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Bristol Township, PA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified October 2026

Key Facts

Maximum fine
$1,000 plus costs per violation
Bridges
No parking at any time
Marked spaces
Park wholly within the bounding lines
Unattended idling
Prohibited, including a sleeping operator
Emergency parking limits
Police can restrict for up to 72 hours
Enforced by
Police officers and parking enforcement personnel

Summary

Bristol Township Code Chapter 191, Article IV bars leaving a vehicle idling unattended, requires parking wholly inside marked spaces, prohibits all parking on bridges and on the streets in Schedule XV, and sets a fine of up to $1,000 plus costs. Police and parking enforcement personnel record each violation.

No person shall cause a vehicle to be left in the parked position with the engine operating where said owner or operator is not in attendance with the vehicle or where said operator is asleep within the idling vehicle. ... Wherever a space is marked off on any street for the parking of an individual vehicle, every vehicle parked there shall be parked wholly within the lines bounding that space, and it shall be a violation of this article for any person to park a vehicle or allow it to remain parked otherwise. ... A. No person shall park a vehicle at any time upon any of the streets thereof described in Schedule XV (§ 191-79), attached to and made a part of this chapter. ... Parking is hereby prohibited on all bridges located within the Township at any and all times. ... Any person who violates any provision of this article shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 and costs

Full Breakdown

Article IV of Chapter 191 (Vehicles and Traffic), adopted by the Township Council 10-20-1992 as Ord. No. 92-17, collects the Township's parking rules.

Section 191-21 prohibits leaving a vehicle parked with the engine operating where the owner or operator is not in attendance, or where the operator is asleep within the idling vehicle. The Township adopted it under the Pennsylvania First Class Township Code, 53 P.S. § 56526. Section 191-22 requires every vehicle in a marked space to sit wholly within the lines bounding that space. Where angle parking is authorized under § 191-23 and Schedule XIV, vehicles park only at the designated angle, within the painted stall lines, with the front nearest the curb.

Section 191-24A bars parking at any time on the streets listed in Schedule XV (§ 191-79). Section 191-26 prohibits parking on all bridges in the Township at any and all times. Section 191-27 bars parking during the hours listed in Schedule XVII (§ 191-81) on any day except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and § 191-28 caps parking time on the Schedule XVIII streets (§ 191-82). Section 191-29 reserves special purpose parking zones. Section 191-1B defines legal holidays as New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

The Police Department can set temporary parking rules in a fire, flood, storm or other emergency, and can restrict parking for emergency public works or limited public events for not more than 72 hours (§ 191-3). The Township Council can test a regulation for not more than 90 days (§ 191-4).

Residential parking districts (Article V) need a residential zone and a survey by the Police Department's Traffic Safety Director showing nonresident vehicles at 30% or more of legal on-street capacity, with a legal space measured as 22 linear feet. Permits are issued through the Department of Licenses, Zoning and Inspections, and each dwelling unit's representative can receive two short-term visitor's passes (§ 191-36).

Violations & Fines

Any person who violates a provision of Article IV is liable on conviction to a fine of not more than $1,000 and costs (§ 191-30, amended 6-16-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-06). Police officers and parking enforcement personnel of the Township must record each violation, noting the section violated, the license number of the vehicle, the location and any other facts needed for a clear understanding of the circumstances.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I park on a bridge in Bristol Township?
No. Section 191-26 states that parking is prohibited on all bridges located within the Township at any and all times. There is no hours exception, and a violation of Article IV is punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 and costs under § 191-30.
What is the fine for a parking violation in Bristol Township?
Section 191-30 sets a fine of not more than $1,000 and costs for any violation of Article IV on conviction. Police officers and parking enforcement personnel record the section violated, the license number, the location and any other facts needed to understand the circumstances.
Can I leave my car running while I step away?
No. Section 191-21 prohibits leaving a vehicle in the parked position with the engine operating where the owner or operator is not in attendance, or where the operator is asleep inside the idling vehicle. The rule applies on public or private property.
How does a residential parking district get created in Bristol Township?
The Township Council designates districts after a public hearing, starting on its own initiative or on a resident petition. The area must be zoned residential, and a Police Department survey must show nonresident vehicles at 30% or more of legal on-street capacity. Council takes final action within 65 days after the hearing.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Bristol Township

All Bristol Township rules

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