Olympia, WA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)

OMC § 10.16.220(A) lists the places in the City of Olympia, Thurston County, Washington where no vehicle can be stopped, standing or parked, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with a police officer or traffic control device. The list includes a sidewalk or planting strip; in front of a public or private driveway or within five feet of the curb radius leading to it; within, or within 20 feet of, an intersection; any marked crosswalk and within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection; within 30 feet of a stop sign, flashing beacon or traffic control signal; within 30 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing; within 15 feet of any fire hydrant; within 30 feet of a posted bus stop sign; double parking; any alley; and along one side of a street in a direction opposite to the traffic flow, which is the wrong-way rule. Parking on any street in a way that blocks or interferes with the free use of the street, an alley or a driveway is separately banned.

The meter-zone exceptions matter: the driveway, stop-sign and crosswalk items yield where official parking meters, signs or pavement markings designate a space nearer. Within 600 feet of a fire or other emergency where emergency services personnel are responding is also off limits, as is within 50 feet of a fire or police station driveway.

A vehicle in violation is issued a restricted parking infraction of $95.00. If it is still there after one hour, a second $95.00 infraction follows, and another after a further hour. Under OMC § 10.16.220(C) and § 10.16.300(A)(7), a vehicle in violation or deemed a hazard to motorists or pedestrians can be impounded. Related rules: OMC § 10.16.210 requires parking within pavement markings for stalls ($28.00), OMC § 10.16.045 bans blocking signed City water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure ($95.00), and OMC § 10.16.090 makes a missing sign no defense.