Seattle, WA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Driveway buffer
- 5 feet from driveway/alley return
- Wrong-way parking
- Prohibited: must face traffic direction
- Governing chapter
- SMC Chapter 11.72
- Citation basis
- RCW 46.61.570 cross-referenced in 11.72.000
Summary
Seattle bars parking in front of driveways and alley entrances and bars parking against the flow of traffic. SMC 11.72.110 keeps a 5-foot buffer around driveway and alley returns; SMC 11.72.470 requires the parked vehicle to face the direction of travel on its side of the street.
11.72.110 - Driveway or alley entrance. No person shall stand or park a vehicle in front of a public or private driveway within a street or alley or in front of or in an alley entrance or within five feet (5') of the end of a constructed driveway return or alley entrance return, or if none, within five feet (5') of the projection of the edge of the driveway or alley. ... 11.72.470 - Wrong side parking. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle on that portion of any street or alley lawfully set aside for the parking of vehicles or movement of traffic in the direction opposite to that which the parked vehicle faces.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 44 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
72 governs on-street stopping, standing and parking citywide. 110 prohibits standing or parking in front of a public or private driveway, or in front of or in an alley entrance, and extends the prohibition to within five feet of the end of a constructed driveway or alley entrance return (or, if there is no constructed return, within five feet of the projection of the driveway or alley edge). This protects a homeowner's or business's ability to enter and exit their own driveway and keeps alley mouths clear for turning vehicles and emergency access.
470 addresses wrong-way, or 'wrong side,' parking: no person may stop, stand or park a vehicle on the portion of a street or alley set aside for parking or traffic movement in the direction opposite to that which the parked vehicle faces, in practice, a driver must park facing the same direction as traffic in that lane, not against it. 570, subject to narrow exceptions such as avoiding a traffic conflict, complying with a peace officer's direction, or obeying traffic-control devices. Parking enforcement officers issue notices of infraction for violations of either section under the citywide parking infraction schedule administered through the Seattle Municipal Court; a blocked-driveway or wrong-way violation is a standard parking infraction rather than a criminal offense.
These rules apply on every public street and alley within Seattle city limits and are enforced independently of any residential parking zone restrictions that may also apply to the same block.
Violations & Fines
Parking in front of a driveway or alley entrance, or within 5 feet of a driveway/alley return, is a parking infraction under SMC 11.72.110 subject to a standard citation ($69 per the SMC 11.72 fine schedule) and possible relocation of the vehicle. Wrong-way parking under SMC 11.72.470 draws the same infraction-level citation; repeated violations can result in additional notices for each occurrence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park directly in front of my own driveway in Seattle?
What counts as wrong-way parking under Seattle's code?
Is blocking a driveway a criminal offense in Seattle?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Seattle
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Street Parking Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle street parking limits.