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Scranton, PA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Zones per block
one 30-minute loading zone maximum
Old patron zones
abolished citywide (15- and 30-minute)
Standard fine
up to $50, or 5 days jail
Unauthorized sign penalty
equal to city's lost parking revenue
USPS-specific zone
Lackawanna Ave, 3 set windows daily

Summary

Scranton lets the city designate up to one 30-minute loading and unloading zone per block for businesses, under City Code § 439-54.3(D). The city has abolished all other time-limited 'patron' parking spaces, including 15- and 30-minute zones tied to specific stores. Violating a marked zone brings the same fine as any other parking meter offense: up to $50 plus possible jail time.

The City hereby abolishes, repeals, and no longer authorizes time zone or patron parking spaces. Time zone or patron parking spaces, including, inter alia, "15 Minute Only" and "30 Minute Only," as well as spaces designated for patrons of specific businesses. Any such signs shall be removed by the City, its lessors or agents for purposes of management of its on-street parking system. ... The City shall designate up to one "Loading/Unloading Zone - 30 Minute Only Parking" per block at its sole discretion for use by businesses located thereon.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4719898; v25 updated 2025-12-16; through 12-16-2025).

Full Breakdown

3, Time zone and patron parking spaces, rewired how short-term commercial parking works on Scranton's metered streets. Subsection A abolishes and no longer authorizes the old time-zone and patron parking spaces, specifically naming '15 Minute Only' and '30 Minute Only' signs as well as spaces reserved for the customers of a particular business, and directs the city to remove any such signs still standing. Subsection D carves out the one replacement: the city may designate up to one 'Loading/Unloading Zone - 30 Minute Only Parking' per block, at its sole discretion, for use by the businesses located on that block.

Subsection B preserves a narrower exception for government and medical facilities, including City Hall, Lackawanna County offices and federal buildings, which can still get a designated time-zone or patron space. Anyone who installs an unauthorized time-zone or loading-zone sign faces a fine equal to the city's lost parking revenue for every day the sign stood before removal, under Subsection C. 1, sets up a scheduled loading zone specifically for United States Postal Service trucks on Lackawanna Avenue between Penn and Wyoming Avenues, active only during three set windows each day, showing the city also uses time-boxed loading zones for a single carrier rather than general commercial deliveries.

Violations & Fines

Parking in violation of a posted loading zone, or overstaying the 30-minute limit, is treated as a parking meter zone violation under § 439-54.1: a fine of not more than $50 and, if unpaid, up to five days in jail. Installing a loading zone or patron parking sign without city authorization draws a separate penalty under § 439-54.3(C) equal to the parking revenue the city lost while the sign remained up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can businesses still get a dedicated loading zone in Scranton?
Yes, but only one per block. Section 439-54.3(D) lets the city designate a single 'Loading/Unloading Zone - 30 Minute Only Parking' space per block, at its sole discretion, for the businesses located there, after the city abolished the older 15- and 30-minute patron parking spaces tied to individual stores.
What's the fine for parking too long in a loading zone?
It's treated the same as any other metered parking violation. Section 439-54.1 sets the fine at not more than $50, with up to five days in jail if the fine goes unpaid, the same penalty that applies to overtime parking anywhere in a City of Scranton meter zone.
Are there special loading zone rules for mail trucks?
Yes, a separate one. Section 439-17.1 authorizes a loading and unloading zone for the United States Postal Service on Lackawanna Avenue between Penn Avenue and Wyoming Avenue, active only during three scheduled windows a day: 9:15 to 9:30 a.m., 1:00 to 1:30 p.m., and 6:30 to 7:00 p.m.
What if someone puts up an unauthorized loading zone sign?
Section 439-54.3(C) penalizes that directly: whoever installs an unauthorized time-zone or loading-zone sign owes a fine equal to the parking revenue the city lost from the date the sign went up until it's removed, charged against the person or entity responsible.

Sources & Official References

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