Fort Myers, FL Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

Fort Myers ties driveway and yard parking to two requirements: where the vehicle sits, and what it sits on. The Community Development Department's Common Code Violations guidance summarizes the rule: 'All other vehicles must be parked in the garage, carport, or on the designated driveway, or improved parking surfaces of the residential parcel. They may not be parked on the sidewalks, in the city right-of-way, or on the lawn.' Every vehicle parked or stored on public or private property in the city (except inventory at a licensed dealership) must also display a current license plate or registration and be operational and roadworthy. The surface standard comes from the Land Development Code: Chapter 134 (Traffic Circulation and Parking), Article 3 (Off-Street Parking and Loading), Section 134.3.4 requires that off-street parking areas be surfaced with concrete, asphalt, or other approved material and maintained in good condition. Parking on a non-approved surface - bare grass, dirt, mulch, or landscape rock - is a violation regardless of how briefly the vehicle is there. New driveways, driveway widenings, and curb cuts in the city right-of-way require a permit through the City of Fort Myers Permitting Division; modifying a driveway approach without permit is a separate violation. Parking in the swale between the sidewalk and the street, or any other portion of the city right-of-way, is also prohibited. Vehicles that block a driveway, sidewalk, alley, or fire lane are subject to enforcement under Chapter 86. The Code Enforcement Division at 1825 Hendry Street, Suite 101, Fort Myers, FL 33901 (phone 239-321-7940) handles complaint-based and routine enforcement; cases that do not come into compliance go to the Special Magistrate, who can impose escalating daily fines until the violation is corrected.