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Ventura County, CA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified July 2026

Key Facts

Governing code
Traffic Ordinance, Division 7, Chapter 1
Green zone limit
24 minutes, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (Sec. 7200)
Red zone
No stopping/standing/parking any time (Sec. 7200)
Posted no-parking
Sign or curb mark required (Sec. 7220)
Default removal
72 consecutive hours, CVC 22651(k)

Summary

On county-maintained roads in unincorporated Ventura County, the Traffic Ordinance (Division 7, Chapter 1) governs parking, with curb colors controlling time limits (Sec. 7200) and prohibited-parking zones marked by signs or curb paint (Sec. 7220). A vehicle left over 72 hours can be removed under California Vehicle Code 22651(k).

City-specific rules exist: Santa Paula, Ventura, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Oxnard, Camarillo, and Thousand Oaks have their own street parking limits rules that differ from Ventura County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

(a) If a vehicle is left unattended upon a bridge, viaduct, or causeway or in a tube or tunnel where the vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic.

(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.

(e) If a vehicle is illegally parked so as to prevent access by firefighting equipment to a fire hydrant, and it is impracticable to move the vehicle from in front of the fire hydrant to another point on the highway.

(f) If a vehicle, except highway maintenance or construction equipment, is stopped, parked, or left standing for more than four hours upon the right-of-way of a freeway that has full control of access and no crossings at grade, and the driver, if present, cannot move the vehicle under its own power.

(m) If the use of the highway, or a portion of the highway, is authorized by a local authority for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic or for the movement of equipment, articles, or structures of unusual size, and the parking of a vehicle would prohibit or interfere with that use or movement, and signs giving notice that the vehicle may be removed are erected or placed at least 24 hours prior to the removal by a local authority pursuant to the ordinance.

(n) Whenever a vehicle is parked or left standing where local authorities, by resolution or ordinance, have prohibited parking and have authorized the removal of vehicles. Except as provided in subdivisions (v) and (w), a vehicle shall not be removed unless signs are posted giving notice of the removal.

Source: California Vehicle Code § 22651(k) / Ventura County Traffic Ordinance Div. 7View official code

Full Breakdown

Parking on public roads in the unincorporated county is regulated by the County's Traffic Ordinance, Division 7 (Control of Vehicles on County Highways), Chapter 1, supplemented by the California Vehicle Code. except Sundays and holidays; red zones prohibit stopping, standing, or parking at any time; yellow and white zones are reserved for short loading. Section 7220 (Prohibited parking) makes it unlawful to stop, stand, or park in any zone where parking has been prohibited by ordinance or resolution of the Board of Supervisors when signs or curb markings give notice.

Section 7235 (Parking on public or private property) prohibits parking in a private driveway or on private or public property (other than a highway) without the owner's consent. There is no blanket countywide on-street time cap apart from the state default: under California Vehicle Code 22651(k), a vehicle left standing on a highway for 72 or more consecutive hours may be removed. Beyond these county rules, statewide stopping/standing prohibitions in the Vehicle Code (such as red-curb fire lanes and crosswalk clearances) apply throughout the unincorporated county.

Violations & Fines

Typical violations are overstaying a curb-color time limit, parking in a posted no-parking zone (Sec. 7220), parking on private property without consent (Sec. 7235), and leaving a vehicle on a public road more than 72 hours (CVC 22651(k)), which exposes it to citation and towing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can I park on a county road in unincorporated Ventura County?
Unless a curb color or posted sign sets a shorter limit, there is no county-specific cap, but the state default applies: under California Vehicle Code 22651(k), a vehicle left on a public road for 72 or more consecutive hours may be removed. Curb colors under Sec. 7200 set tighter limits (for example, 24 minutes in a green zone).
What do the painted curb colors mean here?
Under Section 7200 of the County Traffic Ordinance, red means no stopping, standing, or parking at any time; green limits parking to 24 minutes between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. (except Sundays and holidays); yellow is for loading freight or passengers; and white is for brief passenger loading or mail deposit.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Ventura County

All Ventura County rules

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