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

Curb-color restrictions in unincorporated Imperial County follow California Vehicle Code Section 21458, which standardizes the meaning of painted curbs across the state. Red means no stopping, standing or parking, whether the vehicle is attended or unattended, except that a bus may stop in a red zone marked as a bus loading zone. Yellow means stopping only to load or unload passengers or freight for the time specified by local ordinance. White means stopping only to load or unload passengers, or to deposit mail in an adjacent mailbox. Green means time-limited parking as specified by local ordinance. Blue is reserved exclusively for vehicles displaying disabled-person or disabled-veteran placards or plates. Under Section 21458, these markings are effective only on the days and during the hours prescribed by local ordinance and only where the county has actually applied them. Because the curb and the area between it and the roadway are part of the county road right-of-way, only Imperial County or its authorized agents may establish official curb markings; painting a curb on a county road without authorization is an unpermitted encroachment under the Public Works encroachment program (Ordinance No. 1370) and Title 12 street-improvement requirements. Residents who want a colored curb (for example, a red zone near a hazard) should request it through the Department of Public Works.