Yakima's Parking Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles parking rules a little differently. In Yakima, Washington, there are 11 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

RV & Boat Parking

Yakima regulates on-street parking of recreational vehicles, boats, and trailers through Chapter 9.50 (Parking and Rules of the Road) of the Yakima Municipal Code, supplemented by Washington state law. RCW 46.55.085 allows law enforcement to tag and impound an unauthorized vehicle, including a trailer or boat trailer, that is left on a public right-of-way for more than twenty-four hours after tagging. Statewide setbacks under RCW 46.61.570 (no parking within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant, twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, in any intersection, or on a sidewalk) apply to RVs, boats, and trailers regardless of zone. On private property, Title 15 (Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance) limits outdoor storage of recreational vehicles in residential districts.

Key details: Primary Code: YMC Chapter 9.50 Parking. Tag-and-Tow Window: 24 hours (RCW 46.55.085). Hydrant Clearance: 15 feet (RCW 46.61.570). Crosswalk Setback: 20 feet at intersection. Police Non-Emergency: (509) 575-6200.

Leaving an RV, boat trailer, or other unauthorized vehicle on a Yakima public street for more than twenty-four hours after being tagged by law enforcement violates RCW 46.55.085 and may result in impoundment. Parking an RV or boat trailer within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant, within twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, in any intersection, on a sidewalk, or in front of a driveway violates RCW 46.61.570 as enforced through YMC Chapter 9.50. Exceeding the downtown two-hour on-street limit between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays without a Residential Parking Permit is a separate $20 parking infraction. Outdoor storage of RVs or boats on a residential lot in violation of Title 15 (Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance) is enforceable by code compliance.

Street Parking Limits

On-street parking in Yakima is governed by Chapter 9.50 (Parking and Rules of the Road) of the Yakima Municipal Code, supplemented by state law RCW 46.61.570 for prohibited locations. On-street parking in downtown Yakima is free for two hours, with the two-hour limit enforced between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays; parking is free before 8 a.m., after 5 p.m., and on weekends. The fine for violating a parking time limit is twenty dollars. Statewide distance setbacks apply citywide: no parking within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant, twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, in any intersection, on a sidewalk, or in front of a driveway.

Key details: Primary Code: YMC Chapter 9.50 Parking. Downtown 2-Hr Limit: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays. Free Hours: Before 8 a.m., after 5 p.m., weekends. Time-Limit Fine: $20 per infraction. Hydrant Clearance: 15 feet (RCW 46.61.570).

Exceeding the downtown two-hour on-street limit between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays without a Residential Parking Permit is a twenty-dollar Chapter 9.50 parking infraction. Failing to respond to a parking infraction within seven days adds a five-dollar penalty; failing to respond within thirty days raises that penalty to fifteen dollars. Parking within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant, twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, in any intersection, on a sidewalk, in front of a driveway, or in any space where official signs prohibit stopping violates RCW 46.61.570 as enforced through YMC Chapter 9.50.

EV Charging

Yakima follows Washington state EV-charging law. Under RCW 64.34.395 (Condominium Act, effective until January 1, 2026) and RCW 64.90.513 (Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act, effective January 1, 2026), a unit owners' association may not adopt or enforce a restriction that effectively prohibits or unreasonably restricts the installation or use of an electric vehicle charging station for the personal noncommercial use of a unit owner, within the boundaries of a unit or in a designated parking space. The unit owner bears the costs of insurance, electricity, payment facilitation, permit or approval costs, and code compliance. Home Level 2 installations in Yakima require an electrical permit through City of Yakima Code Administration.

Key details: Condo/HOA EV Rights: RCW 64.34.395 (to 1/1/2026). Successor Statute: RCW 64.90.513 (from 1/1/2026). Owner Costs: Insurance, power, permits, code. Home Install Permit: Yakima Code Administration. Reasonable Restrictions: Permitted by statute.

