Lawrence, KS Parking Rules: Commercial & Oversized Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Vehicle size limit
- 24 feet long or 9 feet tall, residential lot
- Heavy equipment, residential
- Barred unless actively used for construction
- Heavy equipment, nonresidential
- Needs zoning use and an approved site plan
- Governing sections
- IPMC §§ 302.9.2, 302.9.12 (§ 9-716)
- Fine range
- $100 to $500 per conviction
Summary
In the City of Lawrence, Section 302.9.2 of the amended property maintenance code limits residential driveway parking to vehicles no longer than 24 feet or taller than nine feet, and Section 302.9.12 bars heavy equipment from residential lots outright unless it is actively being used for construction on that property.
302.9.2. Motor vehicle size limit on a residential lot. Off-street driveways and parking areas shall only be used by motor vehicles, with a maximum length of 24 feet or a maximum height of nine feet, or by recreation vehicles and trailers and shall meet the requirements established at sections 302.9.3 through 302.9.8, inclusive, of this code. 302.9. ... ... 12. Heavy equipment prohibited to be parked or stored on premises. Heavy equipment shall not be parked or stored on any residential lot unless such equipment is being actively used for construction work upon the premises. Heavy equipment may be parked or stored on a nonresidential lot if the zoning district for the premises for which the heavy equipment is located permits such use and such parking or storing has been approved through an approved site plan.
Full Breakdown
8. A personal pickup or car over that size, oversized commercial trucks included, cannot be parked on a residential lot's driveway under this provision. 12: heavy equipment shall not be parked or stored on any residential lot unless such equipment is being actively used for construction work upon the premises, meaning a contractor cannot leave a backhoe, skid loader, or similar machine parked at a house between jobs. On a nonresidential lot, heavy equipment may be parked or stored only if the zoning district permits that use and the parking or storing has been approved through an approved site plan, so even commercial properties need zoning clearance rather than a blanket right to store equipment.
Together the two sections keep oversized trucks and construction equipment off residential streetscapes while allowing normal-sized personal vehicles and, separately, recreation vehicles and trailers that meet the detailed yard-placement rules elsewhere in Section 9-716.
Violations & Fines
Both size limits are enforced under the property maintenance code's general penalty at Section 106.4: a fine of $100.00 to $500.00, a jail term of five days to three months, or both, with each day of a continuing violation after notice treated as a separate offense. The code official may instead seek abatement under Section 106.5, adopting a resolution to remove the offending vehicle or equipment and bill the cost to the property owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my 28-foot work truck in my driveway in Lawrence?
Can a contractor leave a bobcat or backhoe at my house?
Does a business get to store heavy equipment on its lot?
What is the penalty for an oversized truck parked too long?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lawrence
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