San Mateo, CA Parking Rules: Curb Color Rules (2026)

In unincorporated San Mateo County, curb colors and painted markings are an official traffic-control function carried out by the County Department of Public Works, not something residents may do on their own. The County evaluates requests for curb markings and parking restrictions based on safety, existing parking conditions, potential impacts to surrounding streets, traffic flow, and potential changes to neighborhood character, and all curb-marking restrictions require Board of Supervisors approval before installation. The County applies the standard California curb-color meanings: a red curb is a no-parking zone used to improve sight distance, regulate parking on narrow streets, and mark bus stops; a green curb designates time-limited parking in some commercial areas (30-minute, 1-hour, 2-hour, and 4-hour intervals); a yellow curb is a freight loading zone for active loading and unloading; a white curb is a passenger loading zone; and a blue curb designates parking for persons with a disability. The County publishes a fee for installing these markings: $80 plus $10 per foot for paint and/or signs. Because curb colors are legally enforceable traffic controls, a property owner who wants a red zone, loading zone, or disabled space painted must go through the County's request and Board-approval process rather than painting the curb themselves.