Parking Rules in Newport News, VA

Newport News maintains 124 local ordinances across all categories, and 7 of those deal specifically with parking rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Newport News falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Loading Zones

Newport News loading zones are set by the traffic engineer and marked as no-parking loading zones; parking there outside the designated loading/unloading hours draws a $5 to $25 fine.

Key details: Who designates zones: City traffic engineer. Use restriction: Loading/unloading only, posted hours. Exclusivity: Open to all businesses, none exclusive. Fine range: $5.00 to $25.00.

Parking in a loading zone outside the posted loading hours, as shown by the sign, is punishable by a fine of not less than $5 nor more than $25 upon conviction.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Newport News bans parking on residential streets any vehicle over 20 feet long, 8 feet wide, or 8 feet tall between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weeknights and from 6 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Monday.

Key details: Length limit: Over 20 feet banned. Width/height limit: Over 8 feet banned. Weeknight window: 7:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.. Weekend window: Fri 6 p.m.-Mon 6 a.m..

A vehicle exceeding the length, width, or height limits parked on a residential street during the restricted hours is subject to citation under § 26-128(b)(5) and may be towed per city manager policy.

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

RV & Boat Parking

Newport News limits residential lots to two recreational vehicles per dwelling unit, RVs, campers, motor homes, tent trailers, boats and boat trailers, under §45-515, and only one may sit on the driveway between the house and the street.

Key details: Max RVs/boats per lot: 2 per dwelling unit. Driveway exception: 1 vehicle allowed on driveway. Road clearance: 10 feet from paved road. Storage location: Meets accessory-building setbacks.

Storing more than two qualifying recreational vehicles on a residential lot, or parking one closer than ten feet to the roadway or into the right-of-way, is a zoning violation subject to enforcement by the zoning administrator.

Towing & Impound Rights

When Newport News police order a tow, City Code Sec. 26-17 caps what the driver can be billed: no more than $150 to tow a light vehicle up to 10,000 pounds, $225 for a mid-size vehicle up to 18,000 pounds and $375 above that, plus a flat $25 city administrative charge. Storage is free for the first 24 hours and then runs $40 per day for most vehicles. Every one of those costs must be paid before the vehicle is handed back.

Key details: Police tow cap, light vehicle: $150 maximum for vehicles up to 10,000 lb gross vehicle weight (Sec. 26-17(a)(1)). Police tow cap, heavier vehicles: $225 for 10,001 to 18,000 lb; $375 above 18,000 lb. Night, weekend and holiday surcharge: $25 maximum per instance, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. and any Saturday, Sunday or holiday. Free storage window: No storage charge if the vehicle is reclaimed within the first 24 hours after the tow. Storage rate after that: $40 per storage day, or $55 per day for trucks over 18,000 lb; a storage day is 24 consecutive hours.

Sec. 26-17.10 makes a violation of Sec. 26-17.2 through Sec. 26-17.8 a Class 3 misdemeanor, which Code of Virginia Sec. 18.2-11 punishes by a fine of up to $500 and no jail term. That range covers the signage rules, the written owner consent requirement, the private lot fee caps, the duty to notify the police department before or during a tow, the operator log, illegal towing under Sec. 26-17.7 and the posted fee list under Sec. 26-17.8. The police tow schedule in Sec. 26-17 itself sits outside that criminal range and is enforced instead through its own closing sentence barring any charge it does not list, and through Sec. 26-17.8, which makes charges above a firm's posted fee list uncollectible from the vehicle owner. Sec. 26-17.6 requires operators to keep a log of every tow, open to police inspection during business hours and retained at least six months, which is where a disputed charge gets checked.

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

Preferential Parking Districts

Newport News' Residential Permit Parking Program (RPPP) lets residents petition to exempt their block from posted time restrictions, provided 75% of households sign on and a parking survey shows heavy outside-vehicle use.

Key details: Petition threshold: 75% of block households. Annual permit fee: $6 per vehicle. Max permits per address: 3. Governing section: City Code § 26-221 et seq..

Using a residential permit on a vehicle other than the one it was issued for, or lying on the application, violates § 26-223 and can trigger permit revocation under § 26-224.

Abandoned Vehicles

A vehicle over 75 pounds is abandoned in Newport News if left 48 hours unattended on public property, or 48 hours on private property without the owner's consent, letting police take possession.

Key details: Public property threshold: 48 hours unattended. Private property threshold: 48 hrs, no owner consent. Abandonment presumed after: 4 days, no current tags. Unclaimed vehicles: sold at public auction.

Police take possession and the department searches DMV records for the owner; if unclaimed after notice, the city sells the vehicle at public auction under Va. Code Title 46.2, holding any surplus proceeds 90 days before it goes to the city treasury.

Street Parking Limits

Newport News requires vehicles to stop close to and parallel with the curb, generally with the right side to the curb, banning left-side-to-curb (wrong-way) parking except on certain two-lane residential streets and one-way streets.

Key details: Stop position: Close to, parallel with curb. Curb side: Right-hand side, with exceptions. Exceptions: One-way streets, certain 2-lane residential. General fine: $5.00 to $25.00.

Stopping or parking in violation of the manner-of-stopping rules, including wrong-side (left-to-curb) parking outside the excepted streets, is a general parking-article violation subject to a fine under § 26-127.

Newport News is more permissive than most cities when it comes to street parking limits. That said, there are still limits.

The Bottom Line

Newport News is tougher than many cities when it comes to parking rules. Out of the 7 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Newport News, 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 Newport News'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.