Seattle, WA Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Time limit
- 72 hours on any street
- New sign notice
- 24 hours before enforceable
- Fine
- $65 base infraction
- Enforcement tool
- Impound under Ch. 11.30 SMC
Summary
No vehicle may sit on a Seattle street or municipal property for more than 72 hours. SMC 11.72.440 sets the citywide limit, with signed shorter limits enforceable 24 hours after posting and impound authority for violators.
11.72.440 - Parking Enforcement; Seventy-two (72) hours. A. Official signs, including temporary signs, that prohibit stopping, standing or parking shall be enforceable according to their terms twenty-four hours after posting. B. No person shall park a vehicle on any street or other municipal property for a period of time longer than seventy-two (72) hours, unless an official posted sign provides a shorter period of time, or unless otherwise provided by law. ... E. Vehicles in violation of this section are subject to impound as provided for in Chapter 11.30 SMC, in addition to any other penalty provided for by law.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 44 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
440, 'Parking Enforcement; Seventy-two (72) hours,' is the City's baseline time limit for how long any vehicle may remain parked on a public street. Subsection A makes official posted signs, including temporary signs, enforceable according to their terms starting 24 hours after posting, so a newly posted shorter time limit or no-parking sign needs a full day's notice before it can be cited. Subsection B sets the default: no person shall park a vehicle on any street or other municipal property for longer than 72 hours, unless a posted sign specifies a shorter period or another law provides otherwise.
Subsection C exempts authorized vehicles on municipal property and vehicles displaying valid proof of payment at a parking payment device. 500 and its $250 civil infraction. 30 SMC in addition to any other penalty. The rule applies uniformly citywide, independent of whether the block also carries a Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) permit requirement, an RPZ-permitted vehicle is still subject to the 72-hour cap unless a posted sign sets a different limit.
Violations & Fines
Parking a vehicle on a Seattle street or municipal property for more than 72 hours is a parking infraction under SMC 11.72.440, cited at $65 per the SMC 11.72 fine schedule, and the vehicle is subject to impound under Chapter 11.30 SMC in addition to the citation; a shorter posted limit becomes enforceable 24 hours after the sign goes up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a car sit parked on a Seattle street before it's a violation?
Can Seattle enforce a new short-term parking sign immediately after posting it?
Does the 72-hour rule apply to junk vehicles left on Seattle streets?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Seattle
How Seattle compares: Cities with the Strictest Overnight Parking Rules·Compare Seattle to another location·View the Washington parking rules overview
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Overnight Parking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle overnight parking.