Virginia Beach, VA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)

Street parking rules in Virginia Beach are set in City Code Chapter 21, Article V and enforced by the Virginia Beach Police Department. On unposted residential streets, parking is free but limited to 72 consecutive hours in the same location; moving the vehicle a few feet does not restart the clock. Standard prohibitions mirror Va. Code section 46.2-1239: no parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, 20 feet of a crosswalk, 30 feet of a stop sign or traffic signal, 50 feet of a railroad crossing, in front of a driveway or mailbox, or on a sidewalk. Vehicles must face the flow of traffic (wheels within 12 inches of the curb) and may not block bike lanes. The Oceanfront Resort District (roughly Rudee Inlet to 42nd Street east of Pacific Avenue) operates paid metered parking managed by ParkMobile, with rates varying by zone and season; residential streets just west such as parts of Shadowlawn have Decal Residential Permit Parking (RPP) requiring a resident sticker during peak summer months. Hurricane season (June 1 - Nov 30) is significant: when the City Manager activates evacuation routes (Shore Drive, Independence Blvd, I-264, General Booth Blvd), on-street parking along those arteries is banned and vehicles will be towed to clear evacuation lanes. Snow emergencies (rare, but declared every few winters) impose similar bans on primary routes. Handicap-accessible parking on public streets at marked spaces requires a valid DMV placard or plate. First-offense fines run $25-$50; fire hydrant and fire lane violations are $100 and include tow liability.