National City, CA Parking Rules: Curb Color Rules (2026)

National City gives the paint brush to the Director of Public Works, who places curb markings when designated by the City Engineer. Section 11.32.190 gives each color a fixed meaning. Red means no stopping, standing or parking at any time except as the California Vehicle Code permits, with one carve-out: a bus can stop in a red zone marked or signed as a bus zone. Yellow bars stopping between seven a.m. and six p.m. on any day except Sundays and holidays, unless posted signage says otherwise, for any purpose other than loading. Loading or unloading passengers at yellow cannot consume more than three minutes, and loading or unloading materials cannot run past twenty minutes. White allows only loading or unloading of passengers, three minutes at most. Green is timed parking, either fifteen or thirty minutes as marked or signed, between seven a.m. and six p.m. on any day except Sundays and holidays. Blue is reserved exclusively for disabled persons, and the vehicle must display a distinguishing license plate or placard issued under CVC Section 22511.5.

The chapter ties colors to specific facilities. Loading zones are marked with yellow paint and passenger loading zones with white paint (§ 11.32.180). Bus zones are painted red (§ 11.32.240), taxi stands white (§ 11.32.250), and disabled spaces blue with a white-on-blue sign showing the international symbol of accessibility (§ 11.32.225). Where a limited curb parking space is too short for two or more vehicles to move in at the same time, the Director of Public Works paints lines on the curb, and parking in front of, over or across a line is unlawful (§ 11.32.170).