How Taunton Handles Parking Rules: A Practical Guide

Taunton maintains 84 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 Taunton falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Street Parking Limits

Taunton bars parking in front of driveways, within 20 feet of a crosswalk or intersection, within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, and anywhere your wheels sit more than 12 inches from the curb. Section 405-43 lists thirteen specific no-park locations enforced citywide.

Key details: Curb clearance: Wheels within 12 inches of curb. Driveway rule: No parking upon/in front of driveways. Fire hydrant buffer: 10 feet. Crosswalk/intersection buffer: 20 feet. Max fine: $50 per violation (§ 405-42).

Every prohibition in § 405-43 is enforced under the chapter-wide penalty at § 405-42: a fine not to exceed $50 for each violation, since Article III sets no separate amount. Taunton Police and Parking Division officers can ticket the vehicle, and because the section reaches the registered owner directly, the owner is liable even when someone else was driving.

Snow Removal Parking Rules

When the Mayor declares a snow emergency, Taunton bans parking on affected streets to clear the way for plowing, announces the ban at least four times before it takes effect, and fines vehicles that block plow operations $30 per violation, plus tagging and towing.

Key details: Impede-plowing fine: $30, rising to $40 if late. Prior announcement required: 4 broadcasts, 6 a.m.-11 p.m.. Lead time before ban starts: At least 2 hours after announcement. Who declares emergency: Mayor, per weather conditions. Enforcement: Police tagging, towing, storage lien.

Under § 405-22.B, anyone who parks so as to interfere with or impede snow plowing, or who otherwise violates Article VII's Snow Emergency Regulations, is fined $30 per violation if paid within 21 days of the ticket; the fine rises by $10, to $40 total, if not paid within that window. Vehicles violating the ban may also be tagged, towed and stored at the owner's expense under § 405-119, with the resulting charges forming a lien on the vehicle.

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

Driveway Rules

Taunton's Zoning Ordinance requires every parking and loading surface to be graded and subsurfaced with a nondusting material so it doesn't shed dust, erosion or runoff onto streets or neighboring land. No more than 60% of a residential front yard can be used for parking and driveway access, and a street access drive serving five or more spaces or a loading area must sit at least 70 feet from any intersecting street.

Key details: Surface requirement: Graded, nondusting material, drained. Front yard cap: No more than 60% used for parking. Driveway spacing: 70 feet from an intersecting street. Applies to: Driveways with 5+ spaces or loading areas. Added: Front-yard cap added May 21, 2024.

Failing to surface a driveway or parking area properly, paving over more than 60% of a residential front yard, or placing a multi-space driveway within 70 feet of an intersection is a Chapter 440 zoning violation under § 440-301B. The fine runs up to $300 per offense, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense, or the City can pursue noncriminal fines of $50, $100 and $300 for first, second and later violations. The Zoning Enforcement Officer can withhold sign-off on a permit until the surface or setback is corrected.

Overnight Parking

Trucks, trailers, tractors, tractor-trailers and campers cannot park on any Taunton street between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. under § 405-52. Each overnight violation draws its own $50 fine, separate from the general parking penalty.

Key details: Restricted hours: 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.. Covered vehicles: Trucks, trailers, tractors, campers. Fine: $50 per violation, § 405-52(B). Loading exception: Requires Chief of Police license. Scope: Any street in the City.

Section 405-52(B) sets its own penalty rather than relying on the chapter-wide fine: anyone who parks a truck, trailer, tractor, tractor-trailer or camper between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on any Taunton street is punished for each violation by a fine of $50, and each night the vehicle sits there can be cited separately.

Compared to other cities, Taunton takes a harder line on overnight parking. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Loading Zones

Taunton limits parking in a marked service or loading zone to 15 minutes under § 405-48, unless you're actually loading or unloading, in which case the limit stretches to a half hour. Park longer than that and you're in violation citywide.

Key details: General time limit: 15 minutes. Loading/unloading limit: Up to 1/2 hour. Governing section: § 405-48. Max fine: $50 (§ 405-42). Zones designated by: Municipal Council, § 405-99.

Section 405-48 carries no fine of its own, so overstaying a loading zone falls under the chapter-wide penalty at § 405-42: a fine not to exceed $50 per violation. An officer can ticket a vehicle that has exceeded either the flat 15-minute limit or the half-hour cap for active loading and unloading.

RV & Boat Parking

Taunton allows only one utility trailer per residentially utilized lot, and that trailer can't sit in the front yard, but the code specifically excludes boat trailers and camping trailers from both the one-trailer cap and the front-yard ban. Recreational vehicles registered as ATVs or dirt bikes fall under a separate, unrelated hazardous-operation ordinance, not this parking rule.

Key details: Utility trailer limit: One per residentially utilized lot. Front yard: Utility trailers barred from front yard. Boat/camping trailers: Excluded from the cap and ban. Amended: April 19, 2022. Separate ordinance: § 405-41.1 covers ATVs, not RVs/boats.

Parking more than one utility trailer per lot, or parking a utility trailer in the front yard, is a Chapter 440 violation under § 440-301B, carrying a fine up to $300 per offense or escalating noncriminal fines of $50, $100 and $300, with each day counted separately. Because boat trailers and camping trailers are excluded from this specific rule, the City can't cite a resident under § 440-704A(4)(b) for how many of those it keeps, though other nuisance or unregistered-vehicle rules can still apply.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Taunton gives residents more flexibility on rv & boat parking.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Taunton limits residential lots to one commercial-use vehicle at a time, capped at 7,000 pounds actual vehicle weight excluding payload, and counts tractors, backhoes and other heavy equipment as motor vehicles for that purpose. Farm or garden vehicles and motorized garden equipment stored on the farm, garden or home lot where they're used are exempt from the cap.

Key details: Vehicle limit: One commercial-use vehicle per residential lot. Weight cap: 7,000 lbs actual weight, excluding payload. Includes: Tractors, backhoes and other heavy equipment. Exemption: Farm/garden vehicles used on the home lot. Enforcing office: Zoning Enforcement Officer.

Keeping more than one commercial-use vehicle, or one over 7,000 pounds, on a residential lot is a Chapter 440 violation under § 440-301B: a fine up to $300 per offense, with each day the vehicle remains a separate offense, or escalating noncriminal fines of $50, $100 and $300 for repeated violations. The Zoning Enforcement Officer investigates complaints and can order an oversized or extra commercial vehicle removed from the property.

The Bottom Line

Taunton 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 Taunton, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

This guide is based on Taunton's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.