Pasadena, CA Parking Rules: Curb Color Rules (2026)

Section 10.40.120 authorizes the director to place signs or curb markings to indicate parking, standing or stopping regulations, and it says the director shall place them where Title 10 requires. The section was last amended by Ordinance No. 7431 on July 29, 2024, and the current text states that the curb markings carry the meanings set out in the section.

Red means no stopping, standing or parking at any time, except as the Vehicle Code permits, and except that a bus may stop in a red zone marked or signed as a bus zone. Yellow bars stopping between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. every day unless otherwise noted, with two exceptions: passenger loading may not take more than 3 minutes, and loading or unloading of materials may not take more than 20 minutes. The materials allowance applies only to commercial deliveries.

White allows nothing but passenger loading or unloading of no more than 3 minutes. The restriction runs from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day except Sundays, with four exceptions. In front of a hotel it applies at all times. In front of an auditorium or theater it applies at all times except when the venue is closed. In front of a curb drop mailbox beside a public sidewalk it applies at all times, and a vehicle may stand in the mail drop zone only while a person is actually depositing mail. A zone marked or posted for valet parking is enforced during all hours except when every business directly behind the zone is closed.

Green means no standing or parking for longer than 15 minutes between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. every day except Sundays, unless otherwise posted. Blue means no stopping, standing or parking at any time except for vehicles displaying a distinguishing special license plate or valid placard issued to disabled persons and disabled veterans under the California Vehicle Code.

Subsection B applies the colors to drivers: once the city manager or a delegate has caused signs or curb markings to be placed, no person may stop, stand or park adjacent to a legible sign or marking in violation of Chapter 10.40. Subsection C settles conflicts: where signs and curb markings are both present, the signage supersedes the curb marking definitions.

Sibling sections set the paint details. Section 10.40.110 requires loading zones to be a yellow paint line stenciled with black letters reading LOADING ONLY, passenger loading zones to be a white line stenciled PASSENGER LOADING ONLY, and caps loading zones at one half of the total curb length in any block. Section 10.40.160 requires bus zones to be signed or marked with a red line stenciled NO STANDING plus the words BUS ZONE, and limits a bus zone to 80 feet, extendable by the city manager to 130 feet.