Lexington, KY Parking Rules: Snow Removal Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Code of Ordinances §§ 18B-2, 18B-3, 18B-5
- Stage 3 rule
- No parking at all on snow emergency routes
- Stage 2 rule
- Alternate-side parking on secondary streets
- Fine
- $10.00-$50.00 per violation, § 18B-7
- Declared by
- Mayor, with state highway commissioner approval
Summary
When the mayor declares a Stage 3 snow emergency, Lexington-Fayette bans all parking on designated snow emergency routes; a Stage 2 emergency triggers alternate-side parking on secondary streets. Code §§ 18B-2, 18B-3, and 18B-5 set the stages, and violators face a $10-$50 fine under § 18B-7.
No vehicle is authorized to park in any public way designated as a snow emergency route when a Stage 3 snow emergency has been declared by the mayor. ... No vehicle is authorized to park on any public way defined by section 18B-1 as a secondary street when a Stage 2 snow emergency has been declared by the mayor except: On the even-numbered side of the secondary street from 8:00 a.m., prevailing time, on any even-numbered day until 8:00 a.m., prevailing time, the following day; and On the odd-numbered side of the secondary street from 8:00 a.m., prevailing time, of any odd-numbered day, until 8:00 a.m., prevailing time, the following day.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Republication | Zoning Ordinance: Republication).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 18B creates a three-stage snow emergency system separate from Chapter 18's general traffic rules. Section 18B-5 gives the mayor authority to declare an emergency whenever falling or firmly forecast snow, sleet, or freezing rain will require that 'motor vehicle traffic be expedited and that parking on public ways within the urban county be prohibited or restricted for snow plowing or other purposes,' subject to the approval of the Commonwealth's commissioner of highways. Three stages follow. A Stage 1 emergency imposes parking prohibitions on parts or all of the snow emergency routes the division of traffic engineering has designated and posted with signs at intervals no greater than 1,000 feet on both sides of the route (Section 18B-1).
the next day, and banned on the odd-numbered side on the same schedule for odd-numbered days. Section 18B-4 layers a travel restriction on top during a Stage 3 emergency, requiring any vehicle using a snow emergency route to carry snow tires, chains, four-wheel drive, or be an emergency vehicle or one the mayor specifically approves. The division of police may tow or otherwise remove a parked or disabled vehicle from a public way during any declared emergency under Section 18B-6.
Violations & Fines
Section 18B-7 fixes the penalty for any violation of Chapter 18B at a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor less than ten dollars ($10.00) per conviction. Section 18B-6 separately authorizes the division of police to remove a vehicle left on a public way during a declared emergency to the nearest place of safety, and Section 18B-8 makes clear the chapter never permits parking that any other Code section already forbids.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my street is a snow emergency route?
Can I park on my street during a Stage 2 snow emergency?
What happens if I leave my car on a snow emergency route during a Stage 3 emergency?
Sources & Official References
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