Petaluma, CA Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)

There is no separate Sonoma County Code section that sets penalties for misusing electric-vehicle charging stalls; the issue is controlled by state law. Under California Vehicle Code Sec. 22511, a local authority may, by ordinance or resolution, designate stalls or spaces on a public street or in an off-street parking facility within its jurisdiction for the exclusive purpose of charging and parking a vehicle that is connected for electric charging. Once a space is properly designated and signed, a person may not park or leave a vehicle standing in it unless the vehicle is connected for electric charging purposes, and may not obstruct, block, or bar access to the space. The signage and marking requirements that make a space enforceable are set out in Sec. 22511; where they are met, a non-charging vehicle left in the space may be removed and is subject to a parking penalty. On the development side, EV-charging infrastructure at new construction in the unincorporated area is driven by the California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) and is permitted through Permit Sonoma rather than by a County parking ordinance. Anyone who believes a posted public EV space is being misused should look to the Vehicle Code Sec. 22511 framework and the agency that owns or operates the facility.