A homeowners or condominium association in Yakima that adopts or enforces a restriction effectively prohibiting or unreasonably restricting installation or use of an EV charging station within a unit or in a designated parking space violates RCW 64.34.395 (before January 1, 2026) or RCW 64.90.513 (on and after January 1, 2026). Installing a Level 2 home charger in Yakima without an electrical permit through City of Yakima Code Administration is a code violation that may require after-the-fact permitting plus inspection fees. Parking a non-EV in a clearly signed EV charging-only space is enforceable under YMC Chapter 9.50 and posted signage.

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

Driveway Rules

Driveway approaches and curb cuts in the Yakima public right-of-way require a permit from the City of Yakima Engineering Division. On-lot driveway and front-yard parking standards live in the Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance (Title 15 YMC), which sets surfacing and dimensional requirements. State law RCW 46.61.570 prohibits parking in front of a public or private driveway, on a sidewalk, in any intersection, within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant, and within twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection. These rules apply citywide through Yakima Municipal Code Chapter 9.50 (Parking and Rules of the Road).

Key details: Curb Cut Permit: Required from Engineering Division. On-Lot Standards: Title 15 (Yakima Urban Area Zoning). Sidewalk/Driveway Blocking: Prohibited (RCW 46.61.570). Hydrant Clearance: 15 feet (RCW 46.61.570). Complaint Line: YPD (509) 575-6200.

Parking across a public sidewalk, blocking a private driveway, or parking on the curb apron is a violation enforceable under YMC Chapter 9.50 and RCW 46.61.570. Constructing or widening a driveway approach or curb cut in the City of Yakima right-of-way without a permit from the Engineering Division is a separate violation that can require restoration to city standards plus civil penalties. On-lot driveway surfacing, dimensional, and front-yard parking standards that violate Title 15 (Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance) are enforceable by Code Administration.

Loading Zones

Loading zones in Yakima are installed and signed by the city under YMC Chapter 9.50 (Parking and Rules of the Road), following federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) standards. Title 15 (Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance) requires off-street loading and unloading spaces for any use needing frequent loading or unloading from trucks or other large vehicles. Loading vehicles must still comply with RCW 46.61.570 distance setbacks (fifteen feet from a fire hydrant, twenty feet from a crosswalk at an intersection, no parking on sidewalks, in intersections, or in front of driveways).

Key details: On-Street Authority: YMC Chapter 9.50. Off-Street Requirement: Title 15 (Yakima Urban Area Zoning). Active Use Exception: Per RCW 46.61.570. Hydrant/Crosswalk Setbacks: Apply during loading. Downtown 2-Hr Window: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays.

Parking a non-delivery vehicle in a signed loading zone outside the active loading window or beyond the posted time allowance is a citable parking infraction under YMC Chapter 9.50 (Parking and Rules of the Road), subject to the twenty-dollar time-limit fine. Loading vehicles must still comply with RCW 46.61.570 distance restrictions (fifteen feet from a fire hydrant, twenty feet from a crosswalk at an intersection, no stopping on sidewalks, in intersections, or in front of driveways). Failing to provide required off-street loading spaces for a use that needs them violates Title 15 (Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance).

Abandoned Vehicles

Abandoned and unauthorized vehicles in Yakima are handled under YMC Chapter 9.47 (Vehicle Impounds) and Washington state Chapter 46.55 RCW (Towing and Impoundment). Under YMC 9.47, any unlicensed vehicle parked on a public street or parking lot in Yakima may be towed and impounded at owner's risk and expense by a registered tow truck operator after the owner is provided forty-eight hours notice of impoundment, at the direction of a law enforcement officer or authorized designee. RCW 46.55.085 allows law enforcement to tag a vehicle on a public right-of-way and impound it if not moved within twenty-four hours. Junk vehicles on private property follow a separate written-notice and municipal-court hearing process; the civil infraction penalty is fifty dollars.

Key details: Primary Code: YMC Chapter 9.47 Vehicle Impounds. Unlicensed Vehicle Notice: 48 hours before tow. Tag-and-Tow on Street: 24 hours (RCW 46.55.085). Junk Vehicle Hearing: 15 days to request. Civil Infraction Penalty: $50.

