Boulder County, CO Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Overnight parking
- Not banned outright
- Abandoned threshold
- More than 72 continuous hours
- Move-to-reset radius
- Must exceed 700 feet
- Notice before tow
- 72 hours after notice
- Registered-nearby vehicles
- Exempt from abandoned rule
Summary
There is no flat overnight parking ban on unincorporated Boulder County roads, but a vehicle left in one location for more than 72 continuous hours becomes an abandoned vehicle that can be ticketed and towed.
"Abandoned Vehicle" means any Vehicle that is left in one location on public property without the consent of the owner thereof for a continuous period of more than seventy-two (72) hours. Any Vehicle that is moved from a location on public property and re-parked within seven hundred (700) feet of the same location within any twenty-four (24) hour period is considered continuous parking.
Full Breakdown
Ordinance 2024-1 does not prohibit ordinary overnight parking, but it defines an Abandoned Vehicle as one left in a single location on public property for more than 72 hours without consent. Critically, moving a vehicle and re-parking it within 700 feet of the same spot within any 24-hour period still counts as continuous parking, so you cannot reset the clock by inching it down the block. Operable, currently registered vehicles parked near their registered unincorporated address are exempt. The county adopted these rules partly to address long-term RV encampments on rural roads.
Violations & Fines
After 72 hours the Sheriff gives written or verbal notice and 72 more hours to move; failure leads to a $15/$30/$60 citation and towing at the owner's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave my car parked on a county road overnight?
Can I just move my car a little to avoid the 72-hour rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boulder County
How Boulder County compares: Cities with the Strictest Overnight Parking Rules·Compare Boulder County to another location·View the Colorado parking rules overview
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