Mountain View, CA Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Restricted hours
- 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Applies where
- Streets designated by council resolution
- Signage required
- Yes, before enforcement (Sec. 19.35)
- Related rule
- 72-hour limit, move 1,000 ft (Sec. 19.72)
- Removal authority
- Veh. Code Sec. 22651
Summary
Mountain View can prohibit parking between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on any street the city council designates by resolution, under City Code Sec. 19.71. The restriction only takes effect street-by-street once the council acts and signs go up, not automatically citywide.
SEC. 19.71. - Parking between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. prohibited. No person shall park any vehicle between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on streets, or portions thereof, as set forth by resolution of the city council.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 34 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
Sec. on streets, or portions thereof, as set forth by resolution of the city council, meaning the overnight ban is not a blanket citywide curfew: it applies only to the specific streets or segments the council has designated, and Sec. 35 requires that signs be in place and legible before any Chapter 19 restriction requiring signage can be enforced against a driver. The overnight rule sits alongside Mountain View's broader 72-hour parking limit in Sec. 72, which separately bars leaving any vehicle in the same spot on a public street, alley or city lot for more than 72 consecutive hours and requires it to move at least 1,000 feet and stay away for 24 hours before returning; chalk marks used to track that limit cannot be removed or altered without risking immediate citation and towing.
Vehicles violating either the overnight ban or the 72-hour rule can be removed under California Vehicle Code Sec. 22651, and a warning notice must be affixed before towing for a 72-hour violation specifically.
Violations & Fines
A vehicle parked in violation of the 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. ban on a designated street is subject to citation and to removal under Vehicle Code Sec. 22651 once required signage is posted, and general Sec. 1.7 infraction fines apply: up to $100 for a first offense, rising to $500 for a third within a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is overnight street parking banned everywhere in Mountain View?
What is the difference between the overnight ban and the 72-hour rule?
Can Mountain View tow my car for an overnight parking violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mountain View
How Mountain View compares: Cities with the Strictest Overnight Parking Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Mountain View to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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Overnight Parking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle overnight parking.