Bloomington, IN Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- BMC §§ 15.32.025, 20.04.060(i)(2)(B)(i)
- Unpaved parking
- Banned on dirt, sand or grass
- Fine
- $50 Class C violation
- Front driveway width limit
- 18 feet, single drive
- UDO civil penalty
- Up to $2,500 first offense, doubles
- Enforced by
- Planning and Transportation Director
Summary
In the City of Bloomington, parking on dirt, sand, or grass is banned outright under Bloomington Municipal Code Section 15.32.025, and for single-family, duplex, triplex, fourplex, mobile, and manufactured homes, the Unified Development Ordinance further confines any front-yard parking to a single paved driveway no wider than eighteen feet under Section 20.04.060(i)(2)(B)(i).
All areas used for parking shall be asphalt, concrete, or other approved material. Under no circumstances shall a vehicle be parked upon dirt, sand, or grass. ... Parking for single-family, duplex, triplex, fourplex, mobile home, and manufactured home residential uses shall be prohibited within the required front building setback between the street and the building except on a single drive not exceeding eighteen feet in width.
Full Breakdown
025 requires that all areas used for parking be asphalt, concrete, or other approved material, and it states flatly that a vehicle may under no circumstances be parked upon dirt, sand, or grass; the rule applies citywide to any parking area, not only to street frontage. 100(d)(2) as the fine for parking on an unimproved surface. 060(i)(2)(B)(i), and where the side or rear yard is reachable by an improved alley, no front-yard drive or parking is permitted at all in the R1 through R4 districts, with the required parking instead accessing the alley directly. 100(d)(1).
Violations & Fines
Parking on dirt, sand, or grass is a $50.00 Class C Traffic Violation under Section 15.64.010(c) and Section 20.06.100(d)(2) (Table 06-3). Exceeding the eighteen-foot single-drive width limit in a front setback, or paving a front-yard drive where an alley should serve the lot instead under Section 20.04.060(i)(2)(B), is a separate UDO violation subject to a civil penalty of up to $2,500.00 for a first offense, doubling for a repeat within three years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park on the grass in my Bloomington yard?
How wide can a front driveway be in Bloomington?
What if my house has alley access?
Sources & Official References
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