Parking in Los Angeles: How to Avoid Tickets and Towing (2026)
Updated October 30, 2026 · By Yaniv Segal, RentCarUSA
In short: Most tickets that visitors get in Los Angeles are for street cleaning, for parking next to a painted curb and for misunderstanding signs. Read all the signs on the pole from top to bottom, do not park next to a red curb, stay 20 feet (about 6 meters) from a crosswalk and 15 feet from a fire hydrant, and do not leave the car in the same place on the street for more than 72 hours.
What does each curb color mean?
In Los Angeles, as in the rest of California, the color of the curb is the law. The color is not only a "recommendation", and this may be different from what you know at home:
| Color | What is allowed | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Red | No stopping, parking or waiting, not even for a second | "Just dropping someone off" is already a violation |
| Yellow | Commercial loading and unloading during the hours marked on the curb or on a sign, usually during the day | Outside these hours parking is usually allowed, but you must check |
| White | Passenger pickup and drop-off only, a few minutes | Parking and going into a restaurant |
| Green | Short-term parking, as written (for example 15 or 30 minutes) | Forgetting the time |
| Blue | Only for a vehicle with an official disabled parking placard | The fine here is especially high |
An unpainted curb means parking is allowed, but only according to the signs on the nearest pole.
How do you read the sign pole?
In Los Angeles you will sometimes find three or four signs on the same pole, and each one of them applies. This is how to do it:
- Read all the signs from top to bottom. The most restrictive sign at that time is the one that decides.
- Check the arrows. An arrow shows in which direction from the pole the sign applies. Two arrows mean it applies to both sides.
- Pay attention to days and hours. "2 HR PARKING 8AM–6PM EXCEPT SUNDAY" means that during these hours you may park for up to two hours, and outside them without a limit.
- A "NO PARKING ... STREET CLEANING" sign with a day and hours is a street cleaning sign. This is the sign that causes the most tickets.
- A "PERMIT … EXEMPT" or "District No." sign means a residents' parking zone. Without a local permit, the limit written on the sign applies to you, and sometimes you may not park at all.
- Take a photo of the sign and the car when you park in a place you do not know. The photo helps if you need to appeal.
Street cleaning: how not to pay for it
On many streets in Los Angeles a street sweeper passes once a week or once every two weeks, on a fixed day and at fixed hours, for example Tuesday 8:00–10:00 a.m. on one side and Wednesday on the other side. Parking officers come right after the sweeper, and sometimes before it. In the City of Los Angeles the fine is about $73 as of 2026, and it is the most common ticket in the city.
If you rent a car for a month and stay in an apartment or an Airbnb, check the street signs next to the house on the first day, and set a weekly reminder on your phone ("move the car before Tuesday 8:00 a.m."). For our customers, this alone prevents most tickets.
Rules with no sign that are still enforced
- 72 hours: in the City of Los Angeles you may not leave a car parked on the street in the same place for more than 72 hours. Neighbors complain, and a car that does not move may get a ticket and may even be towed. If you go away for a long weekend without the car, move it to a parking garage or to private parking.
- Crosswalk: under the "Daylighting" law (AB 413) you may not park within 20 feet (about 6 meters) before a crosswalk, even when the curb is not painted and there is no sign. Next to a curb extension the distance is 15 feet. Enforcement started in Los Angeles County at the end of 2025.
- Fire hydrant: you may not park less than 15 feet (about 4.5 meters) from one, even when there is no marking.
- Direction of parking: park only in the direction of traffic, with the wheels no more than 18 inches (about 45 cm) from the curb. Parking "against the direction", which is common in some countries, is a violation.
- Parking in front of a driveway: not allowed, even if only part of the car blocks it, and even if it is the driveway of your Airbnb host.
- Hills: on a slope, turn the wheels toward the curb when facing downhill, and toward the road when facing uphill, and leave the parking brake on.
- Neighboring cities: in Beverly Hills, for example, parking on the street at night is not allowed without a permit. Each city in the county sets its own rules, so read the signs also when you cross a city line.
Meters, parking garages and apps
Most parking meters in Los Angeles accept credit cards, and at many of them you can also pay with an app and add time remotely. The time limit written on the meter applies even if you paid more, and in some places you may park for only one hour. In busy areas such as Santa Monica, Venice, Hollywood and Downtown, a paid public parking garage is usually the sensible choice. In some city parking garages in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, the first period of time is free or cheap. In very large parking garages, such as at shopping malls and at the beach, take a photo of the floor number and the section.
Your car was towed: what do you do?
- Make sure it was towed and not stolen. In the City of Los Angeles, call the police non-emergency line, 1-877-ASK-LAPD (1-877-275-5273), and give the car's plate number. They will tell you which tow yard it was taken to.
- Prepare documents: passport, driving licence and the rental contract. Sometimes the tow yard also requires a release from the police.
- Go quickly. Getting a car out of a tow yard usually costs several hundred dollars, and there are also storage fees that grow every day.
- Tell us so that we know what happened and can help with the paperwork with the rental company.
Who pays for a parking ticket on a rental car?
The ticket is linked to the license plate, so if you do not pay it, it goes to the rental company, and the company charges you the fine plus a handling fee. Parking and towing tickets are not included in our rental price. The cheapest option is to pay the ticket online yourself a few days after you receive it. For the driving rules themselves, read Driving in Los Angeles for visitors, and if you hit another car while parking, see What to do after an accident or damage in a rental car.
Frequently asked questions
Can I park on the street at night in Los Angeles?
In most neighborhoods of the City of Los Angeles, yes, subject to the signs and street cleaning. In neighboring cities such as Beverly Hills and in residents' parking zones, night parking without a permit is not allowed.
Which car is easiest to park in Los Angeles?
A small car such as a Chevrolet Spark or a compact sedan fits almost anywhere on the street. A minivan or a large SUV is comfortable for trips but harder in crowded neighborhoods. If you are not sure, Which car fits you? will help.
What do I do if I got a ticket that I think is wrong?
You can appeal online to the city that issued the ticket, with photos of the signs and the car. While the appeal is in process, follow the deadlines so that the fine does not double.
Looking for a car for a month with full protection, taxes included and a fixed price? Get a quote, and for details on everything that is included, see the guide to monthly car rental in Los Angeles.