Lawton, OK Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)

Article 23-13 of the Lawton City Code governs curb loading. Section 23-13-1301 gives the city council authority to designate the location of passenger and freight curb loading zones by resolution, and requires signs to be placed and maintained showing which hours the zone restrictions are in effect; outside those posted hours, ordinary parking rules apply to the same curb space. Section 23-13-1302 restricts passenger loading zones strictly to the expeditious loading or unloading of passengers during the posted hours, and even that use is capped at three minutes, meaning a driver cannot treat a passenger zone as general parking even briefly beyond that window.

Section 23-13-1303 imposes a parallel rule for freight zones: during posted hours, stopping or standing there is limited to the expeditious unloading, delivery, pickup, or loading of materials, though the section carves out an exception letting a passenger vehicle stop temporarily in a freight zone to load or unload passengers as long as it does not block a delivery truck waiting to use the zone. Because the zones are created by council resolution rather than fixed citywide in the ordinance text, the exact locations and hours vary by posted sign, commonly used downtown and near commercial strips where curb space is limited.

Enforcement falls to Lawton police and parking enforcement, and violations of these curb-use limits are treated as parking offenses under the code's general traffic penalty schedule.