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Spokane County, WA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing sections
SCC 46.61.570 and 46.61.575
Driveway clearance
5 feet from curb radius end
Fire hydrant clearance
20 feet
Curb parking rule
Right wheels within 12 inches of curb
Enforcement
Spokane County Sheriff's Office
Violation type
Civil traffic infraction, SCC 46.63.020
Response deadline
15 days to pay or contest

Summary

Spokane County bans stopping or parking within intersections, crosswalks, sidewalks, and within five feet of a driveway apron, and within twenty feet of a fire hydrant or crosswalk. Vehicles on two-way roads must park within twelve inches of the right curb facing the direction of traffic; parking against traffic is a civil infraction enforced by the Sheriff's Office under SCC 46.61.570 and 46.61.575.

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

(1)Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device, no person shall:(a)Stop, stand, or park a vehicle:(ii)On a sidewalk or street planting strip;(iii)Within an intersection;(iv)On a crosswalk;...(b)Stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger or passengers:(i)In front of a public or private driveway or within five feet of the end of the curb radius leading thereto;(ii)Within twenty feet of a fire hydrant;(iii)Within twenty feet of a crosswalk;...(2)Parking or standing shall be permitted in the manner provided by law at all other places except a time limit may be imposed or parking restricted at other places but such limitation and restriction shall be by county resolution upon county highways.(3)No person shall move a vehicle not lawfully under his or her control into any such prohibited area or away from a curb such a distance as is unlawful.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).

Full Breakdown

575, enforced by the Spokane County Sheriff's Office. 570 bars stopping, standing, or parking on a sidewalk or street planting strip, within an intersection, on a crosswalk, on a railroad track, in the area between roadways of a divided highway, or wherever official signs prohibit it. It separately bars standing or parking, except momentarily to load or unload a passenger, in front of a public or private driveway or within five feet of the end of the curb radius leading to it, within twenty feet of a fire hydrant or crosswalk, within thirty feet of the approach to a stop sign or traffic signal, and within fifty feet of a railroad crossing when loading.

No one may reserve a portion of a highway for exclusive stopping or parking. 575 sets the wrong-way rule: on a two-way road every parked vehicle's right-hand wheels must sit parallel to and within twelve inches of the right curb, and on a one-way road the vehicle must park in the direction of authorized travel with either its right or left wheels within twelve inches of the corresponding curb, so parking facing oncoming traffic or backed against a two-way curb violates the section. The county engineer may post angle-parking or added restriction signs under subsection (3) once a traffic study shows the change will not endanger or impede travel. 5701.

Violations & Fines

A violation of SCC 46.61.570 or 46.61.575 is a civil traffic infraction, not a crime, under SCC 46.63.020. The notice sets a monetary penalty, and for a standing, stopping, or parking violation the Department of Licensing can refuse to renew the vehicle's license, not the driver's license, until the penalty is paid, per SCC 46.63.060. A recipient has fifteen days to pay, request a mitigation hearing, or contest the infraction; a contested determination may be appealed to superior court for a trial de novo within fourteen days under SCC 46.63.090.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I park in front of my own driveway in Spokane County?
No, except momentarily to load or unload a passenger. SCC 46.61.570(1)(b)(i) bars standing or parking a vehicle in front of any public or private driveway, or within five feet of the end of the curb radius leading to it, regardless of whose driveway it is; a citation is a civil traffic infraction carrying a monetary penalty.
Which way do I have to park on a two-way street?
SCC 46.61.575(1) requires your right-hand wheels parallel to and within twelve inches of the right curb, meaning you must always park facing the direction of traffic on your side of a two-way road. Parking against traffic, or nose-first against oncoming lanes, violates the section even if the vehicle is otherwise clear of the roadway.
How close can I park to a fire hydrant or crosswalk?
SCC 46.61.570(1)(b) requires vehicles to stand or park at least twenty feet from a fire hydrant and at least twenty feet from a crosswalk, and at least thirty feet from the approach to a stop sign, yield sign, or traffic signal. Loading or unloading a passenger only is allowed within those buffers.
What happens if I get a parking ticket in unincorporated Spokane County?
The ticket is a noncriminal traffic infraction under SCC 46.63.020, not a crime. You have fifteen days to pay the penalty, request a hearing to contest it, or ask for a mitigation hearing; unpaid tickets can block renewal of your vehicle's license under SCC 46.63.060 until resolved.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Spokane County

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