Santa Monica Driveway Rules Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Santa Monica's parking regulations under SMMC Chapter 3.08 extend to private driveway use, particularly where driveway parking interacts with public sidewalks, the street, and neighborhood aesthetics. A vehicle parked in a residential driveway must be positioned entirely on private property and must not encroach on the public sidewalk or the street right-of-way. Blocking the sidewalk creates a hazard and accessibility barrier for pedestrians, which the city treats as a priority violation.

Vehicles must be parked on a paved or approved all-weather surface. Parking vehicles on grass, dirt, gravel (without a proper all-weather base), or landscaped areas visible from the street is a code violation. Inoperable or unregistered vehicles may not be stored in driveways visible from the public right-of-way, and the City's Code Enforcement Division responds to complaints about such vehicles. The driveway curb cut in the public sidewalk apron must remain accessible at all times — blocking it with debris, trash bins, or parked vehicles is prohibited. Property owners are also responsible for maintaining the driveway apron in good repair. Note that simply storing an oversized vehicle in a driveway without blocking the sidewalk may be permissible, provided the vehicle does not extend into the public way — however, this is subject to any applicable neighborhood-specific use permit conditions.