Parking Rules in Massachusetts (2026)
136 rules on the books across Massachusetts, 24 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
RV & Boat Parking
Where you can park recreational vehicles and boats on your property, including front yard restrictions, screening requirements, and size limits.
Boston
Heavy RestrictionsBoston's dense urban streets severely limit RV and oversized vehicle parking. Commercial vehicle overnight parking is…
Read full rule →Lowell
Heavy RestrictionsLowell Code of Ordinances sec. 266-73.1 prohibits parking any recreational vehicle, auto home, mobile home, boat…
Read full rule →Quincy
Significant RestrictionsQuincy, Massachusetts (Norfolk County) excludes trailers, campers, boats and other nonmotorized recreational equipment…
Read full rule →Revere
Significant RestrictionsRevere bars parking commercial vehicles, mobile homes, recreational vehicles and boat trailers on any city street…
Read full rule →Springfield
Significant RestrictionsSpringfield bans storing any mobile home, travel trailer, RV, or boat in a residential front yard, and bars any of them…
Read full rule →Fall River
Some RestrictionsFall River bars parking campers, mobile homes, boats and trailers on any public way when doing so blocks emergency…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Some RestrictionsLawrence makes it unlawful to park a house trailer, boat trailer, or any other trailer lacking its own motive power on…
Read full rule →Leominster
Some RestrictionsLeominster lets residential properties store boats and boat trailers as an accessory use under Leominster Code of…
Read full rule →Lynn
Some RestrictionsLynn's zoning ordinance bars storing an unregistered, uninsured, or inoperable boat, trailer, camper, or RV in a front…
Read full rule →New Bedford
Some RestrictionsNew Bedford bans leaving a boat trailer, utility trailer, or camper unattended on a public way or city property under §…
Read full rule →Newton
Some RestrictionsNewton lets homeowners keep a recreational trailer or boat in a residential yard by right, but placement is restricted…
Read full rule →Somerville
Some RestrictionsSomerville allows only one recreational vehicle, boat, or utility trailer stored outside per dwelling lot, and it must…
Read full rule →Worcester
Some RestrictionsWorcester bars parking recreational vehicles like boats, campers and motor homes, plus heavy commercial vehicles…
Read full rule →Taunton
Light RestrictionsTaunton allows only one utility trailer per residentially utilized lot, and that trailer can't sit in the front yard…
Read full rule →Driveway Rules
Requirements for driveway width, materials, and whether you can park on unpaved surfaces or grass in your front yard.
Boston
Some RestrictionsBoston fines residents who park cars in a required front, side or rear yard of a home in a residential zoning district…
Read full rule →Cambridge
Some RestrictionsCambridge's Zoning Ordinance bars on-grade open parking from a lot's required front yard setback and forces every…
Read full rule →Chelsea
Some RestrictionsChelsea bans parking in a required front yard outright unless the zoning board of appeals grants a special permit, and…
Read full rule →Leominster
Some RestrictionsLeominster limits residential lots to two driveways per street line and requires every driveway to stay at least three…
Read full rule →Lynn
Some RestrictionsLynn's Zoning Ordinance sets driveway width by use: a minimum of 9 feet for single- and two-family homes and 12 feet…
Read full rule →New Bedford
Some RestrictionsNew Bedford bars open-air parking in front of a home in residential districts, with a narrow exception for a driveway…
Read full rule →Quincy
Some RestrictionsQuincy bars parking any registered vehicle in the front yard between a house's front wall and the lot line unless it's…
Read full rule →Revere
Some RestrictionsEvery driveway and parking area in Revere subject to vehicle or foot traffic must be paved with bituminous concrete or…
Read full rule →Somerville
Some RestrictionsSomerville's zoning ordinance requires driveways to be paved with permeable materials like paving stones, grass pavers…
Read full rule →Springfield
Some RestrictionsSpringfield's zoning caps residential garage size, limits driveway or garage storage to one commercial vehicle, and…
Read full rule →Taunton
Some RestrictionsTaunton's Zoning Ordinance requires every parking and loading surface to be graded and subsurfaced with a nondusting…
Read full rule →Commercial & Oversized Vehicles
Rules about parking work trucks, vans with commercial lettering, and vehicles over a weight or length threshold in residential areas, the thresholds, the exemptions, and the fines.
