Pleasanton, CA Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- § 11.36.230
- Adopted
- Ord. 2120 § 1, 2015
- Max charging time in space
- 4 hours
- Signage standard
- Cal. Vehicle Code § 22511
- Applies to
- Public streets and private off-street lots
- First-offense fine
- Up to $100
Summary
Pleasanton lets the city traffic engineer, and separately any owner of an off-street lot, post signs reserving parking spaces for electric vehicles hooked up to a charging station. Once a space is signed under Municipal Code § 11.36.230, parking a gas car there, or leaving an EV plugged in past four hours, is a citable violation.
A. The city traffic engineer is authorized to designate, by the installation of signs posted in compliance with Section 22511 of the California Vehicle Code, parking spaces for the exclusive use of electric vehicles that are connected to electric charging stations for the purpose of transfer of electricity to the battery or other energy storage device of an electric vehicle. ... C. Where a sign designating a parking space for the exclusive use of charging electric vehicles is posted in compliance with Section 22511 of the California Vehicle Code, no person shall park in that space any nonelectric vehicle, electrical vehicle that is not connected to the electric charging station, electric vehicle that is not charging, or electric vehicle that has been charging for more than four hours.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4955754; v17 updated 2026-06-02).
Full Breakdown
230, adopted by Ordinance 2120 in 2015, works in two directions. Subsection A authorizes the city traffic engineer to designate on-street spaces for EV charging by installing signs that meet California Vehicle Code § 22511. Subsection B extends the identical authority to the owner or person in lawful possession of an off-street parking facility, so a shopping center or office lot can post its own EV-only charging spaces under the same signage standard. Subsection C is the enforcement piece: once a compliant sign is up, it is unlawful to park a nonelectric vehicle in the space, park an electric vehicle that isn't connected to the charger, park a connected EV that isn't actually charging, or leave a charging EV in the space for more than four hours. 020, so enforcement runs through the city's graduated parking-citation schedule rather than a misdemeanor charge.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 11.36.230 is an infraction under § 1.12.020 because Chapter 11.36 is a listed infraction chapter: a fine up to $100 for a first offense, up to $200 for a second violation of the same section within a year, and up to $500 for a third. A fourth violation of the same ordinance within 12 months becomes a misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a private shopping center in Pleasanton reserve EV charging spaces?
How long can I leave my car in a Pleasanton EV charging space?
What happens if I park a gas car in a marked EV charging space in Pleasanton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pleasanton
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