Madera County, CA Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

Driveway and on-site parking standards for the unincorporated area appear in Zoning Code Chapter 18.102. Under Section 18.102.080 (Residential Parking), new single-family dwellings on subdivision lots must provide two parking spaces: on lots of 4,500 square feet or less, at least one of the two spaces must be covered; on lots larger than 4,500 square feet, both spaces must be covered, in a garage or carport. The same covered-parking rule is triggered when an existing home is expanded by 50 percent or more, or when a destroyed or removed dwelling is rebuilt. All parking enclosures must meet standard setbacks, and where the driveway is at the back or side of the parcel a 20-foot setback applies (subsection C). Accessory residential parking is limited to operable, licensed vehicles used by residents or guests. Section 18.102.120 (Parking Facility Design) requires that parking facilities be designed so vehicles do not back into or across the road right-of-way, and that single-family parking and maneuvering areas be maintained in a dust-free condition (commercial, industrial, and multifamily lots require paving). These are zoning standards enforced at building and site-plan review and through code enforcement, rather than Vehicle Code rules. Blocking a driveway on the street side is separately handled by the California Vehicle Code.