Gulfport, MS Parking Rules: Commercial & Oversized Vehicles (2026)

Section 6-353, adopted by Ordinance No. 1821 in 1988 as part of the traffic chapter's parking rules, singles out the 'tractor-trailer rig' for a stricter standard than ordinary vehicles face. It is unlawful to 'park, stop or stand any tractor-trailer rig' unless a police officer directs otherwise, in any of three settings: on a public street anywhere in the city, unless the rig is actually loading or unloading 'at a business or residence'; in a public parking lot or facility, unless signs specifically designate the space for tractor-trailers; or in a recreation facility, again unless signs allow it.

The section puts the burden on the city traffic engineer to 'determine if parking is to be allowed and to provide a proper sign if allowed,' meaning a rig operator cannot assume a lot permits big rigs without checking for posted signage. A companion provision, section 6-354, separately bans parking, building, growing or erecting anything that 'hinder[s] the safe sight-distance' of a street, driveway or entrance, a rule the traffic engineer also administers; a tractor-trailer parked at a corner or driveway apron can violate both sections at once.

Section 6-355 sets the penalty for either violation: a fine of 'not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00)' on conviction, and the vehicle 'shall be towed away at the owner's expense,' making towing mandatory rather than discretionary once a citation issues. The ordinance does not reach ordinary pickup trucks or single-unit delivery trucks, which remain governed by the Code's general stopping-and-parking rules elsewhere in Article XIII.