Ridgecrest, CA Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Time limit
- 72 consecutive hours
- Permit authority
- Chief of police
- Permit standard
- No traffic safety hazard
- Consequence
- Tow at owner's expense
Summary
Ridgecrest bars parking any vehicle on a street or alley for more than 72 consecutive hours without a police-chief permit, covering overnight and long-term parking alike.
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, California (Kern County) does not run a nightly curfew window; instead its street-parking cap is duration-based. No operator or owner may park a vehicle on any street or alley for more than 72 consecutive hours unless the chief of police has first granted a permit, issued only if the parking poses no traffic safety hazard. Violating vehicles may be towed and stored at the owner's expense.
Violations & Fines
Leaving a vehicle in one on-street spot past 72 consecutive hours without a chief-of-police permit is an infraction and can trigger towing at the owner's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a nightly overnight parking ban in Ridgecrest?
Can I get a permit to park longer than 72 hours?
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
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Overnight Parking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle overnight parking.