Ridgecrest, CA Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Time limit
- 72 consecutive hours
- Applies on
- Any street or alley
- Permit authority
- Chief of police
- Permit standard
- No traffic safety hazard
- Permit fee
- May be set by the city council by resolution
- Consequence
- Towed and stored at the owner's expense
Summary
Ridgecrest City Code § 15-535 bars parking any vehicle on a street or alley for more than 72 consecutive hours unless the chief of police has previously granted a permit. The limit covers overnight and long-term parking alike, and a vehicle left in violation may be towed and stored at the owner's expense.
No operator or owner shall park any vehicle upon any street or alley for more than 72 consecutive hours, unless a permit has been previously granted by the chief of police. No such permit may be granted unless it is shown the parking of such vehicle shall pose no traffic safety hazard. The fee for such permit may be set by the city council by resolution. Any vehicle left in violation of this section may be towed and stored at the owner's expense, as authorized by law.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 6).
Full Breakdown
Ridgecrest, in Kern County, California, does not run a nightly curfew window for street parking. Its cap is based on duration. A vehicle may be parked overnight, but it may not stay on a street or alley for more than 72 consecutive hours without a permit.
Who is responsible. Section 15-535 names the "operator or owner." Either the person who parked the vehicle or the person who owns it can be held to the limit.
Where it applies. The rule covers "any street or alley." Alleys are named on the same footing as streets, so a vehicle left in an alley behind a Ridgecrest property is on the same clock as a vehicle at the curb.
The permit. Longer parking is allowed if a permit "has been previously granted by the chief of police." The word previously matters. The permit has to be granted before the vehicle passes the 72-hour mark. The chief may not grant a permit unless it is shown that parking the vehicle "shall pose no traffic safety hazard." The section makes that showing a condition of the permit, and it lists no other ground for granting it.
The fee. Section 15-535 does not state a dollar amount for the permit. It says the fee "may be set by the city council by resolution," so any amount is found in a Ridgecrest council resolution and not in the code section.
Towing. Any vehicle left in violation may be towed and stored at the owner's expense, as authorized by law. The expense is placed on the owner, including when a different operator parked the vehicle.
What the rule does not do. The section names no vehicle type and no hours of the day. It applies to "any vehicle," and the only measure is the 72 consecutive hours.
Violations & Fines
Leaving a vehicle on a street or alley past 72 consecutive hours without a chief-of-police permit is an infraction. The vehicle may be towed and stored at the owner's expense, as authorized by law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a nightly overnight parking ban in Ridgecrest?
Can I get a permit to park longer than 72 hours?
How much does the Ridgecrest parking permit cost?
Does the 72-hour limit apply in alleys?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgecrest
How Ridgecrest compares: Cities with the Strictest Overnight Parking Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Ridgecrest to another location·View the California parking rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Overnight Parking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle overnight parking.