Anaheim, CA Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- AMC Chapter 18.42, Parking and Loading
- Surface requirement
- Concrete or asphalt paving required for parking areas
- Driveway curb cut
- Requires Public Works Department approval
- Alley-access threshold
- 75% street access on block can exempt alley use
- Appeal path
- Planning Director decisions appealable to Planning Commission
- Penalty basis
- Misdemeanor under City Charter Section 515
Summary
Anaheim's Zoning Code requires every driveway and vehicle parking area, at houses and businesses alike, to be paved in concrete or asphalt; parking on dirt, gravel or grass does not comply. Single-family homes also need Planning Director and Public Works sign-off on new driveway curb-cut locations, and alley-access lots generally must use the alley instead of a new street cut.
18.42.060 PARKING DIMENSIONS AND ACCESS. Except as otherwise provided herein, the following minimum standards shall apply: ... .050 Parking Surfaces. All vehicle parking and outdoor storage areas shall be fully paved with a solid materials, such as concrete or asphalt.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-28: Code: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 6627, passed 8-11-2026 | Zoning: Local legislation current through Ord. 6627, passed 8-11-2026).
Full Breakdown
010. 050, Parking Surfaces, requires that "[a]ll vehicle parking and outdoor storage areas shall be fully paved with a solid materials, such as concrete or asphalt": dirt, gravel, grass or any other unimproved surface does not satisfy the rule, whether the lot is a single-family home, an apartment site or a commercial property. 010, Driveway Locations for Single-Family Residences, requires new driveway placement to follow the Planning Standard for Driveway Locations as approved by the Planning Director, with the curb cut itself approved separately by the Public Works Department.
A single-family lot with legal access to a public alley generally must take its vehicle access from the alley rather than cutting a new driveway onto the street, unless the Planning Director finds the alley access blocked by a permanent obstruction, or finds that at least seventy-five percent of the lots within 1,000 feet on the same side of the street already take direct street access. 60 (Procedures). 42 (Parking and Loading)" except as the specific plan expressly provides otherwise, so the citywide paving and driveway-location floor still applies even inside those areas.
Violations & Fines
Anaheim Code Enforcement cites parking on an unpaved surface, or an unapproved driveway curb cut, as a Zoning Code violation. Under City Charter Section 515, violating any city ordinance is a misdemeanor unless the Council has made it an infraction, punishable by the maximum fine or jail term allowed under Penal Code Section 19; the City may also pursue a civil action to force the property owner to pave the surface or correct the driveway location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my car on the dirt or gravel next to my driveway in Anaheim?
Does Anaheim require approval to add or move a driveway?
What if the city denies my driveway or alley-access request?
Do Anaheim's paving rules apply inside the Anaheim Resort or Platinum Triangle specific plans?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anaheim
California rules heatmap·Compare Anaheim to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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Driveway Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle driveway rules.