Boston
Heavy RestrictionsBoston prohibits overnight street parking of commercial vehicles and requires Boston-Based Business Permits for local…
Read full rule →Lowell
Heavy RestrictionsLowell Code sec. 266-73.1 prohibits on-street parking of any commercial vehicle (as defined in 540 CMR 2.05, including…
Read full rule →New Bedford
Heavy RestrictionsNew Bedford bans parking any vehicle needing more than a Class D license, plus every tow truck, within residence zones…
Read full rule →Somerville
Heavy RestrictionsCommercial vehicles over 2.5 tons cannot park overnight on Somerville residential streets. Loading zones are…
Read full rule →Chelsea
Significant RestrictionsChelsea bars heavy commercial vehicles with a carrying capacity of more than 2½ tons from more than twenty named…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Significant RestrictionsLawrence prohibits parking or leaving standing any commercial vehicle with a manufacturer's GVWR of 10,000 pounds or…
Read full rule →Revere
Significant RestrictionsRevere bans overnight parking of commercial vehicles, trailers, RVs, mobile homes, boat trailers and…
Read full rule →Attleboro
Some RestrictionsAttleboro regulates commercial vehicle parking through its traffic ordinances and zoning code. Service zone loading is…
Read full rule →Bristol County
Some RestrictionsCommercial vehicle parking in Bristol County is regulated at the municipal level. Individual towns may restrict…
Read full rule →Brockton
Some RestrictionsBrockton restricts parking of large commercial vehicles in residential areas. Heavy trucks and equipment must be stored…
Read full rule →Brookline
Some RestrictionsBrookline issues commercial parking permits for $600/year allowing parking on designated residential side streets…
Read full rule →Fall River
Some RestrictionsFall River bars parking commercial vehicles or trailers of two tons or more on city streets for more than an hour…
Read full rule →Leominster
Some RestrictionsLeominster bars commercial vehicles carrying more than two and one-half tons from Harvard Street and Stagecoach Road…
Read full rule →Lynn
Some RestrictionsAny property running a home occupation in Lynn may park no more than one commercial vehicle overnight, and that vehicle…
Read full rule →Newton
Some RestrictionsNewton bars oversized commercial vehicles from residence districts outright and, for the smaller commercial vehicles it…
Read full rule →Plymouth County
Some RestrictionsPlymouth County towns restrict commercial-vehicle parking in residential zones by bylaw, but MGL c.40 §22 protects…
Read full rule →Quincy
Some RestrictionsQuincy's zoning ordinance caps off-street commercial vehicle parking in residence districts by weight: one vehicle…
Read full rule →Springfield
Some RestrictionsSpringfield bars commercial trucks from crossing named streets, including Pine Street and Thompson Street, capped at…
Read full rule →Taunton
Some RestrictionsTaunton limits residential lots to one commercial-use vehicle at a time, capped at 7,000 pounds actual vehicle weight…
Read full rule →Weymouth
Some RestrictionsWeymouth's all-night parking ban under §13-103(g) applies to all vehicles including commercial vehicles. No specific…
Read full rule →Worcester
Some RestrictionsWorcester restricts heavy commercial vehicle parking in residential areas. Semi-trucks, large construction equipment…
Read full rule →Street Parking Limits
Time limits for parking on public streets, permit parking zones, and rules about moving your car to avoid tickets.
Boston
Heavy RestrictionsBoston operates a robust Resident Parking Permit program at no cost, with neighborhood-specific permits and active…
Read full rule →Brockton
Some RestrictionsCity Code Section 12-71 bars parking within intersections, on sidewalks or crosswalks, within 20 feet of a cross…
Read full rule →Chelsea
Some RestrictionsChelsea bars parking within 20 feet of an intersection, in front of a driveway plus two feet on either side, or more…
Read full rule →Fall River
Some RestrictionsFall River, Massachusetts bans parking on one-way streets against the flow of traffic, requires wheels within six…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Some RestrictionsLawrence bars parking in thirteen specific situations citywide: intersections, sidewalks and crosswalks, within ten…
Read full rule →Leominster
Some RestrictionsLeominster bans parking within twenty feet of an intersection, ten feet of a fire hydrant, in front of any driveway or…
Read full rule →Lowell
Some RestrictionsOn-street parking in Lowell is regulated by Code of Ordinances Chapter 266 (Vehicles and Traffic), which sets…
Read full rule →Lynn
Some RestrictionsLynn posts resident-permit parking on many streets, $20 per vehicle, up to four per household, and clears every public…
Read full rule →New Bedford
Some RestrictionsNew Bedford makes it unlawful to leave any vehicle in a street or public place so it obstructs travel, once the driver…
Read full rule →Plymouth County
Some RestrictionsStreet parking across Plymouth County is regulated by each town under MGL c.40 §22, which authorizes local parking…
Read full rule →Quincy
Some RestrictionsQuincy's traffic code bars standing or parking within intersections, on sidewalks or crosswalks, within 10 feet of a…
Read full rule →Revere
Some RestrictionsRevere bars parking within three feet of a driveway, within ten feet of a fire hydrant, within twenty feet of an…
Read full rule →Somerville
Some RestrictionsSomerville bans parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, in front of any driveway plus two feet on each side, and…
Read full rule →Taunton
Some RestrictionsTaunton bars parking in front of driveways, within 20 feet of a crosswalk or intersection, within 10 feet of a fire…
Read full rule →Worcester
Some RestrictionsWorcester bans parking that blocks driveways, faces the wrong way on one-way streets, or sits more than twelve inches…
Read full rule →Overnight Parking
Whether cars can be left on the street overnight, including any permit programs and restrictions during street sweeping hours.
