Costa Mesa, CA Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 10-194
- Sleeping curfew
- 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Dwelling ban
- 24/7 on public property/right-of-way
- Exception
- Licensed trailer court or campsite
- Companion rule
- § 10-195 window visibility required
Summary
Costa Mesa bars sleeping in a parked motor vehicle anywhere in the city other than private residential property between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under Municipal Code Section 10-194, and separately bans living or dwelling in any vehicle parked on a public street, sidewalk, alley or right-of-way at any time, with an exception for licensed trailer courts and campsites.
It is unlawful for any person to sleep in or on any motor vehicle parked any place in the city, other than upon private residential property, at any time between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or to dwell and/or live in or on any motor vehicle parked upon any city owned, operated, or maintained street, sidewalk, alley, public right-of-way, or any other public property or any private property within the city at any time. This section is not intended to prohibit the use of campers or motor coaches or motor vans for sleeping and/or dwelling purposes where the same are parked in an authorized trailer court or campsite within the city. As used in this section, "dwell" means to use as a basic residence for shelter, sleeping and/or cooking purposes in lieu of traditional code compliant building structures designed for human habitation.
Full Breakdown
Section 10-194 layers two separate prohibitions. m. The second applies at all hours and covers the property the first exempts too: it is unlawful to 'dwell and/or live in or on any motor vehicle' parked on any city-owned or maintained street, sidewalk, alley, public right-of-way, other public property, or even private property, using a vehicle as a substitute for housing. The code defines 'dwell' as using the vehicle 'as a basic residence for shelter, sleeping and/or cooking purposes in lieu of traditional code compliant building structures designed for human habitation,' distinguishing brief overnight sleeping from ongoing vehicle habitation.
The section carves out camper, motor coach and motor van sleeping or dwelling that takes place in an authorized trailer court or campsite within the city, so RV parks are not swept in. A related visibility rule in Section 10-195 requires that any motor vehicle parked on a public street keep its curtains or window coverings positioned so the interior remains fully visible at all times, which functions as a companion enforcement tool: a vehicle with blacked-out windows on a public street is independently in violation even before an officer can confirm whether someone is sleeping or dwelling inside. Both sections trace to the same 1966 traffic code numbering and were most recently amended by Ordinance No. 2024-09.
Violations & Fines
Sleeping in a vehicle on a public street or non-residential property between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or using any vehicle as a dwelling anywhere but an authorized trailer court, is enforceable as a general infraction under Section 1-33, with fines of up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for further offenses. A vehicle with obstructed windows in violation of Section 10-195's visibility rule can be cited separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sleep in my car overnight on a Costa Mesa street?
Can I sleep in my car in my own driveway?
Is it legal to live in an RV parked on a Costa Mesa street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Costa Mesa
How Costa Mesa compares: Cities with the Strictest Overnight Parking Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Costa Mesa to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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