Kirkland, WA Parking Rules: Preferential Parking Districts (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- KZC 105.67
- Preferential stall restriction hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. daily
- Compact car allocation cap
- Up to 50% of spaces (KZC 105.65)
- Related curbing standard
- 6-inch vertical concrete curb (KZC 105.77)
- Adopting ordinance
- Ord. 4350 § 1, 2012
- Enforcement fines
- $100-$500 per day, KMC 1.12.045
- Appeal window
- 21 calendar days, KMC 1.12.047
Summary
Kirkland's zoning code lets developers set aside certain off-street parking stalls as preferential parking. Under KZC 105.67, any restriction limiting who can use those preferred stalls only runs from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. daily; outside that window the stalls open up like ordinary spaces.
Parking stalls may be allocated for preferential parking. A restriction on types of vehicles using preferred stalls applies from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. daily. (Ord. 4350 § 1, 2012)
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4945, passed July 21, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Kirkland's preferential parking allowance sits inside Chapter 105 of the Kirkland Zoning Code, "Parking Areas, Vehicle and Pedestrian Access, and Related Improvements," the chapter that governs how off-street parking lots serving anything other than a detached dwelling unit must be laid out. daily. Outside that three-hour morning window, the preferred stalls function as ordinary parking open to any vehicle. 70 requires ADA-compliant barrier-free stall design under Washington State regulations. 77 separately requires a 6-inch vertical concrete curb around parking areas and driveways for any use other than a detached dwelling unit.
67; each governs a distinct design element of the same lot. Development applications proposing preferential stalls go through the City's Planning and Building Department as part of standard site plan review, and once approved, deviating from the approved parking plan is treated as a zoning code violation subject to the City's general code enforcement chapter.
Violations & Fines
Failure to build or operate a parking area as approved, including a preferential stall restriction outside its permitted 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. window, is enforced under Kirkland Municipal Code Chapter 1.12, Code Enforcement. The City issues a notice and order of civil violation, and noncompliance draws a civil fine of $100 per day for days 1 through 15, $250 per day for days 16 through 30, and $500 per day for day 31 onward, capped at $50,000 per violation under KMC 1.12.045. A responsible party may appeal a notice and order within 21 calendar days under KMC 1.12.047.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Kirkland parking lot restrict certain stalls to certain vehicles all day?
Does Kirkland run a residential on-street preferential parking permit program?
Who reviews a Kirkland site plan that includes preferential parking stalls?
What happens if a Kirkland property doesn't follow its approved preferential parking plan?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kirkland
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Preferential Parking Districts in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle preferential parking districts.