Santa Monica Commercial Vehicle Restrictions Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

SMMC Chapter 3.08 restricts the overnight parking of commercial vehicles on residential streets, reflecting Santa Monica's dense residential character and limited street width throughout much of the city. Commercial vehicles exceeding 10,000 lbs gross vehicle weight rating — which includes many full-size cargo vans, box trucks, flatbed trucks, and heavy pickups with commercial equipment — are prohibited from parking on residential streets between 10 PM and 6 AM. This restriction applies regardless of whether the operator lives on that street.

Vehicles that are clearly commercial in character — those with commercial markings, mounted equipment such as ladders or tool racks, or external cargo fixtures — may also be subject to complaint-driven enforcement in residential zones even during daytime hours if they remain parked for extended periods without conducting active work. Commercial vehicles parked for active loading or unloading with hazard lights engaged during business hours are generally tolerated for the duration of the delivery or service call. Santa Monica's commercial streets and the city's network of parking structures provide alternatives for tradespeople and delivery drivers. The Expo Line and other transit investments are part of the city's broader strategy to reduce commercial vehicle traffic in residential zones.