Santa Barbara, CA Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

The City of Santa Barbara does not duplicate the statewide ban on blocking driveways and sidewalks in its own code; instead, those prohibitions are enforced under the California Vehicle Code, principally CVC 22500, which prohibits stopping or parking in front of a public or private driveway, on a sidewalk, within an intersection, on a crosswalk, and similar locations. Santa Barbara's Municipal Code reinforces this by tying its red curb to state law: SBMC 10.48.041 provides that a red curb means no stopping, standing, or parking at any time except as permitted by the Vehicle Code. The City's own driveway-adjacent rules appear in SBMC 10.44.040 (Prohibited Parking Uses), which bars parking on a street for the principal purpose of displaying the vehicle for sale, repairing it (except emergency repairs), or washing it (except by or under the supervision of the owner). The City also encourages off-street parking access: where a property has a driveway curb cut, parking across it blocks the resident's access and is a reportable violation. Residents who find a vehicle blocking their driveway should call the Police dispatch center at (805) 882-8900, and the City's Public Works Permit Counter ((805) 564-5388) handles driveway-related curb-painting and sign requests. Because there is no separate city fine schedule for a blocked driveway, enforcement and penalties follow the Vehicle Code violation cited.