Leaving an unlicensed vehicle on a Yakima public street or parking lot may result in towing and impoundment under YMC 9.47 after forty-eight hours notice. Leaving any vehicle on a public right-of-way for more than twenty-four hours after being tagged by law enforcement under RCW 46.55.085 may result in impoundment under Chapter 46.55 RCW. Allowing a junk vehicle to remain on private property in Yakima after written notice and any requested municipal-court hearing is a YMC Chapter 9.47 violation, with a fifty-dollar civil infraction penalty per Chapter 9.47, and the vehicle may be removed and impounded at the owner's expense.

Compared to other cities, Yakima takes a harder line on abandoned vehicles. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Commercial Vehicle Restrictions

Yakima regulates commercial vehicle parking through the Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance (Title 15 YMC), which limits where cargo containers and semi-truck trailers may be placed in residential and commercial zones, and through YMC Chapter 9.50 (Parking and Rules of the Road) for on-street parking. Cargo containers may be placed on properties in residential zones for a maximum of two consecutive weeks at a time; cargo and semi-truck trailers are allowed as an accessory use to a permitted business in the B-1, B-2, SCC, LCC, AS, GC, RD, M-1, and M-2 zoning districts. Statewide distance setbacks under RCW 46.61.570 apply to commercial vehicles.

Key details: Cargo Container in Residential: 2 weeks max consecutive. Trailer Accessory Use Zones: B-1, B-2, SCC, LCC, AS, GC, RD, M-1, M-2. Residential Permit Weight Cap: 8,000 lbs gross. Off-Street Loading: Required for frequent loading uses. Hydrant Clearance: 15 feet (RCW 46.61.570).

Placing a cargo container on a residentially zoned property for more than two consecutive weeks at a time violates Title 15 (Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance). Parking or storing a cargo or semi-truck trailer in a zoning district other than B-1, B-2, SCC, LCC, AS, GC, RD, M-1, or M-2, outside an approved accessory-use context, violates Title 15. Parking a commercial vehicle within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant, twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, in any intersection, on a sidewalk, or in front of a driveway violates RCW 46.61.570 as enforced through YMC Chapter 9.50. Failing to provide required off-street loading spaces for a use that needs them violates Title 15.

Oversized Vehicle Parking

Yakima regulates oversized vehicles primarily through zoning. Title 15 (Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance) limits cargo containers on residentially zoned property to a maximum of two consecutive weeks at a time, and allows cargo and semi-truck trailers as an accessory use to a permitted business only in the B-1, B-2, SCC, LCC, AS, GC, RD, M-1, and M-2 zoning districts. The downtown Residential Parking Permit framework caps eligible vehicles at eight thousand pounds gross weight, indirectly defining 'oversized' for permit purposes. State law RCW 46.61.570 distance setbacks and the RCW 46.55.085 tag-and-tow window apply citywide.

Key details: Cargo Container Residential: 2 weeks max consecutive. Trailer Allowed Zones: B-1, B-2, SCC, LCC, AS, GC, RD, M-1, M-2. Residential Permit Cap: 8,000 lbs gross weight. Tag-and-Tow Window: 24 hours (RCW 46.55.085). Hydrant Clearance: 15 feet (RCW 46.61.570).

Placing a cargo container on a residentially zoned Yakima property for more than two consecutive weeks at a time violates Title 15 (Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance). Parking or storing a cargo or semi-truck trailer in a zoning district other than B-1, B-2, SCC, LCC, AS, GC, RD, M-1, or M-2 outside an approved accessory-use context violates Title 15. Leaving an oversized vehicle, RV, or trailer on a Yakima public right-of-way for more than twenty-four hours after being tagged by law enforcement violates RCW 46.55.085 and may result in impoundment under Chapter 46.55 RCW. Distance restrictions under RCW 46.61.570 apply regardless of vehicle size.

