Long Beach, CA Parking Rules: Curb Color Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Yellow zone
- 2 minutes passengers, 20 minutes freight, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- White zone
- 2 minutes; taxicab stands exempt from the limit
- Green zone
- 10 to 30 minutes, set per location, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Red zone
- No stopping at any time; buses at marked stops only
- Who sets markings
- City Traffic Engineer, after a Traffic Engineering study
- Sundays and holidays
- Yellow and green time restrictions do not apply
Summary
Long Beach sets four curb colors under Municipal Code Chapter 10.26. Yellow allows 2 minutes for passengers or 20 minutes for freight, white allows 2 minutes for passengers and mail, green limits parking to between 10 and 30 minutes, and red bans all stopping except buses at marked bus stops. The City Traffic Engineer decides where each color goes.
Yellow indicates stopping only for the purpose of loading or unloading passengers or freight for a period of not in excess of two (2) minutes for passenger loading or unloading, nor twenty (20) minutes for freight loading or unloading. ... This restriction shall apply only between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on any day except Sundays and holidays. ... White indicates stopping only for loading or unloading of passengers or depositing mail in an adjacent mailbox, or when stenciled "TAXICAB STAND", for the standing of taxicabs or automobiles for hire. No person shall use a white zone for a period in excess of two (2) minutes except that taxicabs or automobiles for hire at taxicab stands are exempted from this time limit. ... Green indicates parking limited to a time from ten (10) to thirty (30) minutes, as determined by the City Traffic Engineer for a particular location or locations, between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day, except Sundays and holidays. ... When red curb markings have been installed and are in place, no operator shall stop or park any vehicle for any purpose at any time except that a bus may stop in a red zone marked or sign posted as a bus stop
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 52 Update 1 | City Charter: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
Section 10.26.010 authorizes the City Traffic Engineer to place curb markings or signs, and requires the Engineer to place them once a Traffic Engineering study establishes the need. Where no curb exists, the markings go on the most appropriate surface, or signs replace or add to the paint. Once a marking or sign is in place, it is unlawful for any vehicle operator to stop, stand or park in violation of it.
Yellow curb marks a loading zone. A vehicle stops only to load or unload passengers or freight, for no more than 2 minutes for passengers and no more than 20 minutes for freight. The words "LOADING ZONE" are stenciled on the yellow paint, or signs are posted. The restriction applies only between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., on any day except Sundays and holidays.
White curb is for loading or unloading passengers or depositing mail in an adjacent mailbox. No person uses a white zone for more than 2 minutes. The one exemption is a white zone stenciled "TAXICAB STAND", where taxicabs and automobiles for hire stand and are exempt from the 2 minute limit.
Green curb is short term parking. The City Traffic Engineer sets the limit for each location, anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, and the limit runs between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. every day except Sundays and holidays. A legend showing the time limit followed by the words "MIN. PARKING" is stenciled on the green, or signs are posted.
Red curb is the strictest color. Under Section 10.26.020, no operator stops or parks any vehicle for any purpose at any time. The single exception is a bus stopping in a red zone marked or signed as a bus stop. Section 10.26.040 lets the Engineer designate curb space for buses engaged as common carriers in local transportation, shown by a sign or by red curb markings. Red markings can supplement signs that prohibit stopping or stand in their place.
Section 10.26.010(D) adds a separate tool. After signs are posted and the need is established to the satisfaction of the City Traffic Engineer, the Engineer can create commercial and passenger loading zones for specified days and times, balancing the parking and loading needs of businesses and residents.
Violations & Fines
Stopping, standing or parking against a marked curb violates Section 10.26.010 for yellow, white and green, and Section 10.26.020 for red. A driver who stops in red for any reason, stays in white past 2 minutes, loads freight in yellow past 20 minutes, or overstays the posted green limit is in violation. Sections 10.26.010 and 10.26.020 do not state a fine amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I wait in a white zone in Long Beach?
Can I stop in a red zone just to drop off a passenger?
Do yellow loading zone limits apply on Sundays?
How long is a green zone limit and who chooses it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Long Beach to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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