San Bernardino, CA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Freight time limit
- 40 minutes (SBMC § 10.16.050)
- Passenger time limit
- 3 minutes; 10 min at hotels
- Zone marking authority
- City Engineer / Public Services
- Curb color code
- Yellow = loading zone
- Excluded locations
- Alleys and grades over 12%
Summary
San Bernardino caps commercial loading and unloading stops at 40 minutes for freight and 3 minutes for passengers under SBMC § 10.16.050, with a 10-minute passenger allowance at hotel entrances. The City Engineer designates the zones, marked with yellow curb paint reading 'loading zone' under § 10.36.010.
It is unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to stop such vehicle for a period of time longer than is necessary for the loading or unloading of passengers or freight; provided that in no event shall such vehicle be stopped for a period in excess of three minutes for the loading or unloading of passengers, nor in excess of 40 minutes for the loading or unloading of freight, in any of the following places: (A) At any curb where the grade of the street exceeds 12%; (B) In any alley; and (C) In any loading zone, as authorized by the City Traffic Engineer; and provided, further, that such vehicle is authorized to be stopped for a period not to exceed ten minutes for the loading or unloading of passengers immediately adjacent to hotel entrances.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-2: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. MC-1666, passed 8-5-2026).
Full Breakdown
050 sets the actual time limits for commercial loading in San Bernardino: it is unlawful to stop a vehicle longer than necessary for loading or unloading, and in no event may a vehicle stop more than three minutes for passengers or 40 minutes for freight, in three specific locations, at any curb where the street grade exceeds 12%, in any alley, and in any loading zone authorized by the City Traffic Engineer. The code carves out a longer passenger window immediately adjacent to hotel entrances, up to ten minutes, recognizing that hotel drop-offs take longer than a curbside errand.
010, tells the public how a loading zone is created and marked: the City Engineer determines the location, and the Director of Public Services paints the adjacent curb yellow with the black-lettered words 'loading zone,' reserving that curb only for loading or unloading of passengers or freight subject to the time limits above; a white-painted curb marked 'passenger loading zone' is reserved only for passenger loading, and a red curb marked 'bus stops' is reserved for bus passenger loading. The City Engineer can also order red curb painting near hospitals, police stations and theaters wherever stopping is barred outright. 050 last touched by Ord. 010 by Ord. MC-344 in 1984.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the loading-zone time limit, or stopping in a marked passenger or bus zone without loading passengers, is an infraction under the citywide penalty schedule in SBMC § 1.12.010: up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, $500 for a third, and a misdemeanor on a fourth violation within 12 months. Parking control checkers and police officers issue the citations under Cal. Vehicle Code § 40202.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a delivery truck stop in a San Bernardino loading zone?
How do I know where a loading zone is?
Can I stop in an alley to unload freight?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino
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Loading Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle loading zones.