Adams County, CO Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Approval threshold
- 60% of households in the area
- Base fine
- $15 plus $6 surcharge
- Visitor permits
- 2 per household, replaceable for a fee
- Towing trigger
- 48 hours unattended
- Citation cap
- 3 per vehicle per 24 hours
- Effective
- November 1, 2021 (Ordinance No. 16)
Summary
Adams County's Designated Residential Parking Districts Ordinance lets the Community Safety and Well-Being Department restrict nonresident on-street parking once 60 percent of a neighborhood's households ask for it. Violators get a $15 ticket plus a $6 surcharge, and a vehicle left more than 48 hours can be towed and impounded.
(a) Subject to final approval by the BoCC, the Community Safety and Well-Being Department (the "Department") is hereby authorized to determine that there is a need to restrict parking of vehicles on the streets in a designated residential area by individuals who do not reside in that area. ... (c) The determination that an area should be designated as a Residential Parking District may be made if sixty percent (60%) of the households within the designated area support such determination. ... Any violation of this Ordinance is a traffic infraction and subject to a fine of $15 and a surcharge of $6.
Full Breakdown
Ordinance No. 16, adopted September 14, 2021 and effective November 1, 2021, applies to every public street and parking area in unincorporated Adams County. The Community Safety and Well-Being Department can propose a Residential Parking District where unrestricted parking causes hazardous traffic, excess noise or trash, blocks resident access, or hurts property values, but the district only moves forward if 60 percent of households in the proposed area support it and the Board of County Commissioners gives final approval. Once approved, the county posts the boundaries and restrictions online and installs signed Parking Control Devices; approved restrictions can limit nonresident parking duration, bar parking outright in spots, or reserve certain days or hours for residents.
Resident permit holders park without restriction inside their own district, and every household gets two visitor permits, replaceable for a fee if lost. The vehicle's owner, not just the driver, is liable for a violation. §§ 30-15-402 and 16-2-201: an officer tickets the plate rather than identifying the driver, and the owner can pay by mail, online or in person, or contest the ticket in county court. Emergency vehicles and delivery vehicles making a delivery are exempt.
Violations & Fines
A ticket is a traffic infraction carrying a $15 fine plus a $6 surcharge, and skipping the penalty-assessment option adds a $10 court surcharge on top. A vehicle left unattended in violation for 48 hours or longer can be towed and impounded under C.R.S. § 42-4-1801. A new infraction runs for the same vehicle once it stays parked more than two hours past a prior ticket, but citations to one vehicle can't exceed three in any 24-hour period.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does my street become a Residential Parking District?
How much is an Adams County parking ticket?
Can visitors park in my residential parking district?
How long can a car sit on the street before it's towed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Adams County
Compare Adams County to another location·View the Colorado parking rules overview
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