Berkeley, CA Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- One-way street buffer
- 18 inches from curb or bike lane line
- Diagonal parking buffer
- 12 inches from curb or bike lane line
- Harassment penalty
- Treble damages or $1,000, plus fees
- Harassment is civil
- Not criminal unless underlying act is
- Enforcement
- Each hour is a separate parking offense
Summary
When a bike lane runs next to on-street parking in Berkeley, city rules force a buffer: cars on a one-way street must keep their curb-side wheels within 18 inches of the bike lane's dividing line, and diagonally parked cars must stay within 12 inches of it, so the painted bike lane stays clear.
B. Any vehicle parked on a street designated as a one-way street shall be parked in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, except that such vehicle shall be faced in the direction indicated by the one-way street sign, and both wheels of such vehicle on the side nearest the curb shall be not more than 18 inches distant from the curb or the bike lane dividing line or buffer. ... A. At the angle and in the direction to the curb indicated by signs or pavement markings allotting space to parked vehicles and entirely within the limits of such allotted space, and with the bumper of the vehicle nearest the curb within 12 inches of the curb, or where a bike lane is marked between the diagonal parking and the curb, within 12 inches of the bike lane dividing line or buffer.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 8031-NS, passed July 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
050(B) governs parallel parking on one-way streets where a bike lane runs along the curb: the vehicle's wheels nearest the curb must sit no more than 18 inches from the curb, or, where a bike lane buffer exists, from the bike lane's dividing line rather than the physical curb. 060(A) applies the same logic to diagonal parking zones the Council has established by resolution: the vehicle's bumper nearest the curb must be within 12 inches of the curb, or, where a bike lane sits between the diagonal spaces and the curb, within 12 inches of the bike lane's dividing line or buffer instead.
In both cases the measuring line moves from the physical curb to the bike lane edge whenever one is marked, so a car parked correctly under Berkeley's dimensional rule cannot spill over into the buffered lane. Neither section bans double-parking beside a bike lane outright; they fix the exact distance a parked car's wheels or bumper must stay from the lane. 40.
Violations & Fines
A parking violation under Section 14.40.050 or 14.40.060 is an infraction under Section 14.64.010, carrying escalating fines under Chapter 1.20, and each hour of an unmoved violation counts as a separate offense. A bicyclist harassed under Chapter 14.26 has a separate civil remedy: treble compensatory damages or $1,000, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees and costs, though Section 14.26.040(C) makes clear that harassment alone is not a criminal offense unless the underlying conduct independently violates criminal law.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close can a parked car be to a Berkeley bike lane?
Is it illegal to yell at or crowd a cyclist in Berkeley?
Does the bike lane buffer rule apply to every street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Berkeley
California rules heatmap·Compare Berkeley to another location·View the California mobility & curb rules overview
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Bike Lane Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle bike lane rules.