Boston
Heavy RestrictionsBoston requires a resident parking permit to park on most residential streets 6 PM to 8 AM. Snow emergencies trigger…
Read full rule →Norfolk County
Heavy RestrictionsMany Norfolk County towns enforce overnight parking bans. Quincy bans 1-6 AM year-round (no permit option). Brookline…
Read full rule →Chelsea
Significant RestrictionsChelsea requires a digital residential permit to park on any city street between midnight and 5:00 a.m., seven nights a…
Read full rule →Lynn
Significant RestrictionsLynn's Zoning Ordinance defines 'truck parking' as an accessory use for overnight storage of any commercial vehicle…
Read full rule →Revere
Significant RestrictionsRevere requires a resident parking sticker to park on most city streets overnight. Under the city's Schedule IX…
Read full rule →Springfield
Significant RestrictionsSpringfield has no standing nightly parking ban; instead, once the Mayor declares a snow-and-ice emergency, the Police…
Read full rule →Taunton
Significant RestrictionsTrucks, trailers, tractors, tractor-trailers and campers cannot park on any Taunton street between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00…
Read full rule →Bristol County
Some RestrictionsNew Bedford and Fall River ban on-street overnight parking during declared winter snow emergencies. Taunton has no…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Some RestrictionsLawrence bars overnight parking between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on specific stretches of Ames Street and Medford…
Read full rule →Leominster
Some RestrictionsCertain Leominster streets ban overnight parking outright. Section 13-24.5 of the Code of Ordinances bans parking on…
Read full rule →Lowell
Some RestrictionsLowell has no blanket year-round overnight street-parking ban for passenger cars, but Code sec. 266-74 bars long-term…
Read full rule →Quincy
Some RestrictionsQuincy requires a $20 resident parking permit to park on-street for more than two hours between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m., and…
Read full rule →EV Charging
Rules about installing home EV chargers, running cables across sidewalks, and any incentives or permits required for charging stations.
Massachusetts: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsMassachusetts adopts statewide EV-readiness requirements under the State Building Code (780 CMR) and Stretch Energy…
Read full rule →Boston
Some RestrictionsBoston's Zoning Code treats electric vehicle charging as an accessory parking use, but caps it at four Direct Current…
Read full rule →Cambridge
Some RestrictionsCambridge's Zoning Ordinance treats publicly-accessible, privately-owned electric vehicle charging as a listed…
Read full rule →Lynn
Some RestrictionsNew or redeveloped Lynn parking lots with 15 or more spaces must wire at least 25% of spaces for Level 2 EV charging…
Read full rule →Newton
Some RestrictionsNewton's Sustainable Development Design ordinance requires that qualifying new construction wire at least 10% of…
Read full rule →Somerville
Some RestrictionsSomerville's zoning ordinance does not mandate EV charging in ordinary parking lots citywide. It does require large…
Read full rule →Worcester
Some RestrictionsWorcester reserves signed municipal EV charging spaces for electric vehicles that are actively charging. Parking a gas…
Read full rule →Abandoned Vehicles
How cities define and handle abandoned or inoperable vehicles on private property and public streets, including removal timelines.
