Stafford County, VA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Waiver fee
- $35, paid within 30 days
- Late penalty
- $10 added after 30 days
- Tow threshold
- 3+ unpaid notices, Sec. 15-52
- Fire hydrant buffer
- No parking within 15 feet
- Enforcement
- Sheriff's Office, Sec. 15-51(i)
Summary
Stafford County bans parking on public streets, roads, or county property in more than a dozen situations, from blocking a sidewalk or driveway to parking within an intersection or too close to a fire hydrant. Section 15-51 lets a driver who gets a written notice pay a $35 waiver instead of going to district court, but the sheriff's office can still tow and hold repeat violators.
No person shall park a vehicle on (i) public property, including, but not limited to, any public street, road, or highway, or (ii) county-owned or county-leased property, in violation of any of the provisions of this subsection. Any person who receives written notice from a sheriff's deputy that he has committed any of the offenses listed in this subsection may waive his right to appear and be formally tried for the offense. The waiver shall be effective when the person (i) voluntarily pays thirty five dollars ($35.00) to the county treasurer's office within thirty (30) days after receipt of the notice ... Such offenses shall include parking a vehicle:(1)On a sidewalk;(2)In front of a public or private driveway;(3)Within an intersection;(4)Within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant or fire department connection or in any way that obstructs a fire hydrant or fire department connection;
Full Breakdown
Section 15-51(a) bars parking a vehicle on public property, including any public street, road, or highway, or on county-owned or county-leased property, in any of two dozen listed ways. The list covers parking on a sidewalk, in front of a public or private driveway, within an intersection, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or fire department connection, in or within 20 feet of a crosswalk, within 30 feet of a stop sign or traffic signal, within 50 feet of a railroad crossing, alongside a street excavation, on the roadway side of another parked vehicle, on a bridge or in a tunnel, more than 18 inches from the curb, in a fire lane, in a bicycle lane, double-parked, blocking an alley to less than 10 feet of clearance, within 500 feet of a stopped fire apparatus, near a fire or rescue station entrance, or in a way that creates a traffic hazard.
2-1225. Subsection (b) applies the same list, with small variations, to private parking lots open to the public with 50 or more spaces. Under Section 15-51(i) the sheriff, or his designee, enforces the section, and any deputy can tow a hazardously or illegally parked vehicle at the owner's expense; a vehicle with three or more unpaid parking notices can be towed and held under Section 15-52 until the owner pays the fines plus removal and storage costs.
Violations & Fines
Parking in violation of any clause of Section 15-51(a) or (b), such as blocking a driveway, sidewalk, or fire hydrant, draws a written notice that can be resolved by paying a $35 waiver to the county treasurer within 30 days; missing that deadline adds a $10 penalty and can bring a summons. A hazardously parked vehicle, or one with three or more unpaid notices, can be towed at the owner's expense under Sections 15-51 and 15-52.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close to a fire hydrant can I park in Stafford County?
Can I just pay a fine instead of going to court for a parking ticket?
When can Stafford County tow my car for parking violations?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stafford County
Compare Stafford County to another location·View the Virginia parking rules overview
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