How Mountain View Handles Parking Rules: A Practical Guide

Mountain View maintains 160 local ordinances across all categories, and 10 of those deal specifically with parking rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Mountain View falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Overnight Parking

Mountain View can prohibit parking between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on any street the city council designates by resolution, under City Code Sec. 19.71. The restriction only takes effect street-by-street once the council acts and signs go up, not automatically citywide.

Key details: Restricted hours: 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.. Applies where: Streets designated by council resolution. Signage required: Yes, before enforcement (Sec. 19.35). Related rule: 72-hour limit, move 1,000 ft (Sec. 19.72). Removal authority: Veh. Code Sec. 22651.

A vehicle parked in violation of the 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. ban on a designated street is subject to citation and to removal under Vehicle Code Sec. 22651 once required signage is posted, and general Sec. 1.7 infraction fines apply: up to $100 for a first offense, rising to $500 for a third within a year.

EV Charging

Mountain View must review a residential or commercial EV charging station permit under an expedited process required by Government Code Sec. 65850.7, implemented locally at City Code Sec. 8.14.05 through 8.14.20. The chief building official can only deny the permit with written findings of a specific, unavoidable health or safety impact, and only one building inspection is normally required.

Key details: Review scope: Limited to health and safety compliance. Denial standard: Written findings of unavoidable, specific impact. HOA approval: Cannot be required as a permit condition. Inspections: One required for an eligible station. State authority: Gov. Code Secs. 65850.7 and 65850.71.

An applicant denied a permit without the written, substantial-evidence findings Sec. 8.14.15(d) requires can challenge the denial, since the ordinance gives the chief building official no discretion to reject a compliant application on subjective grounds. Conditioning a charging station permit on HOA approval, contrary to Sec. 8.14.15(e), or requiring more than the one inspection Sec. 8.14.20 allows for an eligible station, is itself outside what the ordinance authorizes.

Curb Color Rules

Only Mountain View's city traffic engineer may authorize painting a street or curb surface, including stenciling numbers on it. City Code Sec. 19.34(g) makes unauthorized curb or street painting a flat prohibition, backing up the traffic engineer's separate authority to mark curbs red, yellow, white or green for parking control.

Key details: Who may paint curbs: Only the city traffic engineer. Includes: Painting numbers on street or curb. Red curb meaning: No stopping/standing/parking, ever. Yellow curb meaning: Loading only, 7am-6pm, 3-20 min. First-offense fine: Up to $100 (Sec. 1.7).

Unauthorized street or curb painting is enforced under the citywide penalty scale in Sec. 1.7: a first violation is an infraction fined up to $100, a second within a year up to $200, and a third within that year up to $500, with a fourth violation in the same twelve months chargeable as a misdemeanor.

Compared to other cities, Mountain View takes a harder line on curb color rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Driveway Rules

Mountain View requires any vehicle visible from the street to sit on a paved, permitted surface, never on the sidewalk. Homes without a garage or with a one-car garage get a 20-foot-wide parking strip; two- or three-car garage lots get up to 30 feet.

Key details: Surface requirement: Paved: asphalt, concrete or masonry. Sidewalk encroachment: Prohibited. No/1-car garage width limit: 20 feet. 2-3 car garage width limit: 30 feet. Applicable districts: R1 and R2.

Parking on an unpaved surface visible from the street, encroaching onto a public sidewalk, or paving and using more driveway width than the 20-foot (no/one-car garage) or 30-foot (two/three-car garage) limits allow violates Sec. 19.111(d), (e) and (i). Violations fall under the citywide Sec. 1.7 penalty schedule: up to $100 for a first infraction, escalating to $500 for a third within a year, with a fourth chargeable as a misdemeanor.

Abandoned Vehicles

Vehicles left on Mountain View streets over 72 hours or on private property in public view without movement may be declared abandoned and towed. Reports can be submitted online or by phone to Police non-emergency.

Key details: Street threshold: 72 hours continuous. Private property authority: CVC 22660. Abatement notice: 10-day written notice. Registration expiry: 6 months presumes abandonment. Report method: Online or non-emergency phone.

