Redwood City, CA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Max commercial loading time
- 20 minutes (Sec. 20.110)
- Max passenger loading time
- 3 minutes (Sec. 20.110)
- Curb marking
- Yellow paint, "LOADING ONLY" (Sec. 20.108)
- Zone size cap
- Max 1/2 of block curb length (Sec. 20.108)
- Designating authority
- City Manager (Sec. 20.108)
Summary
Redwood City's City Manager designates loading zones by curb marking or signage under Sec. 20.108, capping any zone at half a block's curb length. Zones are painted yellow and stenciled "LOADING ONLY." Sec. 20.110 then limits actual use: 20 minutes for commercial materials, 3 minutes for passengers.
A.The City Manager is hereby authorized to determine and to mark, by signage, curb marking or both, loading zones, passenger loading zones, handicapped parking zones, limited time parking zones, Car Share parking only zones, and electric-charging zones subject to programs and/or regulations adopted by the City and as follows:1.At any place in any business district.2.Elsewhere in front of the entrance to any place of business or in front of any hall or place used for the purpose of public assembly.B.In no event shall more than one-half (½) of the total curb length in any block be reserved for loading zone purposes.C.Loading zones shall be indicated by a yellow paint line stenciled with black letters, "LOADING ONLY," upon the top of all curbs within such zones and/or by signage in compliance with the California Vehicle Code. ... Permission granted in this Article to stop or stand a vehicle for purposes of loading or unloading materials shall apply only to commercial vehicles and shall not extend beyond the time necessary therefor, and in no event for more than twenty (20) minutes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Code: Supplement 29 | City Code: Supplement 61 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
108 to designate loading zones, passenger loading zones, handicapped zones, limited-time zones, Car Share zones and electric-charging zones anywhere in a business district or in front of a place of business or public assembly hall, by curb marking, signage, or both. The ordinance caps how much curb the City can convert: no more than one-half of the total curb length in any block may be reserved for loading zone purposes. Loading zones are marked with a yellow paint line stenciled in black letters "LOADING ONLY" on the curb top, and/or signage complying with the California Vehicle Code; passenger loading zones get a white "PASSENGER LOADING ONLY" line instead.
mail. Permission to stop for loading or unloading passengers, including personal baggage, is capped at 3 minutes. 113 extends the same loading-only restriction to alleys. 114, capped at 80 feet (125 feet with justification) and marked with a red line and "BUS ZONE" lettering.
Violations & Fines
Stopping, standing or parking in a loading zone for any purpose other than loading or unloading, or beyond the 20-minute (materials) or 3-minute (passenger) window, violates Sections 20.110 and 20.111. Police officers and parking enforcement staff cite these the same way as other Chapter 20 parking offenses, and a vehicle in a posted tow-away zone is subject to removal at the owner's expense under the Chapter's Vehicle Code towing authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I load or unload in a Redwood City loading zone?
Who decides where Redwood City puts loading zones?
What color curb marks a loading zone in Redwood City?
Can I park in a loading zone if I'm not loading anything?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redwood City
California rules heatmap·Compare Redwood City to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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