Los Angeles County, CA Parking Rules: Curb Color Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LA County Code § 15.20.070
- Penalty
- $50.00 civil fine
- Color-coding source
- state Vehicle Code § 21458, not county code
- Applies to
- unincorporated LA County only
- Defense
- sign/marking must be legible and in place (§ 15.20.080)
Summary
Unincorporated Los Angeles County does not define curb colors itself, but drivers and pedestrians must obey every posted traffic sign or curb marking the road commissioner places, including red no-stopping curbs. Failing to obey a sign or curb marking carries a flat $50.00 civil penalty.
15.20.070 - Obedience to traffic signs. Every operator and every pedestrian shall comply with and obey every instruction appearing on any traffic sign or other marking, which sign or marking has been erected or placed by authority of the board or commissioner or this Division 1.
Full Breakdown
070 requires that 'every operator and every pedestrian shall comply with and obey every instruction appearing on any traffic sign or other marking' once the board of supervisors or the road commissioner has erected it under Division 1 of Title 15. 080). 00). This chapter binds only the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County. Title 22 confirms the county's regulatory authority runs to unincorporated territory, and the 88 incorporated cities within the county, including the City of Los Angeles, post and enforce their own curb markings under their own municipal codes. The obedience-to-signs requirement traces to the 1954 traffic ordinance (Ordinance 6544, Chapter 1, Article 3, § 1319).
Violations & Fines
Parking, standing, or stopping against a red curb, or otherwise failing to obey a posted sign or curb marking placed under Division 1 of Title 15, is a civil parking violation carrying a $50.00 penalty under County Code § 15.200.010, keyed specifically to § 15.20.070. No citation can be sustained if the sign or curb marking was not properly positioned and legible at the time, per § 15.20.080.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LA County Code itself define what a red curb means?
What's the fine for parking against a red curb in unincorporated LA County?
Can I fight a red curb ticket if the paint was faded?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles County
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles County to another location·View the California parking rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.