Santa Barbara County, CA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)

Street parking in the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County is governed jointly by the County Code and California law. Under Santa Barbara County Code Section 23-11, the Board of Supervisors may by resolution establish parking regulations, crosswalks, and loading zones and designate portions of county highways where parking is restricted or prohibited; such areas take effect only once signs are posted. Chapter 23, Article III (Stopping, Standing or Parking) covers trespass parking (Sec. 23-301), parking for prohibited purposes (Sec. 23-302), and the 72-hour limit (Sec. 23-303). Statewide, California Vehicle Code Section 22500 (which applies countywide) prohibits stopping, standing, or parking within an intersection, on or near a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, in front of a public or private driveway, within 15 feet of a fire-station driveway, alongside red-painted curbs, and in marked transit zones. The County's high-density Isla Vista area operates a dedicated Permit Parking Program under Chapter 23B, where the Board may designate permit-only areas and restrict non-permit parking. Elsewhere in the unincorporated county, there is generally no blanket residential permit scheme, so the practical limits are the 72-hour rule, any posted time-limit or no-parking signs, and the CVC's prohibited-location rules.