Massachusetts: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsMassachusetts General Laws Chapter 90 Section 22C governs removal and disposal of abandoned motor vehicles statewide…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Heavy RestrictionsLawrence Code of Ordinances Section 9.08.030 prohibits storing any dismantled, wrecked, or junked vehicle in the open…
Read full rule →Fall River
Significant RestrictionsFall River bans keeping a dismantled, junked, abandoned, or inoperable vehicle in the open on any public or private…
Read full rule →Boston
Some RestrictionsMassachusetts law allows removal of vehicles abandoned on public ways after 72 hours. Boston enforces through its…
Read full rule →Brockton
Some RestrictionsBrockton bars keeping a dismantled, wrecked or junked vehicle on any property for more than 72 hours, and limits…
Read full rule →Cambridge
Some RestrictionsCambridge Code Section 10.08.010 bars leaving a car, truck or motorcycle on any public or private way, or on any…
Read full rule →Chelsea
Some RestrictionsAbandoned vehicles on public ways subject to state law MGL c. 90 §22C (72-hour threshold). Chelsea enforces through its…
Read full rule →Fitchburg
Some RestrictionsMGL c. 90, §22C: abandoned vehicles on public ways tagged after 72 hours, may be towed. Fitchburg Police enforce. Snow…
Read full rule →Leominster
Some RestrictionsLeominster's Code of Ordinances Sec. 13-91 bans abandoning any vehicle on a city street or highway and bars leaving a…
Read full rule →Lynn
Some RestrictionsLynn tows vehicles left unattended on a public street for more than 72 hours, or that are unregistered, uninspected…
Read full rule →New Bedford
Some RestrictionsNew Bedford makes it unlawful to abandon a motor vehicle on any highway, or, if publicly visible, on private property…
Read full rule →Norfolk County
Some RestrictionsNorfolk County does not handle abandoned vehicles. MGL c. 90B §2 allows police to remove abandoned vehicles after 72…
Read full rule →Plymouth County
Some RestrictionsA vehicle apparently abandoned and left more than 72 hours on any way or property in Plymouth County may be taken and…
Read full rule →Quincy
Some RestrictionsQuincy, Massachusetts (Norfolk County) prohibits abandoning vehicles citywide, bans wrecked or junked vehicles from…
Read full rule →Revere
Some RestrictionsAbandoned vehicles on Revere's public ways governed by state law MGL c. 90 §22C (72-hour rule). Revere's active…
Read full rule →Somerville
Some RestrictionsUnder MGL c.90 s.22D and city rules, Somerville can tow vehicles left unmoved more than 72 hours, or any unregistered…
Read full rule →Springfield
Some RestrictionsSpringfield fines anyone who abandons a registered or unregistered vehicle on a public or private way, or on someone…
Read full rule →Worcester
Some RestrictionsMGL c. 90, §22C: abandoned vehicles on public ways tagged after 72 hours, may be towed. Worcester Police and DPW…
Read full rule →Curb Color Rules
What red, yellow, white, green, and blue painted curbs mean in your city, who can paint them, and how parking restrictions are enforced.
Loading Zones
Yellow and white loading zone rules, time limits for commercial and passenger loading, and which vehicles qualify as commercial loaders.
Springfield
Significant RestrictionsSpringfield, MA requires a Traffic Commission permit and a per-foot curb fee before any business can reserve public…
Read full rule →Boston
Some RestrictionsParking in a marked Boston loading zone draws a $90 fine per violation, rising with an $18 late penalty if unpaid…
Read full rule →Brockton
Some RestrictionsCommercial vehicles may park in a Brockton metered space without depositing a coin for up to thirty minutes while…
Read full rule →Cambridge
Some RestrictionsCambridge's Zoning Ordinance requires enclosed loading bays near residential districts for night-operating businesses…
Read full rule →Chelsea
Some RestrictionsOnly commercial vehicles may stop in a marked Chelsea commercial loading zone, and even they must clear it within 30…
Read full rule →Fall River
Some RestrictionsFall River bans parking in designated loading zones except for active loading or unloading capped at 30 minutes, under…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Some RestrictionsLawrence caps parking in a designated service zone at 15 minutes under Code of Ordinances § 10.32.110, unless the…
Read full rule →Leominster
Some RestrictionsLeominster limits parking in a designated service zone to fifteen minutes, extending to thirty minutes only while a…
Read full rule →Lynn
Some RestrictionsEvery nonresidential building in Lynn that's built, enlarged or altered has to provide adequate off-street loading…
Read full rule →New Bedford
Some RestrictionsNew Bedford lets commercial vehicles sit in a metered space without feeding the meter for up to thirty minutes, but…
Read full rule →Newton
Some RestrictionsNewton requires off-street loading bays for new buildings and for additions of 5,000 square feet or more of gross floor…
Read full rule →Quincy
Some RestrictionsQuincy caps loading and unloading passengers to three minutes at curbs near schools, churches, theaters, hotels, and…
Read full rule →Revere
Some RestrictionsRevere calls its curbside loading areas 'service zones' and limits parking there to fifteen minutes, extending to…
Read full rule →Somerville
Some RestrictionsA vehicle actively loading or unloading in a marked Somerville service zone can stay up to 30 minutes under Traffic…
Read full rule →Taunton
Some RestrictionsTaunton limits parking in a marked service or loading zone to 15 minutes under § 405-48, unless you're actually loading…
Read full rule →Worcester
Some RestrictionsWorcester designates curb loading zones by city council vote under Chapter 13, Sections 45 and 46. Passenger zones…
Read full rule →Preferential Parking Districts
Permit-only residential parking districts, how they're established, who qualifies for permits, and how visitor passes work.
