Parking Rules in San Diego, CA (2026)
10 verified parking rules for San Diego, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
RV & Boat Parking
SDMC Section 86.0139 prohibits oversized, non-motorized, and recreational vehicles from parking on public streets between 2 AM and 6 AM. Vehicles may not park within 50 feet of an intersection. Temporary Overnight RV Permits (TORVP) available at $1.50/day, max 72 permits/year per address.
San Diego RV & Oversized Vehicle Parking
Light RestrictionsSDMC § 86.0139, § 86.0143 (Neighborhood Parking Protection Ordinance / TORVP)
The Neighborhood Parking Protection Ordinance (NPPO) creates safer streets and neighborhoods by minimizing the negative effects of oversized vehicles, such as recreational vehicles (RVs), trailers and boats, and parking on public streets. Specifically, section 86.0139 of the San Diego Municipal Code (SDMC) prohibits oversized, non-motorized and recreational vehicles from parking on public stree...
Driveway Rules
San Diego bars parking off-street spaces or vehicles in a required front or street side yard except on a legal driveway, per SDMC §142.0510(e).
San Diego Driveway & Front Yard Parking
Some RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 142.0510(e)
(e) Parking in Required Yards. Parking in required yards is subject to the following regulations: (1) Off-street parking spaces shall not be located in any required front or street side yard except as otherwise provided in the particular zone or by Section 142.0510(f). (2) No vehicle shall be parked in any required front or...
Commercial & Oversized Vehicles
San Diego bars trucks and equipment over 24 feet from driving or parking in the Downtown central traffic district on weekdays under SDMC § 85.02, and lets the City Council post truck-and-bus parking bans on any other street.
San Diego Truck & Bus Parking Ban
Some RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 85.02
(a) It shall be unlawful for the driver of a motor truck and/or equipment exceeding 24 feet in length to drive the same in, or to allow such motor truck and/or equipment to remain parked within the central traffic district of The City of San Diego between the hours of 10:00 o'clock a.m. and 6:00 o'clock ...
Street Parking Limits
San Diego imposes a 72-hour continuous parking limit on all public streets under SDMC 86.0122. Many neighborhoods have Residential Parking Permit (RPP) zones restricting non-resident vehicles to 1-2 hours. Vehicles must comply with posted signs, street sweeping schedules, and metered time limits.
San Diego Street Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsCal. Veh. Code § 22651
22651. A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which th...
Overnight Parking
SDMC §86.0139 prohibits oversized and recreational vehicles from parking on public streets between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM. Oversized vehicles are defined as exceeding 27 feet in length AND 7 feet in height. Parking any such vehicle within 50 feet of an intersection is prohibited at any time. Residents may obtain a Temporary Overnight Recreational Vehicle Permit (TORVP) at $1.50 per 24-hour period, with a maximum of 72 permits per address per year.
San Diego Overnight Street Parking Rules
Heavy RestrictionsCal. Veh. Code § 22651
22651. A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which th...
EV Charging
Multi-dwelling residential projects in a San Diego transit priority area that choose to provide off-street parking must include electric vehicle charging spaces, with the required count set by the state's Title 24 building code.
San Diego Multi-Family EV Charging Rule
Some RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 142.0528(b)(3)
The Transit Priority Area Regulations establish the parking requirements for multiple dwelling unit residential development where all or a portion of the premises is located within a transit priority area... If one or more off-street parking spaces are provided in a development... The number of off-street electric vehicle charging spaces shall be provided in accordance with Title 24 of the Cali...
Abandoned Vehicles
San Diego enforces a 72-hour street parking limit under SDMC 86.0125 and California Vehicle Code 22651(k). The SDPD Abandoned Vehicle Detail responds to complaints, marks the tires, and tows vehicles that remain unmoved or have registration expired over six months (CVC 22651(o)). Inoperable vehicles on private property are handled by Code Enforcement under a separate nuisance ordinance.
San Diego Abandoned Vehicle Rules (SDMC 86.0125)
Some RestrictionsSan Diego Police – Abandoned or Inoperable Vehicles
In the City of San Diego, it is illegal to leave an operable or inoperable vehicle parked for more than 72 consecutive hours without being driven at least 1/10th of a mile on a public street. It is also illegal to park an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperable vehicle on private property in public view. The Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Unit is responsible for removing wrecked, dismantled a...
Curb Color Rules
San Diego lets a homeowner paint their own street number on the curb for free, but no one else may do it without the occupant's permission, and paid solicitors must register with police and pay a $25 permit fee first.
San Diego Curb House-Number Painting Rules
Light RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 62.0701
The occupant of a residence may at his own expense paint or have painted the street number of such residence on the curb. No person other than the occupant shall paint street numbers upon the curb unless he shall first have permission of the occupant of the residence for which the numbers are proposed to be painted. No person shall solicit for the p...
Loading Zones
Only DMV-registered commercial vehicles may use a marked Commercial Loading Zone in San Diego, and loading is capped at three minutes for passengers or 20 minutes for goods, enforced 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
San Diego Commercial Loading Zone Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 86.0119
Only vehicles registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles as commercial vehicles shall stop, stand, or park in a Commercial Loading Zone for the purpose of loading or unloading passengers, materials, goods, or merchandise. Such loading or unloading shall not consume more than three minutes for passengers nor more than 20 minutes for materials, goods or merchandise. Commercial Loading Zones...
Preferential Parking Districts
San Diego's City Council may, by resolution, designate residential streets as Residential Permit Parking Areas under SDMC Division 20, exempting permit-holding residents' vehicles from posted time or area parking restrictions that otherwise bind non-residents.
San Diego Preferential Parking Districts
Significant RestrictionsSan Diego Municipal Code § 86.2004
The City Council may, in its discretion, designate by resolution certain residential areas as residential permit parking areas in which residents' motor vehicles displaying a valid parking permit or having purchased a valid electronic parking permit may stand or be parked without limitation by parking time or parking area restricti...
Looking for San Diego County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Diego city rules.
Parking Rules in San Diego County →