Parking Rules in Montgomery, AL

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

Curb Color Rules

Montgomery, Alabama makes it unlawful to paint, delineate or mark any curb, curb return or driveway approach. City Code Sec. 26-125 carves out exactly one exception: a property address stenciled on the front curb, in black numbers on a white background, sized and placed to the ordinance's precise specifications.

Key details: Prohibited act: Painting or marking any curb, curb return, driveway approach. Only exception: Property address stenciled on front curb. Number specs: Black, 3 in. tall, min. 1.5 in. wide. Background specs: White, max 1 ft long x 5 in. tall. Placement: 0.5 in. from curb top and gutter line.

Sec. 26-125 sets no standalone fine, so a violation defaults to City Code Sec. 1-6's general penalty: a fine of not less than $1.00 nor more than $500.00, up to six months in the city jail or at hard labor, or both, at the municipal judge's discretion. Because unlawful curb markings persist physically, each day the marking remains can be charged as a separate continuing offense under Sec. 1-6(e).

Abandoned Vehicles

Montgomery, Alabama bars keeping a dismantled, junked or inoperable vehicle in the open on any property. City Code Sec. 27-13 gives the owner five days to remove it after written notice, and lets the city tow, store and eventually sell an unclaimed vehicle after 90 days.

Key details: Prohibited: Storing a junked/inoperable vehicle in the open. Removal deadline: 5 days after written notice. Reclaim window: 90 days after city receives vehicle. Storage fee: $25.00 flat, plus removal/storage costs. Unclaimed disposition: City may sell as junk after 90 days.

Keeping a junked or inoperable vehicle in the open past the five-day removal notice exposes the vehicle to city-ordered towing at the owner's expense. Reclaiming it requires paying all removal and storage costs plus the $25.00 storage charge; missing the 90-day reclaim window means the city can sell the vehicle outright as junk, with only the leftover proceeds after expenses returned to the general fund rather than the owner.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Montgomery actively enforces its abandoned vehicles requirements.

Driveway Rules

Montgomery bans parking a motor vehicle in a front yard unless it sits on a proper paved driveway, and bans parking on sidewalks or unpaved rights-of-way entirely. Sec. 27-395 fines first offenders a minimum $50.00, rising to $150.00 and then $300.00 for repeat violations within a year.

Key details: Front-yard parking: banned unless on a proper driveway. Sidewalk/unpaved right-of-way parking: banned outright. Driveway requirement: paved and includes a curb cut. Loading/washing exception: capped at 3 hours per day. First offense fine: $50.00 minimum.

Sec. 27-395 fines escalate with each conviction and treat every day a violation continues as a separate offense: a minimum $50.00 for a first violation, a minimum $150.00 for a second violation within 12 months, and a minimum $300.00 for a third or later violation in that same 12-month window. The municipal court can add allowable court costs, and unpaid fines can be enforced through any lawful collection method available to the court.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Montgomery actively enforces its driveway rules requirements.

Street Parking Limits

Montgomery, Alabama bans on-street parking that blocks any traffic lane, blocks a driveway entrance in an alley, or stands on the closed side of a one-way street. City Code Sections 27-383, 27-384 and 27-390 set the baseline rules for ordinary city streets.

Key details: Core rule: No blocking any traffic lane (Sec. 27-383). Alley driveways: Blocking driveway entrance banned (Sec. 27-384). One-way streets: Left-side parking banned when posted (Sec. 27-390). Divided one-way roads: Left-side parking banned unless signed (Sec. 27-391). Enforcement: General penalty, Sec. 1-6: $1-$500 or jail.

Parking that obstructs traffic on a street or alley, blocks an alley driveway, or stands on the closed side of a one-way street violates Sections 27-383, 27-384, 27-390 or 27-391 and is punished under the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-6: a fine of $1.00 to $500.00, up to six months in jail or hard labor, or both, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense. Repeat unpaid tickets can trigger a boot under Sec. 27-15.

Overnight Parking

Montgomery, Alabama caps overnight parking in the central business district at one hour between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., with an exception only for physicians on emergency calls. City Code Sec. 27-385(a) targets long-term downtown parkers, not a citywide overnight ban.

Key details: Restricted area: Central business district only. Restricted hours: 2:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.. Time limit: 1 hour maximum. Exception: Physicians on emergency calls. General penalty: $1-$500 fine or up to 6 months (Sec. 1-6).

A first offense under Sec. 27-385(a) is prosecuted as a general Code violation: Sec. 1-6 sets a fine of not less than $1.00 nor more than $500.00, up to six months in the city jail or hard labor, or a combination, with each day of a continuing violation charged as a separate offense. Vehicles carrying five or more unpaid parking tickets citywide can also be booted under Sec. 27-15 until the $75.00 release fee and outstanding fines are paid.

Loading Zones

Montgomery, Alabama limits passenger curb loading zones to three minutes and freight curb loading zones to 30 minutes without a special permit from the chief of police. City Code Sections 27-421 through 27-424 govern zone designation, permits and time limits.

Key details: Passenger zone limit: 3 minutes maximum (Sec. 27-423). Freight zone limit: 30 minutes without permit (Sec. 27-424). Extended freight stop: Requires chief of police permit. Angle loading: Separate permit needed (Sec. 27-422). Zone designation: Set by city traffic engineer (Sec. 27-421).

Exceeding the three-minute passenger zone limit, the 30-minute freight zone limit without a chief of police permit, or violating the terms of an angle-loading permit under Sec. 27-422 is punished under Sec. 1-6's general penalty: a fine of $1.00 to $500.00, up to six months in jail or hard labor, or both. Vehicles left unattended in a loading zone are also subject to towing under the city's tow-away zone authority.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Montgomery, Alabama bars parking trailers, buses, mobile homes and truck-tagged commercial vehicles on residential streets unless actively delivering, loading or servicing, or unless the owner holds a chief of police permit. City Code Sec. 27-385(b)-(c) sets the rule and defines covered vehicles.

Key details: Covered vehicles: Buses, trailers, mobile homes, truck-tagged vehicles. Exempt vehicles: Station wagons, small trucks. Active-use exception: Delivery, loading or servicing in progress. Permit issuer: Chief of police. Removal authority: Police may tow to city-designated garage.

Parking a covered commercial vehicle or trailer on a residential street without an active delivery, loading or service purpose, and without a chief of police permit, exposes the vehicle to removal under Sec. 27-385(b) and prosecution under the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-6: a fine of $1.00 to $500.00, up to six months in jail or hard labor, or both, with towing and storage costs added when the vehicle is removed.

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

RV & Boat Parking

Montgomery bars parking a recreational vehicle on a public street, and any RV, boat trailer or camper stored outside a licensed travel trailer park must be kept behind the lot's building setback lines and substantially hidden from public view. The board of adjustment can tighten or revoke that storage privilege after a neighbor objects.

Key details: Public street storage: Prohibited. Visibility: Must be substantially hidden from public view. Placement: Behind the lot's building setback lines. Neighbor objection: Board of adjustment may modify or revoke privilege. Process: Public hearing required before board acts.

Storing a recreational vehicle on a public street, in open public view, or ahead of the building setback line violates Article VI, Sec. 10.5 and is punishable under Article II, Sec. 5 as provided in City Code § 1-6, with each day of the violation a separate offense. A neighboring property owner can also trigger board of adjustment review, which after a public hearing may modify the storage conditions or revoke the owner's privilege of storing the RV on the property at all.

The Bottom Line

Montgomery 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 Montgomery, 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 Montgomery'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.