Palmdale, CA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Obstructing traffic
- Removable under Cal. Veh. Code § 22651(b)
- Blocking a driveway
- Removable under § 22651(d)
- Blocking a parked car
- Removable under § 22651(r)
- Who may tow
- Peace officer or City parking enforcement staff
- Hearing right
- Owner may demand a hearing examiner
- First-offense fine
- Up to $100 as an infraction
Summary
Palmdale relies on California's vehicle-removal statute to keep streets clear: a vehicle blocking traffic, parked so as to block a private driveway, or blocking a legally parked car can be towed under Cal. Veh. Code § 22651(b), (d), and (r). The same law backs the local rules Palmdale enforces through its adopted Los Angeles County vehicle and traffic code.
A peace officer... or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which the officer or employee may act, under the following circumstances: ... (b) If a vehicle is parked or left standing upon a highway in a position so as to obstruct the normal movement of traffic or in a condition so as to create a hazard to other traffic upon the highway. ... (d) If a vehicle is illegally parked so as to block the entrance to a private driveway, and it is impractical to move the vehicle from in front of the driveway to another point on the highway. ... (r) If a vehicle is illegally parked and blocks the movement of a legally parked vehicle.
Full Breakdown
150. Enforcement of everyday street-parking problems runs through the removal authority in California Vehicle Code § 22651, which lets a peace officer or 'a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws' tow a vehicle under listed circumstances. Subdivision (b) covers a vehicle 'parked or left standing upon a highway in a position so as to obstruct the normal movement of traffic or in a condition so as to create a hazard to other traffic,' which reaches wrong-way and other unsafe on-street parking.
Subdivision (d) targets a vehicle 'illegally parked so as to block the entrance to a private driveway' when it is impractical to move it to another spot, giving driveway-blocking its own removal ground independent of the 72-hour rule. Subdivision (r) allows removal if a vehicle 'is illegally parked and blocks the movement of a legally parked vehicle,' covering double-parking that traps another car. Before towing, subdivision (i)(3) gives the vehicle's owner the right to demand, in lieu of paying penalties, to be taken without unnecessary delay before a magistrate for traffic offenses or a hearing examiner for parking offenses in the county where the violation occurred, preserving a due-process check on removal.
Violations & Fines
A vehicle towed for obstructing traffic, blocking a driveway, or blocking another parked car is removed at the owner's expense, who must pay towing, storage, and release charges to reclaim it under § 22651(i). Because Palmdale classifies violations of its adopted vehicle and traffic code as infractions under PMC § 1.12.010(A), fines run up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for a third or later offense under § 1.12.020(B).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Palmdale tow my car for blocking a driveway?
Is double-parking illegal in Palmdale?
What if my car is parked in a way that blocks traffic?
Can I contest a Palmdale parking tow?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palmdale
California rules heatmap·Compare Palmdale to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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How other cities in Los Angeles County handle street parking limits.