC) operates five publicly available Level 2 charging stations at city facilities, charging $1 per hour. New EV charging installations are reviewed by Longmont Planning and Development Services (303-651-8330) under Title 15 (Land Development Code) and require an Electric Service and EV Application. Colorado state law HB23-1233 sets EV-ready building requirements that Longmont applies through state-adopted codes.

Key details: City Public Chargers: 5 Level 2 stations, $1/hour. Permit Authority: Planning & Development Services 303-651-8330. Code Reference: LMC Title 15 + LPC Electric Service Reqs. State EV-Ready Law: Colorado HB23-1233 (multifamily eff. 3/1/2024). Single-Station Review: 1-2 weeks (existing service).

Installing an EV charging station without the required Electric Service and EV Application, electrical permit, or LPC service approval violates Longmont's electric service rules and Title 15 and may require removal, restoration, and after-the-fact permitting. New multifamily construction or substantial renovation that does not meet the HB23-1233 EV-ready parking percentage may be denied a Certificate of Occupancy. Misuse of a public EV charging station (e.g., parking a non-EV in a charging stall) is enforced under posted signs and Title 11 parking rules.

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

The Bottom Line

Longmont's parking rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Longmont is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Longmont'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.