Baltimore County, MD Parking Rules: Preferential Parking Districts (2026)
Key Facts
- Petition threshold
- 65% of dwelling units in the area
- Occupancy test
- 70%+ of legal on-street capacity used
- Non-resident test
- 25%+ vehicles not locally registered
- Permit issuer
- Dept. of Permits, Approvals and Inspections
- Permit term
- August 1 through July 31
- Fee waiver
- Residents age 65 and older
- Violation penalty
- $25 misdemeanor fine
Summary
Baltimore County designates residential permit parking areas under Code Sections 18-2-402 and 18-2-403 when 65% of dwelling units petition and a traffic study shows on-street parking is at least 70% occupied with 25% or more non-resident vehicles. The County Council then designates the area by resolution, and only local residents can obtain a permit.
(c)Criteria. The Director of Public Works and Transportation or the Director's designee shall use the following objective criteria in evaluating the need for restricted parking in a residentially zoned area:(1)The proposed residential permit parking area shall consist of those streets adjacent to a minimum of 10 contiguous dwelling units;(2)Based on a legal parking space of 20 linear feet, during any period of the day, the number of vehicles parked or standing, legally or illegally, on the streets in the area is equal to 70% or more of the legal on-street parking capacity of the area; and(3)Based on the latest available information from the State Motor Vehicle Administration regarding registration of motor vehicles, during any period of the day, 25% or more of the vehicles parking or standing on the streets in the area are not registered in the name of a person residing in the area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 29 | Zoning Regulations: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
or in the DR-1 through DR-16 residential zones, per Section 18-2-402(a). The process starts when 65% of the dwelling units in a proposed area petition the Director of Public Works and Transportation, triggering a study against the objective criteria in Section 18-2-403(c): a minimum of 10 contiguous dwelling units, on-street occupancy at or above 70% of legal capacity, and at least 25% of parked vehicles unregistered to a local resident. The Director also weighs neighborhood character, proximity to transit or a college, and the availability of off-street parking before recommending designation, and the County Council makes the final call by resolution after a public meeting.
Once designated, the Department of Public Works and Transportation posts signs under Section 18-2-404 and the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections issues permits under Section 18-2-406 only to vehicle owners or operators who reside in the area, per Section 18-2-407. An annual fee applies, waived for residents 65 or older, and a lost-permit duplicate costs $5. Permits run August 1 through July 31 and do not guarantee a parking space. Residents can later remove the designation with a new 65% petition under Section 18-2-405.
Violations & Fines
Displaying a residential parking permit on a vehicle not listed on the application, or falsely representing eligibility to obtain one, violates Section 18-2-413 and can lead to permit revocation by the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections. Section 18-2-414 makes any violation of the residential permit parking subtitle a misdemeanor punishable by a $25 fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a neighborhood get residential permit parking?
Does a permit guarantee me a parking spot?
Who can apply for a permit once an area is designated?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baltimore County
Compare Baltimore County to another location·View the Maryland parking rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.