Hawthorne, CA Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)

Research of the City of Hawthorne municipal code did not surface a dedicated city ordinance regulating parking in electric-vehicle charging spaces, so the controlling law for EV charging-space parking in Hawthorne is the California Vehicle Code, principally Section 22511. Under state law, a parking facility or local authority may designate stalls or spaces solely for parking and charging electric vehicles. A driver may not park in an on-street or off-street space specifically designated for parking and charging EVs unless the vehicle is electric and is actually in the process of charging. A non-EV, or an EV that is not connected for charging, parked in such a designated space is subject to a parking citation; fines can reach up to $100. On privately owned or operated off-street facilities, the owner may, after notifying police, have a non-charging vehicle removed to the nearest public garage. State law also sets signage requirements: an off-street facility must post a sign at least 17 by 22 inches with one-inch lettering stating that unauthorized vehicles not connected for charging will be towed at the owner's expense. Because this is state law rather than a Hawthorne ordinance, the same rules apply across California cities; drivers should look for posted EV-only signage and the painted space markings at each charging location.