Montgomery, AL Parking Rules: Curb Color Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited act
- Painting or marking any curb, curb return, driveway approach
- Only exception
- Property address stenciled on front curb
- Number specs
- Black, 3 in. tall, min. 1.5 in. wide
- Background specs
- White, max 1 ft long x 5 in. tall
- Placement
- 0.5 in. from curb top and gutter line
- Penalty
- Sec. 1-6: $1-$500 fine or up to 6 months
Summary
Montgomery, Alabama makes it unlawful to paint, delineate or mark any curb, curb return or driveway approach. City Code Sec. 26-125 carves out exactly one exception: a property address stenciled on the front curb, in black numbers on a white background, sized and placed to the ordinance's precise specifications.
It shall be unlawful for any person to paint, delineate or otherwise mark or cause to be painted, delineated or otherwise marked any curb, curb return or driveway approach, except a property address may be painted on the front curb, with a white background not to exceed one foot in length and five inches in height, one-half inch from the top of the curb and one-half inch from the gutter line. The numbers shall be black in color, three inches in height and a minimum of 1½ inches in width. Copies of specifications are on file in the city clerk's office, the traffic engineer's office and the engineering department for public review.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 26's curb article treats the curb, curb return and driveway approach as a single unit that private parties may not alter or decorate without authorization. Sec. 26-122 already bars cutting, breaking or building a curb return without following the article; Sec. 26-125 layers on a parallel ban on paint or markings of any kind on those same surfaces. The lone carve-out is a house-number stencil on the front curb: white background no longer than one foot and no taller than five inches, set a half inch down from the top of the curb and a half inch up from the gutter line, with black numerals three inches tall and at least one and a half inches wide.
Anyone wanting to confirm the exact template rather than guess at it can pull the specifications on file at the city clerk's office, the traffic engineer's office, or the engineering department, all cited in the ordinance itself. The rule reaches curb-parking claims, business advertising painted at the curb line, and unofficial house-number jobs alike; none of those qualify for the exception. Sec. 26-127 separately requires that any driveway approach or curb return actually built meet engineering standards on file at city hall, and Sec. 26-124 bars building a driveway approach that functions only as a parking pad. Together these sections keep Montgomery's curb line uniform and free of unauthorized markings city-wide, inside the corporate limits where Chapter 26 applies.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 26-125 sets no standalone fine, so a violation defaults to City Code Sec. 1-6's general penalty: a fine of not less than $1.00 nor more than $500.00, up to six months in the city jail or at hard labor, or both, at the municipal judge's discretion. Because unlawful curb markings persist physically, each day the marking remains can be charged as a separate continuing offense under Sec. 1-6(e).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I paint my curb to mark my parking spot in Montgomery, Alabama?
What are the specifications for painting my house number on the curb?
What happens if I paint a curb without authorization in Montgomery?
Does the rule also cover curb returns and driveway approaches, not just curbs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montgomery
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