Richardson, TX Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Curb loading zone
- Curb space reserved for loading/unloading (Sec. 22-1)
- Alley loading limit
- 30 minutes max (Sec. 22-144(a))
- Construction exception
- Up to 8 hrs with police-issued permit
- Tractor-trailer loading
- Banned on residential streets except moving vans
- Who sets zone locations
- City traffic engineer (Sec. 22-41(12))
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $500/day (Sec. 1-8)
Summary
Richardson defines curb and freight loading zones and lets the city traffic engineer decide where they go. Loading in an alley is capped at 30 minutes, and tractor-trailers and other road tractors can't load or unload on residential streets at all, except for a moving van.
Curb loading zone means a space adjacent to a curb reserved for the use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials. Freight curb loading zone means a space adjacent to a curb for the use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of freight. ... No person, except physicians on emergency calls, shall stop, stand or park a vehicle at any time upon any alley of the city except for the purpose of loading or unloading for a period of time not in excess of 30 minutes. ... No person shall cause, suffer or permit a road tractor, trailer or semitrailer to be unloaded or loaded on a roadway other than a moving van in residential areas.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
The city's traffic code defines a curb loading zone as a space adjacent to a curb reserved for vehicles loading or unloading passengers or materials, and a freight curb loading zone as the same kind of space reserved specifically for freight, under section 22-1. Section 22-41(12) gives the traffic engineer authority to determine the location of passenger zones, loading zones and handicapped zones citywide, part of a broader list of traffic-management powers that also covers signage and curb markings. Alley loading has its own time limit: section 22-144(a) bars stopping, standing or parking in any city alley except for loading or unloading, and even then only for up to 30 minutes, without blocking the alley or a private driveway.
A construction-related exception allows parking in an alley for up to eight hours if the chief of police issues a permit that is prominently displayed in the vehicle; city and franchise utility vehicles are exempt outright. Section 22-150 separately bars unloading or loading a road tractor, trailer or semitrailer on a roadway in residential areas unless the vehicle is a moving van, keeping heavy commercial rigs off residential streets during deliveries while still allowing household moves.
Violations & Fines
Loading-zone and alley violations fall under the general penalty in section 1-8: a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, with each day of a continuing violation treated separately. Parking in violation of an official loading-zone sign or curb marking is independently prohibited under section 22-141, and vehicles parked in violation of city ordinances can be removed and stored at the owner's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a delivery truck sit in an alley behind my Richardson property?
Can a moving truck unload on a residential street?
Who decides where a loading zone is painted on the curb?
What's the difference between a curb loading zone and a freight curb loading zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richardson
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Loading Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle loading zones.