Painted curbs in San Jose follow California Vehicle Code Section 21458 standard meanings: red prohibits all stopping, yellow allows commercial loading, white permits brief passenger pickup, green sets time-limited parking, and blue marks accessible parking for disabled-placard vehicles only.
California Vehicle Code Section 21458 defines the five standard curb colors and the San Jose Department of Transportation paints city curbs accordingly. Red means no stopping, parking, or standing at any time, including for active loading. Yellow means stopping only for active loading or unloading of passengers or freight, typically with a time limit (usually three minutes for passengers, twenty minutes for freight). White means stopping only for active passenger pickup or drop-off (usually five minutes maximum). Green means time-limited parking with the duration posted on adjacent signs, typically 15 to 30 minutes. Blue marks accessible parking restricted to vehicles displaying a valid disabled placard or plate.
Stopping, standing, or parking against any painted curb color in violation of California Vehicle Code rules triggers a parking citation by SJPD or the SJ Department of Transportation, with fines varying by color and repeat-offense status.
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