Oakland, CA Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)

Unlike some Bay Area cities with blanket overnight bans, Oakland allows overnight parking on most public streets unless posted otherwise. The primary restrictions are the 72-hour rule, street sweeping, and Residential Permit Parking (RPP) zones. Under California Vehicle Code §22651(k) and Oakland Municipal Code, any vehicle — operational or not — parked in the same public location for more than 72 consecutive hours may be cited and towed. Moving the vehicle a few feet is not considered a genuine relocation; the vehicle must be driven a meaningful distance and used. Oakland has numerous RPP zones in neighborhoods near BART stations, hospitals, colleges, and commercial districts; parking during posted hours (often 8 a.m.–10 p.m. on weekdays) requires a residential or visitor permit, but most RPP zones allow unrestricted parking overnight. Street sweeping signs impose weekly no-parking windows (typically one side of the street, one morning per week) and must be obeyed to avoid $60+ tickets. Recreational vehicles, campers, and vehicles used for habitation face additional rules: under Oakland's ordinance and California law, sleeping in vehicles on public streets is restricted, and RVs over 22 feet cannot be parked overnight on residential streets. The City also operates designated safe RV parking sites for unhoused residents. During Red Flag Warnings in Hills neighborhoods with narrow evacuation routes, temporary no-parking orders may be issued.