Mendocino County, CA Parking Rules: Curb Color Rules (2026)

In unincorporated Mendocino County, curb markings that regulate parking are placed by the County, not by private residents. Mendocino County Code Section 15.12.080 directs the Road Commissioner to place, erect, and maintain such signs and pavement and curb markings on County-maintained roads as he deems necessary to adequately designate areas of parking restrictions. Section 15.12.030 specifically authorizes the Sheriff to mark designated curb space by painting the entire curb surface red between the stations referenced in the no-parking ordinance (for the Hopland Post Office area). The legal meaning of each curb color comes from California Vehicle Code Section 21458: red means no stopping, standing, or parking; yellow is for loading or unloading passengers or freight; white is for loading or unloading passengers or depositing mail; green is time-limited parking set by local ordinance; and blue is reserved for vehicles displaying disabled-person plates or placards. Because regulatory markings must be authorized and consistent with the Vehicle Code, residents should not paint curbs themselves; unauthorized curb painting can be unenforceable and may itself be a code or right-of-way violation. Requests for new markings or color zones go to the County Department of Transportation, which evaluates them under traffic-engineering standards.