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Kootenai County, ID Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

State law adopted: Idaho Code 49-659 through 49-662 incorporated
Loading exception: Brief stop allowed while actively loading/unloading
Citation method: Can be left on windshield if driver absent
Owner presumption: Registered owner presumed responsible for the parked car
Violation class: Infraction, no license points assessed
Towing: Deputy may impound illegally parked or abandoned vehicles

Summary

Kootenai County's Parking On Public Highways Ordinance bars stopping, standing or parking anywhere a posted sign prohibits it, incorporating Idaho Code 49-659 through 49-662 by reference (Code 5.2.205). Deputies can ticket the registered owner directly, and a violation is a non-moving infraction that never adds points to a driver's license.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Kootenai County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

5.2.205: PROHIBITIONS: A. The regulations regarding stopping, standing or parking of motor vehicles contained in Idaho Code 49-659 through 49-662 are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. B. Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic in compliance with applicable traffic laws, the directions of a peace officer, or any traffic control device, no person shall stop, stand or park a motor vehicle, whether occupied or not, at any place where a posted parking regulation prohibits parking. C. No person shall stop, stand or park a motor vehicle on property owned by the county or under the regulatory control of the county or any highway district located therein, in violation of any posted parking regulation. D. Notwithstanding the prohibitions contained in subsections B and C of this section, a person may temporarily stop, stand or park a motor vehicle for the purpose of loading or unloading merchandise or passengers while actually engaged in such activity.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-10: Code current through: Ord. 633, passed December 23, 2025).

Full Breakdown

205 folds Idaho's state stopping and parking statutes, sections 49-659 through 49-662, directly into county law, then adds county-specific bars: no one may stop, stand or park where a posted parking regulation prohibits it, whether on a public roadway or on county-owned or county-regulated property, except when avoiding a traffic conflict, following a peace officer's direction, or briefly loading and unloading merchandise or passengers while actually engaged in that activity. Tearing down or defacing a posted parking sign is also barred. 209). 206). 207). 208).

Violations & Fines

A parking violation is an infraction under 5.2.210, not a moving violation, so no license points are assessed. It's punishable by the fine set in rule 9(b) of the Idaho infraction rules and Code 1-4-1. Illegally parked or abandoned vehicles can also be towed and impounded at the owner's expense, with towing and storage costs becoming a lien against the vehicle (5.2.208).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a parking ticket while loading my car in Kootenai County?

No. Code 5.2.205(D) lets you temporarily stop, stand or park to load or unload merchandise or passengers, as long as you're actually engaged in that activity when a deputy checks. Once you're done loading, the general no-parking rule for posted zones applies again.

Who gets the ticket if someone else was driving my car?

Idaho and county law both start from the presumption that the registered owner was the one who parked it (5.2.207(A)), but you can rebut that with evidence like a signed lease or rental agreement showing someone else had the vehicle at the time of the violation.

Does a parking ticket affect my driver's license points?

No. Code 5.2.210(B) specifically says a parking violation is not a moving traffic violation and no points are assessed. It's an infraction, punishable by the fine set under Idaho infraction rule 9(b) and Code 1-4-1.

Can the county tow my car for a parking violation?

Yes. Under 5.2.208, any deputy sheriff can remove and impound a vehicle found abandoned or parked in violation of the ordinance, and the owner is responsible for all towing and storage costs, which the county can place as a lien against the vehicle.

Sources & Official References

[1]Kootenai County Code 5.2.205 (amlegal)

Other rules in Kootenai County

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All Kootenai County rules

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