Irvine, CA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)

' Once a segment is designated, § 6-3-504 puts the marking duty on the Director of Public Works, who paints the adjacent curb yellow for a commercial loading zone (or posts a 'Loading Zone' sign where there is no curb to paint), white for a passenger loading zone, red for a bus stop or no-parking area, and green with a posted time limit for time-restricted parking. That color code is how a driver on the street is supposed to tell a loading zone from a bus stop or a red curb at a glance, and it is also how Irvine Code Enforcement and police officers determine whether a vehicle parked at the curb is in violation.

The ordinance does not fix one set of hours for loading zones citywide, hours, where they apply, are set on a per-location basis through the same Council resolution and appear on the posted sign or curb marking for that specific block, so a commercial driver has to check the signage at the actual loading zone rather than rely on a blanket municipal rule. A business that wants a dedicated loading zone in front of its building must apply to the City for a Council resolution designating the space; it cannot simply paint the curb itself.

Vehicles that park in a marked loading zone without using it for active loading or unloading, or that block one entirely, are subject to a parking citation enforced under Chapter 6-3 in coordination with the California Vehicle Code.