Parking Rules in Santa Ana, CA (2026)
10 verified parking rules for Santa Ana, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
RV & Boat Parking
Santa Ana bans parking any oversized, non-motorized or recreational vehicle on a public street between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., and within 50 feet of an intersection at any time, under Municipal Code § 36-149. Residents can get a temporary permit under § 36-153 for overnight RV parking, capped at three consecutive 24-hour periods and 72 permits per address per year.
Santa Ana RV and Oversized Vehicle Parking
Significant RestrictionsSanta Ana, CA, Municipal Code §§ 36-149, 36-153
(a) It is unlawful for any person to park or leave standing upon any public street, park road, or parking lot, any oversized vehicle, non-motorized vehicle, or recreational vehicle between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. (b) It is unlawful for any person to park or leave standing within fifty (50) feet of any intersection of public streets, a public street and park road, a public street an...
Driveway Rules
In Santa Ana's R1 single-family district, a driveway must lead to a garage and can't be wider than the garage itself or 50% of the lot's street frontage width, whichever is smaller. Parking a vehicle anywhere else in the front yard, outside that driveway, is prohibited under Section 41-239(c).
Santa Ana R1 Driveway Width & Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Ana, CA, Municipal Code § 41-239(c)-(d)
Lots in the R1 district shall comply with the following standards: (c)Driveways shall lead to a garage and not exceed the width of such garage or fifty (50) percent of the lot width at the street, whichever is less. There shall be no parking of vehicles in the front yard except in such driveways.(d)Garages facing the street shall occupy no more than fifty (50) percent of the lot width.
Commercial & Oversized Vehicles
Santa Ana bans parking oversized, non-motorized, and recreational vehicles on public streets between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., and within 50 feet of any intersection at all times, unless the City Manager posts signs authorizing it or a temporary permit is issued.
Oversized Vehicle Parking Rules in Santa Ana
Significant RestrictionsSanta Ana, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 36-149 (Ord. No. NS-2976, § 2A, 10-15-19)
Sec. 36-149. - Prohibition of parking of oversized vehicles, non-motorized vehicles, and recreational vehicles. Except as provided in section 36-150 or otherwise expressly provided to the contrary herein, or unless such parking or standing is authorized by the City Manager and appropriate signs permitting such parking or standing are posted: (a)It is unlawful for any person to park or leave sta...
Street Parking Limits
Santa Ana caps on-street parking at 72 consecutive hours under Municipal Code § 36-136(b), and separately bars leaving an inoperable vehicle parked more than 12 hours or using a public street as a car lot. Vehicles violating either limit can be towed by the chief of police at the owner's expense.
Santa Ana On-Street Parking Time Limits
Some RestrictionsSanta Ana, CA, Municipal Code § 36-136
No person shall park a vehicle upon any roadway for the principal purpose of displaying such vehicle for sale. No person shall park, stop or leave standing any vehicle for a period of time longer than twelve (12) hours on any public street or highway in the city unless such vehicle is in a condition to be lawfully operated upon the public highways... No person who owns or has custody or control...
Overnight Parking
On Main Street, Broadway, First Street, Bristol Street and several other named corridors, Santa Ana bars parking any vehicle longer than 30 minutes between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. under Municipal Code § 36-144. The same overnight window applies anywhere the city has installed parking meters, with one carved-out exception on Fourth Street.
Santa Ana Overnight Street Parking Limits
Some RestrictionsSanta Ana, CA, Municipal Code § 36-144
No person shall park and leave standing any vehicle for a period of time longer than thirty (30) minutes between the hours of two o'clock (2:00) a.m. and six o'clock (6:00) a.m. of any day upon any portion of Main Street, Broadway, First Street, Seventeenth Street, Flower Street, Edinger Avenue, Warner Avenue, Bristol Street, Eighth Street or Fourth Street, or upon any portion of any public hig...
EV Charging
Santa Ana's Building Department must run a nondiscretionary, expedited permit and inspection process for every electric vehicle charging station in the city, with no carve-out for multi-family or commercial properties. Article XVII of Chapter 8 covers all qualifying equipment, requires a published checklist, allows electronic applications, and mandates timely, consolidated inspections once installation is complete.
Santa Ana EV Charging Station Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Ana, CA, Municipal Code Ch. 8, Art. XVII, §§ 8-2901, 8-2904
This Article applies to the permitting of all electric vehicle charging stations in the City. Electric vehicle charging stations legally established or permitted prior to the effective date of this Article are not subject to the requirements of this Article unless physical modifications or alterations are undertaken that materially change the size, type, or components of the electric vehicle ch...
Abandoned Vehicles
Santa Ana declares abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles on private or public property a public nuisance under state Vehicle Code authority. The Planning and Building Agency can order removal after a ten-day notice, with limited exemptions for enclosed storage and licensed dismantlers.
Santa Ana Abandoned Vehicle Removal
Significant RestrictionsSanta Ana, CA, Municipal Code § 16-110 (Purpose — Abandoned, Wrecked, Etc., Vehicles)
In addition to and in accordance with the determination made and the authority granted by the State of California under Section 22660 of the Vehicle Code to remove abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof as public nuisances, the city council of the City of Santa Ana hereby makes the following findings and declarations. The accumulation and storage of abandoned, ...
Curb Color Rules
Painting your own curb in Santa Ana is illegal unless the city has authorized it by contract. Municipal Code § 36-148 bars anyone from painting "any public street or curb surfaces" without that authorization: a flat ban that applies even to a homeowner repainting a faded red or yellow zone in front of their own property.
Santa Ana Curb Painting Rules
Heavy RestrictionsSanta Ana, CA, Municipal Code § 36-148
No person, unless authorized by contract with this city, shall paint any public street or curb surfaces.
Loading Zones
Santa Ana's Public Works Director designates loading zones by curb marking, and Municipal Code § 36-138(c) bars leaving any vehicle, attended or not, parked there longer than the zone's posted time allows. The same section lets the director set up marked parking stalls, bus zones and disabled-parking zones under one unified authority.
Santa Ana Loading Zone Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Ana, CA, Municipal Code § 36-138(c)
The director of public works is authorized to establish loading zones, and no person shall park or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, in any loading zone for a period of time longer than is permitted for such loading zone.
Preferential Parking Districts
Santa Ana's city council creates preferential parking districts by resolution under Municipal Code Article XI, and within those districts a specific block only gets restricted once owners of 66 percent or more of the abutting residential lots petition the public works director. Households get up to three resident permits plus renewable guest passes, and unauthorized vehicles can be towed once warning signs go up.
Santa Ana Preferential Parking Permit Districts
Some RestrictionsSanta Ana, CA, Municipal Code § 36-481, § 36-482
The city council may establish permit parking districts by resolution. Any such resolution shall designate the boundaries of the permit parking district and shall specify the maximum parking limitations which apply within the district. ... The resolution specified in section 36-481 may provide that parking restrictions imposed pursuant to this article shall apply to any block within the permit ...
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