Costa Mesa, CA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Yellow zone (materials)
- 20-minute limit, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Yellow/white zone (passengers)
- 3-minute limit
- Curb length cap
- Max half of block per zone
- Yellow zone use
- Commercial vehicles/deliveries only
- Governing sections
- Municipal Code §§ 10-225 to 10-227
Summary
Costa Mesa marks commercial loading zones yellow and passenger loading zones white under Municipal Code Section 10-226, limiting yellow-curb stops to 20 minutes for materials or 3 minutes for passengers, and white-curb stops to 3 minutes, both enforced between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on days other than Sundays and holidays.
(b) Yellow shall mean no stopping, standing or parking at any time between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays for any purpose other than the loading or unloading of passengers or materials, provided that the loading or unloading of passengers shall not consume more than three minutes nor the loading or unloading of materials more than 20 minutes. (c) White shall mean no stopping, standing or parking for any purpose other than loading or unloading of passengers, or for the purpose of depositing mail in an adjacent mailbox, which shall not exceed three minutes and such restrictions shall apply between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays.
Full Breakdown
Section 10-225 gives the transportation services manager authority to mark loading zones and passenger loading zones at any place in a business district or in front of an entrance to a business, hall or assembly place, but caps total loading-zone curb length at half of any block's curb. Loading zones are painted yellow; passenger loading zones are painted white. on days other than Sundays and holidays for any purpose besides loading or unloading, capping passenger loading at three minutes and material loading at 20 minutes; a white curb bars stopping for anything but passenger loading or a quick mail drop, both capped at three minutes during the same hours, except that curb in front of a theater is restricted at all times the theater is open and curb in front of a church, hotel or mailbox is restricted at all times.
mail service, and it limits any material-loading stop to no more than 20 minutes and any passenger stop to no more than three minutes regardless of vehicle type. Sections 10-228 and 10-229 make it a separate violation to stand in a yellow or white zone for any purpose other than the loading permitted by Section 10-227, and Section 10-230 extends the same loading-only rule to alleys, where standing for any purpose other than loading or unloading persons or materials is prohibited.
Violations & Fines
Stopping, standing or parking in a yellow or white loading zone beyond the permitted time, or for a purpose other than loading, is a citable violation under Sections 10-228 and 10-229, enforced as a general infraction under Section 1-33 with fines up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for further offenses; the transportation services manager can also have an overstaying vehicle towed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I park in a yellow loading zone in Costa Mesa?
Can a personal car use a yellow loading zone to load groceries?
What does a white curb mean?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Costa Mesa
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Loading Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle loading zones.