Boston
Significant RestrictionsBoston restricts on-street parking inside designated Residential Parking Districts (RPDs) to vehicles displaying a…
Read full rule →Revere
Significant RestrictionsRevere runs a city-wide resident parking sticker program under Chapter 10.34 that reserves overnight street parking for…
Read full rule →Springfield
Significant RestrictionsSpringfield, Massachusetts lets the City Council designate residential streets as restricted parking districts; only…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Some RestrictionsLawrence restricts on-street parking on dozens of named blocks to vehicles carrying a resident sticker under Municipal…
Read full rule →Somerville
Some RestrictionsSomerville residents whose vehicle is registered and garaged in the city can get a residential parking permit plus two…
Read full rule →Worcester
Some RestrictionsStreets posted "resident parking only" in Worcester require a valid resident sticker under Chapter 13, Section 40…
Read full rule →Snow Removal Parking Rules
On-street parking bans during declared snow events, alternate-side rules for plow access, and tow/fine schedules in snow-belt cities.
Boston
Significant RestrictionsBoston can tow any vehicle that interferes with plowing or snow removal from a street under Code of Ordinances §…
Read full rule →Chelsea
Significant RestrictionsWhen the Director of Public Works declares a snow emergency because of threatening weather or plow-blocking parked…
Read full rule →Leominster
Significant RestrictionsWhen Leominster's mayor declares a snow emergency, on-street parking becomes unlawful citywide for forty-eight hours…
Read full rule →Revere
Significant RestrictionsRevere's superintendent of public works can declare a snow emergency whenever weather threatens travel, fuel, medical…
Read full rule →Somerville
Significant RestrictionsWhen Somerville's DPW Commissioner declares a snow emergency, parking is banned citywide on the even-address side of…
Read full rule →Springfield
Significant RestrictionsWhen Springfield's Mayor declares a snow emergency, the Police Chief can bar parking citywide or restrict cars to…
Read full rule →Taunton
Significant RestrictionsWhen the Mayor declares a snow emergency, Taunton bans parking on affected streets to clear the way for plowing…
Read full rule →Worcester
Significant RestrictionsWorcester's winter parking ban runs December through April (March for most zones) and triggers a 2 a.m. to 6 a.m…
Read full rule →Brockton
Some RestrictionsWhen ice or snow removal work requires it, Brockton's superintendent of streets can have the chief of police tow any…
Read full rule →Fall River
Some RestrictionsWhen a storm threatens travel or emergency services, Fall River's Mayor or Director of Community Maintenance can…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Some RestrictionsWhen Lawrence's mayor declares a snow emergency, the Winter Parking Ordinance flips on citywide: cars on listed streets…
Read full rule →Lynn
Some RestrictionsLynn's zoning ordinance doesn't just require off-street parking lots to exist, it requires them to stay usable in…
Read full rule →Quincy
Some RestrictionsQuincy, Massachusetts (Norfolk County) enforces odd/even side parking during declared snow emergencies and requires a…
Read full rule →Towing & Impound Rights
What a towing company may charge and must do when a vehicle is taken without the owner consenting: capped hookup, mileage and storage rates, the drop fee owed if the driver returns before the tow leaves, signage required at private lots, retrieval of belongings left inside, and how a tow gets contested.
Massachusetts: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsMassachusetts caps what a tow company can charge you after a nonconsensual tow. Under 220 CMR 272.03(1) the maximum…
Read full rule →Quincy
Some RestrictionsQuincy police tow from § 325-83 tow-away zones by order of the Chief of Police or a designated sergeant, and the City…
Read full rule →