RV & Boat Parking

Mountain View bars living in a parked RV, trailer or boat on any street, and limits guest RV parking on a driveway to 72 hours (extendable to 30 days by police permit). No more than one vehicle over 7 feet tall per residence may sit where it is visible from the street.

Key details: Guest RV parking limit: 72 hours on driveway. Extension permit: Up to 30 more days via police chief. Public street dwelling use: Never allowed. Tall-vehicle count limit: 1 vehicle over 7 ft per unit. Absolute height cap: 12 feet (visible area).

Storing an unowned vehicle in view of the street past 72 hours, living in a parked RV or trailer (on a driveway past 72 hours without a police extension permit, or ever on a public street), or exceeding the one-vehicle/12-foot height limits violates Sec. 19.111 and is punishable under the general Sec. 1.7 schedule: up to $100 for a first infraction, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for a third, with a fourth chargeable as a misdemeanor.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Mountain View bars parking a commercial vehicle rated 10,000 pounds or more on any street next to residentially zoned property under City Code Sec. 19.79.1. Pickups, SUVs and vehicles actively loading, delivering or serving a permitted construction job at that address are exempt.

Key details: Weight threshold: 10,000 lbs GVWR or more. Where banned: Streets abutting R1, R2, R3, R3-d, R3P, R2M, P-residential. Exempt vehicles: Pickups, SUVs, active delivery/construction vehicles. Related rule: Sec. 19.79.2, council-designated streets.

A commercial vehicle parked in violation of Sec. 19.79.1 is subject to citation under the city's general infraction schedule in Sec. 1.7, fined up to $100 for a first offense and up to $500 for a third within a year, and can be towed as an unlawfully parked vehicle under California Vehicle Code Sec. 22651.

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

Loading Zones

Mountain View caps commercial loading in a marked yellow loading zone at 20 minutes and passenger loading or baggage handling at 3 minutes. The city traffic engineer marks these zones, which cannot cover more than half the curb length of any block.

Key details: Commercial loading limit: 20 minutes maximum. Passenger/baggage loading limit: 3 minutes maximum. Curb coverage cap: No more than half a block's curb. Zone markings: Yellow curb = loading; white curb = passenger. First-offense fine: Up to $100 under Sec. 1.7.

Standing or parking in a marked loading zone beyond the 20-minute (commercial) or 3-minute (passenger) limit, or for any purpose other than loading or unloading, violates Sec. 19.87 and Sec. 19.88. Under the citywide penalty schedule at Sec. 1.7, a first infraction is fined up to $100, a second within a year up to $200, and a third up to $500; a fourth violation within the same year can be charged as a misdemeanor.

Preferential Parking Districts

Mountain View's Residential Parking Permit (RPP) program lets the city council designate neighborhood zones, under state Vehicle Code Sec. 22507, where only permit holders may park past posted time limits. Neighbors petition for a zone; the city council sets its boundaries and hours by resolution.

Key details: Legal basis: Cal. Veh. Code Sec. 22507. Zone initiation: Neighborhood petition or council motion. Permit types: Resident, guest, contractor, visitor (24-hr). Fee policy: Set by resolution; non-prorated, nonrefundable. Revocation appeal window: 21 calendar days.

Parking in an RPP zone past a posted time limit or prohibition without a valid, displayed permit is an infraction under Sec. 19.99.21(a). Selling, copying, or misusing permits, or submitting false information to obtain one, is also an infraction and triggers a one-year permit revocation; a revocation may be appealed to the director in writing within 21 calendar days, and the director must respond within 21 calendar days with a final decision.

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

Street Parking Limits

On-street parking in Mountain View is limited to 72 consecutive hours per CVC 22651(k), with time-limit zones downtown and permit parking districts in several neighborhoods. Street sweeping restrictions apply weekly.

Key details: Max continuous parking: 72 hours (CVC 22651k). Downtown meters: 2-hour limit, Mon-Sat. Permit districts: Old MV, Monta Loma, Rex Manor. Hydrant clearance: 15 feet. Driveway clearance: 3 feet.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Mountain View gives residents more flexibility on street parking limits.

The Bottom Line

Mountain View is tougher than many cities when it comes to parking rules. Out of the 10 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Mountain View, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Mountain View can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.