Durham, NC Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Restricted hours
- 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., every night
- Vehicle threshold
- Wider than 6½ feet
- Standard fine
- $30.00 civil penalty (§ 66-370(a)(17))
- Late penalty
- +$10 after 30 days, +$15 after 60 days
- Exception
- Active loading/unloading only
Summary
Durham bans parking any motor vehicle wider than 6½ feet on a public street between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under City Code § 66-187, with an exception only while actively loading or unloading. Violating the overnight width restriction carries a $30.00 civil penalty under § 66-370(a)(17).
"It shall be unlawful for any person to park any motor vehicle of a width exceeding 6½ feet on any of the public streets in the city between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. following, except when necessary to stop for the purpose of loading or unloading, and then only during the period in which such loading or unloading operation is being carried out." (Sec. 66-187)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 36).
Full Breakdown
5 feet across, rather than ordinary passenger cars, and it runs every night of the year, not just during snow events. A related but separate anti-evasion rule, § 66-185, prevents drivers from beating any Durham time-limited parking rule by hopping the same vehicle between two or more spaces within the same city block; the code treats the combined time parked anywhere in that block as one continuous stay for purposes of the posted limit. Violation of the § 66-187 overnight width restriction is enforced as a civil parking penalty rather than a criminal charge.
00 plus court costs if the balance is still outstanding after 60 days. A driver who disputes the citation may file a written appeal with the city manager's office within 30 days of the notice under § 66-370(e).
Violations & Fines
Parking a vehicle wider than 6½ feet on a Durham street overnight, between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., is a $30.00 civil penalty under §§ 66-187 and 66-370(a)(17), rising to $40.00 after 30 days unpaid and $55.00 after 60 days. The only defense is active loading or unloading during the citation window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my RV or box truck overnight on a Durham street?
Is there a general overnight parking ban for cars in Durham?
What is the fine for violating Durham's overnight width restriction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Durham
How Durham compares: Cities with the Strictest Overnight Parking Rules·Compare Durham to another location·View the North Carolina parking rules overview
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