Carmichael, CA Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

The Sacramento County Zoning Code controls where vehicles may be parked on a residential lot. Section 5.2.4.C.6 requires that vehicles — automobiles, boats, campers, trailers, and other recreational vehicles — be parked on a surfaced area in conformance with the Code (cross-referencing the parking standards at Section 5.9.3.C) and not within the required landscaped area. The County Code Enforcement Division explains that front and side-street yards used for parking generally must be surfaced with an impervious material such as asphalt or concrete for parcels under 15,000 square feet; on larger parcels, permeable surfacing options may be allowed. This means parking on dirt, lawn, or in the required landscaped setback is typically not permitted. Inoperable or unregistered vehicles may not be stored in the front or side-street yard at all, and outdoor storage of such vehicles is restricted to limited circumstances behind screening. These rules keep residential parking on improved driveways and approved surfaced areas rather than on bare ground in yards.