Merced, CA Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

The rule against parking across a driveway in the City of Merced comes from the California Vehicle Code, which the city enforces on its streets. CVC 22500(e)(1) prohibits stopping, standing, or parking 'in front of a public or private driveway,' with narrow exceptions for buses, schoolbuses, or taxicabs loading passengers where authorized by local ordinance. This applies whether the obstructing vehicle belongs to a resident, a guest, or a stranger, and it covers blocking your own driveway in a way that obstructs the sidewalk. The Merced Police Department's Parking Enforcement Unit issues these citations, which are processed through the contracted Citation Processing Center and may be paid or contested within 21 days. Front-yard and unpaved-surface parking on private property in residential zones is a separate matter handled under the city's zoning code (Title 20) and Code Enforcement rather than the Vehicle Code; residents with questions about parking on a lawn or required paved parking surface should contact the city Planning or Code Enforcement division. For curb-cut and new-driveway construction within the public right-of-way, the city requires an encroachment permit through Public Works Engineering. Because the driveway-obstruction rule is statutory, the time limits, exceptions, and penalties match the California Vehicle Code rather than a unique Merced ordinance.