Sarasota County, FL Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Civil fine
- $25.00 per violation
- Legal basis
- F.S. §§ 316.1945 & 316.195 incorporated
- Removal trigger
- 48 hrs, or sooner if hazardous
- Enforcing agency
- Sheriff's Office / Parking Enforcement Specialists
- Driveway-blocking cite
- F.S. § 316.1945(1)(b)1
Summary
Sarasota County regulates parking on every county road, street, bridge and right-of-way once the Department of Transportation posts a sign. Ordinary violations draw a $25 civil fine, and the county has written Florida's driveway-blocking and wrong-way parking rules, F.S. §§ 316.1945 and 316.195, directly into its own code so deputies can cite them under County Code § 122-141.
(3)"Park" or "Parking" shall mean the stopping or standing of a Vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of unloading merchandise or passengers.(4)"Parking Violations" shall mean the stopping or standing of a Vehicle...in violation of, or contrary to, the official traffic control Signs prohibiting or regulating Parking Vehicles or Sections 316.1945 and 316.195, Florida Statutes...(l)Sections 316.1945 and 316.195, Florida Statutes, as amended from time to time, are hereby incorporated herein.(m)Penalty. Any person Parking a Vehicle in violation of or contrary to the Signs...shall be punishable by a civil fine of $25.00, and the disposition thereof shall be governed by the provisions of F.S. § 316.1967...(n)...the County Administrator or any law enforcement officer may cause any Vehicle Parked in violation of this section, which remains more than 48 hours, or remains in violation of this section for any shorter period, where such Parked Vehicle obstructs traffic, or constitutes a danger to vehicular traffic, to be removed and stored in accordance with F.S. § 713.78.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 98).
Full Breakdown
Sarasota County Code § 122-141 gives the Board of County Commissioners authority to post and enforce parking regulations on county roads, streets, bridges and rights-of-way outside state roads and municipal streets. 195, both of which the county expressly incorporates into its own code. Those incorporated state provisions cover parking in front of a driveway, within an intersection or on a sidewalk, and within 20 feet of a crosswalk. Once the County Department of Transportation determines through an engineering study that parking on a stretch of road is hazardous, and the Board adopts that finding, official signs go up and the restriction becomes enforceable. 1967 rather than as a criminal matter. 78. 1945(1)(b)3) as separately citable violations, alongside any violation of a posted county sign.
Violations & Fines
Parking against a posted sign, blocking a driveway, parking within an intersection or within 20 feet of a crosswalk, or parking on a sidewalk is a noncriminal civil infraction carrying a $25.00 fine under F.S. § 316.1967. A vehicle left in violation for more than 48 hours, or sooner if it blocks traffic or poses a hazard, can be towed and stored at the owner's expense under F.S. § 713.78.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to park in front of someone's driveway in unincorporated Sarasota County?
What's the fine for parking against a posted no-parking sign?
How long can a car sit in violation before Sarasota County tows it?
Does the county's rule cover parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sarasota County to another location·View the Florida parking rules overview
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