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Parking Enforcement &
Restrictions
Parking Restrictions within the City of
Berkeley are set by both local parking ordinances and by the California
Vehicle Code. Local
parking ordinances and accompanying fines are included section 14 of the Berkeley
Municipal Code. Some of the most common types of violations and
restricted parking rules are outlined below.
72-Hour
Rule
Please note that "It is unlawful for any person to park or leave
standing, or cause to be parked or left standing any vehicle upon any
public street in the City for seventy-two or more consecutive hours. (Ord.
4006-NS § 1 (part), 1964: Ord. 3954-NS § 2, 1963)" BMC Section
14.36.050
The
"72-Hour Rule" applies to any public street in the City,
regardless of other parking designations or restrictions. To report any
vehicles that have been left on a public street for more than 72 hours,
call 981-5890.
Parking
Meter Enforcement
Click
on the link here to see 2008 Meter
Holidays Calendar
Colored Curb Markings
Painted curbs mean that parking is controlled. The
colors on curbs mean:
Yellow Zones
Curbs marked by yellow are reserved for commercial use for loading and
unloading merchandise or materials. These zones are enforced from 7:00
AM to 6:00PM, Monday through Saturday unless otherwise posted. Some
metered parking spaces can be yellow zones during certain hours.
In order to park for up to (20) twenty minutes at a yellow zone you
must have any one of three requirements, a City of Berkeley Business
license decal affixed to the left rear bumper of your vehicle or a
commercial marked vehicle with logo or lettering or commercial plates
issued by Department of Motor Vehicles.
You must be actively engaged in loading or unloading.
Red
Curbs
Curbs marked by red are no stopping, standing or parking under any
circumstances and are enforced 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
Green
Curbs
Curbs marked by green indicate, short-term, restricted or limited time
zone parking. These zones are marked by signs that usually indicate five
(5) minutes to thirty (30) minutes limited parking.
Green zones are enforced Monday through Saturday from
9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, unless posted otherwise.
White
Curbs
Curbs marked by white are designated passenger loading zones.
Unless signs are posted drivers of the vehicle must remain in the
car for only three minutes to drop off or pick up passengers.
Drivers cannot leave their vehicles.
White curbs are enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
unless posted otherwise.
Blue
Curbs
Blue curbs are reserved for vehicles displaying valid Disabled placards or
Disabled persons license plate from any state. These curbs are enforced 24
hours a day, 7 days a week.
Fines for vehicles parking at a disabled parking place without a
placard are set by the State of California and begin at $275.00.
Other
Parking Restrictions
Street
Sweeping
On-street
parking is restricted on certain days and times for street sweeping. For
information about street sweeping locations, schedules, and holidays,
visit the Public
Works web site or call Public Works Customer Service at (510) 644-6620
(voice) or (510) 981-6903 (TDD).
No Parking Temporary Signs
The City of Berkeley and/or a person authorized by
the City of Berkeley can post "No Parking, Tow Away" signs 24
hours in advance of a construction project or event. To avoid receiving a
citation and/or having the vehicle towed, a driver should check his parked
vehicle at least every 24 hours, as it is the driver's responsibility to
ensure the vehicle is not parked in a tow away zone.
Coach
Zones (Bus Zones)
 Coach
Zones or Bus Zones are reserved for buses and standing, stopping or
parking under any circumstances are prohibited. Bus zones are marked by signs or red colored curbs and are enforced 24 hours per day,
7 days a week. Fines
for vehicles parking at a bus zone are set by the State of California and
begin at $250.00.
Preferential Parking Permit Area
Permit neighborhoods have restricted two hour parking zones unless a
residential parking permit is displayed on the vehicle.
These zones are marked by signs indicate the neighborhood parking
permit areas, the days and times enforced.
Residential
Parking Permit Areas are enforced from 8:00AM to 7:00PM,
with the day of enforcement varying, depending on area.
No Parking Between 2:00 A.M. and 5:00 A.M.
It shall be unlawful for any person to park any
heavy duty commercial vehicle on any street between the hours of 2:00 a.m.
and 5:00 a.m. for a greater length of time than one (1) hour.
Use of Streets for Storage Vehicles Prohibited
It shall be unlawful for any person to park, keep or
store any motor vehicle which has been damaged, wrecked or is in a state
of disrepair upon any public street in the City of Berkeley in connection
with or as a part of the business operation of any automobile repair
garage, body repair shop, auto wrecking establishment or similar business
activity.
Fire
District Parking Restrictions
"No Parking" signs
have been installed along
narrow hillside streets to improve fire truck access. During the October 1991 Oakland-Berkeley Hills
Fire, many of the streets were impassable to fire trucks. After the fire, the Fire District was
established, and those streets most difficult to traverse were identified. Parking restrictions
have been marked with either red curbs or signage in
these locations.
Construction
Vehicle Parking
A
parking permit should be requested as part of the Building Permit
Application process.
Contact
the Permit Center for further questions at 981-7500.
Parking Violations
Do not stop, park, or leave your car in any of the
following places:
- Within an intersection;
- On or blocking a crosswalk (marked or unmarked) or
sidewalk;
- Between a safety zone and curb;
- Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or the
driveway entrance to any fire station;
- On or within 7-1/2 feet of a railroad track;
- Closer than 3 feet to a sidewalk access ramp
for the physically handicapped;
- In front of a public driveway;
- On the roadway side of any vehicle parked at
the curb or edge of a highway (double parking);
- Beside a curb marked as a bus stop (painted
red);
- In a tunnel or on a bridge, except where
permitted by signs;
- Where signs or markings prohibit parking
(exceptions allowed for disabled vehicles);
- Beside or opposite any street or highway
construction work where stopping or parking would obstruct traffic.
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