Glendale Street Parking Rules: Curb Colors, 72-Hour Limit, and Permits

Glendale’s street parking rules combine a citywide 72-hour limit on any single spot, block-by-block street sweeping schedules, California’s standard curb color code, size restrictions on large and commercial vehicles, and preferential permit zones in some neighborhoods. The Glendale Police Department enforces them through posted signs, painted curbs, and the municipal code, and a citation on a quiet residential block is just as valid as one downtown.

The 72-Hour Rule

Glendale Municipal Code 10.28.100 prohibits leaving any vehicle on a public street, alley, or city-owned property for more than 72 consecutive hours.¹ The rule applies everywhere in the city, whether or not a sign is posted on the block. Once the three days are up, California Vehicle Code 22651(k) authorizes towing at the owner’s expense.²

Getting a car out of impound generally runs several hundred dollars once the tow fee and daily storage charges are added up. If you are traveling, arrange off-street parking or have someone move the vehicle before the 72-hour mark. Moving it a few feet is not enough; the vehicle needs to leave the spot.

Street Sweeping

Every block in Glendale has a designated sweeping day and time window, posted on signs at the start of the street. You can also look up your address on the city’s interactive street sweeping map.³ Parking on the swept side during that window brings a citation.

The most common mistake is pulling back into the spot after watching the sweeper pass. That does not work. The city enforces the full posted window regardless of when the sweeper actually came through, because a sweeper may return to finish a route or make an additional pass.³ Enforcement is suspended on certain city holidays. Rain does not cancel it.

What the Curb Colors Mean

Glendale uses California’s statewide curb color system, and the color governs whether or not a separate sign is posted:

Red: no stopping, standing, or parking at any time. Common near hydrants, intersections, and bus zones.
Yellow: commercial loading and unloading only, and only as long as the loading actually takes.
White: passenger loading and unloading only. Pull up, let people in or out, move on.
Green: short-term parking up to the time limit stenciled on the curb.

These definitions come from the California Code of Regulations governing curb markings statewide.⁴ A yellow curb is not a fixed 20-minute commercial slot, and a white curb is not a fixed short wait. In both cases the standard is the time the loading actually takes. A car sitting at a white curb with no loading activity is already over the limit.

Where You Cannot Park at All

California Vehicle Code 22500 lists locations where stopping or parking is prohibited at all times. The ones that generate the most tickets in Glendale include in front of driveways (even partially), on sidewalks, within 15 feet of a fire station driveway, alongside another parked vehicle (double parking), and in crosswalks or intersections.⁵ These rules apply unless a police officer or traffic control device says otherwise. Fines here run higher than for standard parking violations because the restrictions are tied to safety.

RVs, Trailers, Boats, and Commercial Vehicles

Glendale limits how long larger vehicles can occupy street parking. Commercial vehicles cannot park in a residential district for more than five hours, unless they are actively loading, unloading, or performing a service on that block.⁶

Under Municipal Code 10.36.130, a vehicle counts as “large” if it exceeds any of these dimensions, including all fixtures and accessories except a single-post radio antenna and side mirrors:

More than 23 feet long
More than 8 feet wide
More than 8 feet tall

A large vehicle can stay on any public street for no more than two hours unless it is actively loading or unloading. Recreational vehicles, house cars, and trailers are all included when they cross those thresholds. Boats and personal watercraft face the same two-hour cap regardless of size, and whether or not they are on a trailer. Owners who need more time can apply to the chief of police for a temporary permit under section 10.36.140.⁶

Preferential Parking Permits

Some Glendale neighborhoods are designated preferential parking districts under Municipal Code 10.36.030, where non-residents are restricted during posted hours and permit holders are exempt from the time limits that apply to everyone else on the block.⁶

To qualify, you must live in the district and provide your name, address, phone number, vehicle registration, and a utility bill or property tax bill showing residency at the address. Permits run the calendar year, January through December, with fees set by city council resolution and reviewed at least annually. Residents can also request up to two guest permits at a time on the same calendar-year cycle.⁶

A resident permit only waives the posted time limit inside the district. Street sweeping, the 72-hour rule, curb colors, and every other traffic law still apply. Selling, renting, or duplicating a permit is grounds for revocation.⁶

Disabled Parking Spaces

California Vehicle Code 22507.8 makes it illegal to park in a space marked for disabled persons or disabled veterans without a valid placard or special license plate. Blocking the access aisle next to a disabled space is also a violation, even if your own vehicle has a placard, and no one may park on the crosshatched loading lines beside the space.⁷ These rules apply on every public street, city lot, and private commercial parking structure in Glendale. Fines run significantly higher than standard parking tickets, and repeat violations can lead to misdemeanor charges.

Contesting a Ticket

If you think a citation was issued in error, call Glendale’s parking citation service center at (866) 470-3088 to ask questions or start a dispute.⁸ If the initial review does not resolve the matter, you can appeal to the court within 20 days of the citation, with a $25 filing fee.

Successful challenges usually turn on missing or obscured signs, a malfunctioning meter, or a factual error on the ticket such as the wrong license plate number. Photograph the signage, the curb, and the surrounding block the moment you find the ticket. That evidence carries far more weight at a hearing than a description offered weeks later. Paying before the deadline does not waive your right to contest. Ignoring the citation triggers late fees and, eventually, a registration hold through the DMV.

1
City of Glendale, CA. Glendale Municipal Code Chapter 10.28 – Stopping, Standing and Parking Generally
2
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 22651
3
Glendale Integrated Waste. Street Sweeping
4
California Legislative Information. California Code of Regulations Title 2, Section 5025 – Marking and Parking for Zones
5
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 22500
6
City of Glendale, CA. Glendale Municipal Code Chapter 10.36 – Restricted or Prohibited Parking Areas
7
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 22507.8
8
City of Glendale, CA. Traffic and Parking