Parking Rules in Merced, CA (2026)
9 verified parking rules for Merced, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
RV & Boat Parking
Merced bars parking any RV, trailer, camper, or boat on a front or side yard, lawn, or landscaped area unless it sits on a paved driveway or designated parking pad, and separately bans parking one on any public residential street at any time absent a 72-hour visitor pass.
Merced RV, Trailer and Boat Parking Rules
Significant RestrictionsMerced, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 10.12.190, Sec. 9.84.030, Sec. 9.84.040
10.12.190 - Parking on lawns and yards. A.No motor vehicle, motorcycle, tractor, trailer, camper, or other mode of transportation, whether or not motorized or operational, shall be parked or stored on a required front yard, side yard, lawn, grass, or landscaped areas except on a permanent driveway or parking place specifically and properly designed for the purpose of parking vehicles and constr...
Commercial & Oversized Vehicles
Merced prohibits parking or leaving standing any commercial vehicle rated 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or more on residential streets. The ban applies citywide in any area zoned residential under Title 18, with narrow carve-outs for active deliveries and permitted construction work.
Merced Bans Heavy Trucks on Residential Streets
Significant RestrictionsMerced, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 10.28.290 (Commercial vehicles in residential districts)
No person shall park or leave standing any commercial vehicle, as defined in the Vehicle Code of the state, upon any street within any residential district of the city, if such vehicle has a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of ten thousand pounds or more, for any purpose other than making pickups or deliveries of persons, goods, wares, and merchandise from or to any building or struct...
Street Parking Limits
Merced bans stopping, standing, or parking within any parkway strip, and requires cars parked on city streets to sit parallel to the curb with their right-hand wheels within eighteen inches of it, except where the code authorizes angle parking.
Merced On-Street Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsMerced, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 10.28.020, Sec. 10.28.060
10.28.020 - Prohibited within parkways. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle within any parkway. 10.28.060 - Parallel parking. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, parking on all streets in the city shall be parallel to the curb, whereby the right-hand wheels of any vehicle shall be within eighteen (18) inches of the curb, which parallel parking shall be that type of parking c...
Overnight Parking
Merced allows overnight street parking but bans leaving a vehicle parked continuously on any street, alley, or city lot for more than seventy-two consecutive hours. Signed zones can impose shorter limits, defaulting to a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. window when hours aren't otherwise posted.
Merced Overnight Street Parking Time Limit
Some RestrictionsMerced, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 10.28.030, Sec. 10.28.250
10.28.030 - Seventy-two consecutive hours-Prohibited. No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle upon any street, alley or city parking lot for a consecutive period of more than seventy-two (72) hours. 10.28.250 - Overtime parking. ...If no other hours or days are indicated upon such signs or curb markings, the time limitations shall be in fo...
EV Charging
Merced requires an expedited, streamlined building permit for every electric vehicle charging station, per Chapter 17.64 adopted by Ordinance No. 2515. The building official must publish a compliance checklist online, accept electronic submittals and signatures, and promptly approve or deny applications that meet the California Building Standards Codes and pose no specific, adverse safety impact.
Merced EV Charging Station Permit Rules
Light RestrictionsMerced, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 17.64.020.A (Permitting process)
A.The expedited, streamlined permitting process for electrical vehicle charging systems shall comply with the applicable requirements contained in Section 17.64.030 of this code and all of the following:1.The building official shall implement an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations, and adopt a checklist of all requirements with which electric vehicle...
Abandoned Vehicles
Leaving an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicle on public or private property in Merced for more than 72 straight hours is an infraction under Sec. 8.34.150, unless it's fully enclosed out of view or stored lawfully at a licensed dismantler, dealer, or junkyard. The vehicle abatement officer can then order it removed as a public nuisance under Chapter 8.34.
Merced Abandoned Vehicle 72-Hour Rule
Some RestrictionsMerced, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.34.150 (Abandoned Vehicle Abatement, Act of Abandonment - Infraction)
It is unlawful and an infraction for any person to abandon, store, leave, or permit the abandonment, storing, or leaving of any licensed or unlicensed vehicle or parts thereof which is abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative upon any private property or public property, including highways, within the city for a period in excess of seventy-two (72) or more consecutive hours unless such veh...
Curb Color Rules
Painting house numbers on curbs for a fee is a regulated activity in Merced: Municipal Code Sec. 5.56.010 makes it unlawful to do so without a permit from the city manager, and permittees must carry insurance, pay a public property fee, and follow a formal revocation and appeal process.
Merced Curb House-Number Painting Permit
Some RestrictionsMerced, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 5.56.010
A.It is unlawful to paint house numbers on curbs within the city without obtaining a permit to do so from the city manager or his designee.B.Permits shall be issued if all requirements of the chapter are met and the city manager or his designee finds that granting such permit will not unduly interfere with the rights of the public or significantly contribute to traffic or other safety hazards.
Loading Zones
Merced restricts freight and passenger loading zones to vehicles actually loading or unloading, capped at the time the task legitimately requires. Where signs designate the zone for a business day window, the restriction runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
Merced Loading Zone Time Limits
Some RestrictionsMerced, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 10.32.040, Sec. 10.32.050
10.32.040 - Zones-Restrictions. No automobile or other vehicle shall be parked or stopped in any freight and passenger loading zone, except those legitimately engaged in loading or unloading materials or passengers, and the parking time shall not exceed the time legitimately required for the purpose of loading or unloading materials or passengers. 10.32.050 - When authorized signs or curb marki...
Preferential Parking Districts
Merced lets a residential area petition to become a Residential Parking Permit Zone under Municipal Code Section 10.50.010, giving residents parking-sticker exemptions from posted time limits. The city council must find that at least sixty-seven percent of resident and property-owner support and unique parking problems exist before designating a zone by resolution and posting signs.
Merced Residential Parking Permit Zones
Some RestrictionsMerced, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 10.50.010
Upon the recommendation of the city engineer or his/her designee, or the filing with the city clerk of a verified petition containing valid signatures of at least sixty-seven (67) percent of the residents and owners of real property in a specific residential area, council shall conduct a public hearing to consider whether that residential area should be designated as a residential parking permi...
Looking for Merced County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Merced city rules.
Parking Rules in Merced County →