Overnight Parking

Yakima does not impose a general citywide overnight parking ban on properly registered passenger vehicles parked on residential streets. Downtown Yakima's two-hour on-street limit applies only between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, so overnight parking is allowed downtown after 5 p.m. through the next morning. State law RCW 46.55.085 still allows law enforcement to tag a vehicle left on a public right-of-way and impound it if not moved within twenty-four hours of the tag. Distance setbacks under RCW 46.61.570 (fifteen feet from a fire hydrant, twenty feet from a crosswalk at an intersection, no parking on sidewalks, in intersections, or in front of driveways) apply at all hours.

Key details: Citywide Overnight Ban: None for passenger vehicles. Downtown 2-Hr Window: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays only. Free Overnight Downtown: After 5 p.m. and weekends. Tag-and-Tow Window: 24 hours (RCW 46.55.085). Enforcement: YPD (509) 575-6200.

Leaving a passenger vehicle, RV, or trailer on a Yakima public right-of-way for more than twenty-four hours after being tagged by law enforcement violates RCW 46.55.085 and may result in impoundment under Chapter 46.55 RCW. Parking overnight within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant, twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, in any intersection, on a sidewalk, or in front of a driveway violates RCW 46.61.570 regardless of time of day. Sleeping or camping in a parked vehicle on a city street may violate separate city ordinances enforced by Yakima Police.

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

Snow Removal Parking Rules

Yakima places primary responsibility for sidewalk snow and ice removal on the abutting property owner or occupant. Under YMC Chapter 8.88 (Snow and Ice Removal), every owner or occupant of property in the city adjacent to a public sidewalk is responsible for the removal of snow and ice that may fall or accumulate on the sidewalks immediately adjacent to the primary entrance of the property. Property owners or occupants must make a reasonable effort to have those sidewalks cleared of snow and ice by nine a.m. of every day after snowfall. Where complete removal is not practical, the owner or occupant must disperse sand or other suitable material on the sidewalk. It is a civil infraction to place snow and ice removed from sidewalk areas into the public rights-of-way, alleys, city streets, pathways, or thoroughfares. Each day a sidewalk remains uncleared is a separate civil infraction with a fine of up to $50.

Key details: Primary Code: YMC Chapter 8.88 Snow and Ice Removal. Clearing Deadline: 9 a.m. day after snowfall. Alternative if Impractical: Disperse sand or suitable material. Fine: Up to $50 per day. Snow in Street: Civil infraction (Chapter 8.88).

Failing to make a reasonable effort to clear the public sidewalk immediately adjacent to the primary entrance of your Yakima property of snow and ice by nine a.m. of every day after snowfall violates YMC Chapter 8.88 (Snow and Ice Removal) and is a civil infraction with a fine of up to fifty dollars; each day the sidewalk remains uncleared is a separate civil infraction. Placing snow and/or ice removed from sidewalk areas into the public rights-of-way, alleys, city streets, pathways, or thoroughfares is a separate civil infraction under YMC Chapter 8.88.

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

Curb Color Rules

Curb markings on Yakima public streets are installed and maintained only by the City of Yakima Streets and Traffic Operations Division under federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) standards referenced through YMC Chapter 9.50 (Parking and Rules of the Road). Private property owners may not paint, alter, or add markings to a public curb. Underlying state-law setbacks in RCW 46.61.570 apply by default where paint has faded or is unmarked: no parking within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant, twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, in any intersection, on a sidewalk, or in front of a driveway.

Key details: Marking Authority: City Streets/Traffic Operations only. Hydrant Clearance: 15 feet (RCW 46.61.570). Crosswalk Setback: 20 feet at intersection. Sidewalk/Driveway: No parking (RCW 46.61.570). Resident Curb Paint: Not permitted.

Painting, repainting, or altering a public curb in Yakima without city authorization is unauthorized work in the public right-of-way and may require restoration to city standards at the property owner's expense plus civil penalties. Parking within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant, within twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within an intersection, on a sidewalk, in front of a public or private driveway, or in any space where official signs prohibit stopping violates RCW 46.61.570 as enforced through YMC Chapter 9.50 (Parking and Rules of the Road).

The Bottom Line

Yakima'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 Yakima is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Yakima's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.