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Lakewood, CA Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)

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

Key Facts

Street storage limit
72 consecutive hours (Sec. 3252)
Resolution overnight ban
2 a.m. to 6 a.m., no signs required
City lot overnight ban
11 p.m. to 5 a.m. (Sec. 4225)
Towing authority
Cal. Veh. Code Sec. 22651(k) and (n)
Who pays
Registered owner covers towing and storage
Enforced by
LA County Sheriff's Dept under city contract

Summary

Lakewood enforces overnight and long-term street parking through its own ordinances plus state removal authority. City Council resolutions can ban curbside parking between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. on specific streets without even posting a sign, Municipal Code Section 3252 caps any street or alley stay at 72 consecutive hours citywide, and California Vehicle Code Section 22651 gives officers the power to tow.

A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which the officer or employee may act, under the following circumstances: ... (k) If a vehicle is parked or left standing upon a highway for 72 or more consecutive hours in violation of a local ordinance authorizing removal. ... (n) Whenever a vehicle is parked or left standing where local authorities, by resolution or ordinance, have prohibited parking and have authorized the removal of vehicles. Except as provided in subdivisions (v) and (w), a vehicle shall not be removed unless signs are posted giving notice of the removal.

Source: Lakewood, CA Municipal CodeView official code

Full Breakdown

Lakewood layers three separate rules on overnight and long-term street parking, all enforced through state removal authority rather than a standalone city fine. m. That means an overnight curfew adopted by council resolution can apply on a Lakewood street even without a posted sign. Second, Section 3252, titled 'Use of Street for Storage of Vehicles Prohibited,' bans leaving any vehicle on a street or alley for more than 72 consecutive hours citywide, with no council resolution needed to trigger it. where signs are posted, citing Vehicle Code Section 22519, though the Council can set different posted hours by its own resolution.

None of these three local sections write their own criminal penalty; the enforcement tool is removal. Vehicle Code Section 22651(n) lets a peace officer or a city parking employee tow a vehicle wherever local authorities have adopted a parking prohibition by resolution or ordinance and posted notice, and Section 22651(k) separately authorizes towing once a vehicle has sat on a highway for 72 or more consecutive hours in violation of a local ordinance, matching Lakewood's own Section 3252 cap. Lakewood contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for patrol, so it is Sheriff's deputies, not a city police force, who post the notices and call the tow trucks.

Violations & Fines

There is no misdemeanor citation for an overnight parking violation; the remedy is removal. Vehicle Code Section 22651(n) lets a posted resolution against curbside parking authorize towing, and Section 22651(k) lets Lakewood tow any vehicle left on a street or alley beyond the 72-hour cap set in Section 3252. The registered owner pays the towing and storage costs before the vehicle is released.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Lakewood tow my car for parking overnight on the street?
Yes, if the block is covered by a City Council resolution restricting parking between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. or by a posted no-parking resolution for other hours. Vehicle Code Section 22651(n) authorizes local authorities to remove a vehicle parked in violation of such a resolution or ordinance.
Does Lakewood require signs for every overnight parking restriction?
No. Municipal Code Section 3250.2 exempts alleys and any resolution restricting parking between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. from the usual curb-marking or sign requirement, so those overnight restrictions can apply without posted notice, unlike most other resolution-based parking rules.
How long can I leave my car parked on the same street?
No more than 72 consecutive hours. Municipal Code Section 3252 bans parking any vehicle on a Lakewood street or alley beyond that period, and Vehicle Code Section 22651(k) gives officers the state-law authority to tow a vehicle that overstays it.
What about parking overnight in a city-owned parking lot?
Off-street lots owned by the City are closed to parked vehicles from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. under Municipal Code Section 4225, enacted by Ordinance 2003-7, though the City Council can set different posted hours by resolution.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Lakewood

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