Port Townsend, WA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Curb distance
- right wheels within 12 inches
- Angle parking
- front wheel within 6 inches
- Time limit (unposted)
- 24 consecutive hours max
- Fine
- $15 (15 days) / $30 after
- Enforcer
- Port Townsend police chief
Summary
Port Townsend requires vehicles parked on any street to sit with the right-hand wheels within 12 inches of the curb, facing the direction of travel.
On all streets of the city no motor vehicle shall be permitted to stand or park unless the same has been placed with the right-hand wheels parallel with the curb and within 12 inches thereof, unless otherwise designated and marked for a different method of parking. If designated and marked for angle parking, then the vehicle's front wheel shall be within six inches of the curb.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
PTMC 10.04.150 bans wrong-way curb parking: cars must stand with right-hand wheels parallel to and within 12 inches of the curb, unless the block is marked for a different method. Angle-parking blocks require the front wheel within six inches of the curb, and no vehicle may protrude past its marked space. The police chief, working with the city manager and public works director, can also post "no parking" and time-limited zones under PTMC 10.04.020, and PTMC 10.04.200 caps unrestricted street parking at 24 consecutive hours. Moving a car across the street mid-block just to dodge a posted time limit is separately banned under PTMC 10.04.170.
Violations & Fines
Curb-parking violations run $15 if paid within 15 days, $30 after that (PTMC 10.04.205); police may also impound vehicles obstructing traffic or parked in a posted no-parking, tow-away zone (PTMC 10.04.142).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park facing traffic in Port Townsend?
How long can I leave a car on a Port Townsend street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
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