San Jose, CA Parking Rules: Curb Color Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Red curb
- No stop, stand or park, ever
- Yellow curb
- Loading/pickup only, posted hours
- White curb
- 5-minute pickup/drop-off/valet limit
- Green curb
- Posted limit, or 12 minutes default
- Violation type
- Parking ticket, not a misdemeanor
Summary
San Jose Municipal Code § 11.51.010 assigns fixed meanings to red, yellow, white and green curb paint: red bars stopping and standing outright, yellow limits loading to posted hours, white caps stops at five minutes, and green limits parking to twelve minutes absent a posted sign.
Red shall mean that no person shall cause his or her vehicle to stop, stand or park at any time except as permitted by the California Vehicle Code, except that buses are exempted from this restriction.B.Yellow shall mean that no person shall cause his or her vehicle to stop, stand or park at any time between the hours indicated on the sign adjacent to said yellow zone, on every day except as indicated on said sign, for any purpose other than the pick up or drop off of passengers or the loading or unloading of freight.C.White shall mean that no person shall cause his or her vehicle to stop, stand or park for any purpose except for pick up or drop off of passengers, the pick up or drop off of vehicles as part of an approved on-street valet parking zone or the deposit of mail in an adjacent mail box limited to a time period of not more than five consecutive minutes.D.Green shall mean that no person shall cause his or her vehicle to stand or park for longer than the time and days specified on the sign adjacent to such green zone. If no time limitation is specified on the sign, no vehicle shall stand or park for longer than twelve consecutive minutes in the green zone. (Ords. 26356, 27182.)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
The city traffic engineer places curb markings under SJMC § 11.51.010, and each color carries a defined meaning citywide: red bans stopping, standing or parking at any time except as the California Vehicle Code allows (buses exempted); yellow restricts standing to loading and passenger pickup during posted hours; white allows only a five-minute stop for pickup, drop-off or valet exchange; and green caps standing at the posted limit, or twelve minutes if no time is posted. Curb markings in front of theaters (§ 11.51.020) apply at all times the theater is open. Ignoring a marking or an adjacent sign violates § 11.51.040.
Violations & Fines
Parking against a curb marking violates SJMC § 11.51.040, a designated parking violation (§ 1.08.025) enforced through the civil citation process under California Vehicle Code §§ 40200-40230, not a criminal infraction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a green curb mean in San Jose?
Can I stop in a red zone to drop off a passenger?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Jose
California rules heatmap·Compare San Jose to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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Curb Color Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle curb color rules.