Parking at the curb Curb colors, hydrants, 18 inches
Park parallel to the curb with your right-hand wheels within 18 inches of it. Check the color of the curb, and stay 15 feet from a fire hydrant and 20 feet from the approach side of a crosswalk. On a hill, turn your front wheels so the car cannot roll into the road.
CVC 22502(a) (18 inches) · CVC 21458(a) (curb colors) · CVC 22514 (fire hydrant) · CVC 22500(n) (crosswalk) · CA Driver's Handbook, "Parking on a Hill" and "Parking at Colored Curbs"
How close to the curb do you have to park in California?
Within 18 inches: right-hand wheels parallel to the curb and within 18 inches of it (CVC 22502(a)).
Why this rule exists
A car far from the curb sticks out into the traffic lane. A car parked close before a crosswalk hides the people who are about to cross, and a fire engine must be able to reach the hydrant.
Step by step on the road
- Read the curb color before you stop: red, yellow, white, green and blue curbs each have their own rule.
- On a green curb, read the time limit on the sign or the curb.
- Stay 15 feet from a fire hydrant, and 20 feet from the approach side of a crosswalk (15 feet where there is a curb extension).
- Park parallel to the curb, with your right-hand wheels within 18 inches of it.
- On a hill, turn your front wheels so the car cannot roll into the road. Always set the parking brake.
Common mistakes
- Parking on a green curb for longer than the time limit.
- Parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
- Parking just before a crosswalk, where your car hides the people about to cross.
- Leaving the car far from the curb, sticking out into the traffic lane.
On the DMV drive test
DL 955 lists disobeying curb markings, such as red or blue curbs, as a critical driving error, and so is driving over the curb or onto the sidewalk. For the backing part of the test you pull to the curb, signal before you pull to it and before you pull away, and back in a straight line for 3 vehicle lengths while staying within 3 feet of the curb.
Based on the DMV’s Driving Test Criteria (DL 955) and its score sheet (DL 32). How the drive test works ›Questions people ask
What do the curb colors mean in California?
Red: no stopping or parking. Yellow: loading or unloading passengers or freight. White: picking up or dropping off passengers, or mail. Green: limited-time parking. Blue: disabled placard or plate only.
How far from a fire hydrant can you park in California?
At least 15 feet (CVC 22514). One exception is a licensed driver who stays in the front seat and can move the car at once.
Which way do you turn your wheels when parking on a hill?
Headed downhill: into the curb. Headed uphill: away from the curb, then let the car roll back until the wheel gently touches it. With no curb: to the right.
Test yourself
Kees' three questions on this rule, the “Did you know?” facts and his tip come with the drive, in Voorrah! Pro.
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