Manchester, NH Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Driveway buffer
- 5 feet minimum, § 70.36(A)(9)
- Driveway fine
- $50 first, up to $90
- Roadway clearance
- 12 feet must stay open
- Parking manner
- Parallel, headed with travel direction
- Enforcer
- Ordinance Violations Bureau
Summary
Manchester bans stopping or parking within 5 feet of a private driveway, in intersections, crosswalks, or blocking traffic lanes, and requires vehicles to park parallel and headed in the direction of travel.
Except when necessary to comply with the directions of a Police Officer or traffic control device, no vehicle shall be allowed to stop, stand, or park: ... (9) Within 5 feet of a private driveway. ... (14) So as to leave available for the free movement of traffic less than 12 feet of the width of any roadway, except for brief stops while actually loading or unloading passengers.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: current through Ord. passed 6-3-2025).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 70.36 lists more than a dozen places where stopping, standing, or parking is banned citywide, including within 5 feet of a fire hydrant or private driveway, in intersections and crosswalks, on sidewalks, and anywhere leaving less than 12 feet of roadway open to traffic. Under § 70.37, vehicles must stop parallel to the curb, headed in the proper direction of travel, with curbside wheels within 12 inches of the edge of the roadway, outlawing wrong-way parking. The Ordinance Violations Bureau enforces both sections, and Manchester police ticket or tow violators under Chapter 70.
Violations & Fines
Parking within 5 feet of a driveway costs $50, rising to $75 after 30 days and $90 after 60; a no-parking zone violation is also $50, and fire-hydrant parking runs $75 under § 70.78.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park facing the wrong way on a Manchester street?
How close to a driveway can I park in Manchester?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manchester
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Street Parking Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle street parking limits.