Colorado Springs, CO Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 9.6.504
- Front-yard rule
- Non-RV vehicles must sit on a driveway surface
- Side/rear yard rule
- Extra vehicles need 6-ft opaque screening
- Commercial vehicle ban
- 10,001+ lb GVWR barred from residential property
- Enforcement
- Code Enforcement Administrator / Zoning Administrator (§ 9.6.501)
- Adopted
- Ord. 90-119
Summary
City Code § 9.6.504 bars most outdoor vehicle storage on residential property unless it fits a listed exception, and requires that any vehicle kept in the front yard, other than a recreational vehicle, sit on a driveway surface, not on the lawn or bare ground.
D. Storage Prohibited: Except as provided in subsection E of this section, outside vehicle storage is prohibited on residentially zoned property. E. Storage Standards: Except for commercial vehicles, outside vehicle storage is allowed in the following locations: 1. Vehicles, other than recreational vehicles, may be stored within the front yard upon a driveway surface. 2. Vehicles may be stored in the side or rear yard, however, if more than one vehicle is stored within the side or rear yard, all vehicles, with the exception of one, shall be totally enclosed by an opaque screen of a minimum height of six feet (6'). The screen may consist of any combination of opaque fencing, vegetation, natural features or structures. C. Parking: Outside vehicle parking shall be allowed on areas of private property where vehicle storage is allowed as outlined in the public right of way except in residential zones in accord with the applicable traffic laws.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 26-23, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
504, part of the Part 5 junk-and-vehicle-storage regime adopted by Ordinance 90-119, starts from a default ban: subsection D makes outside vehicle storage 'prohibited on residentially zoned property' except where subsection E's storage standards specifically allow it. 1, an ordinary (non-recreational) vehicle may be stored in the front yard, but only 'upon a driveway surface', the front lawn, dirt, gravel pad, or any other unpaved ground outside the driveway itself does not qualify. 2 allows storage there, but if more than one vehicle is kept in the side or rear yard, all but one must be screened by an opaque fence, wall, vegetation or structure at least six feet tall.
Subsection C separately addresses parking (as opposed to longer-term storage), allowing outside parking on private property in the areas where storage is allowed, subject to applicable traffic laws in residential zones. 2 bans construction equipment and the trailers used to haul it the same way. 5.
Violations & Fines
Storing an ordinary vehicle in the front yard off the driveway surface, or otherwise violating the § 9.6.504 storage standards, is enforced by the Code Enforcement Administrator and Zoning Administrator under § 9.6.501 and is punished under the City's general penalty, § 1.1.201: up to a $2,500 fine, up to 189 days in jail, probation, or a combination. The Part 5 abatement process (§§ 9.6.505-9.6.514) also lets the City issue a notice and order requiring the vehicle's removal, with a lien possible against the property for unresolved cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my car on the grass in my front yard in Colorado Springs?
How many vehicles can I keep in my side or back yard?
Who enforces the residential vehicle storage rules?
Sources & Official References
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