Blocked Driveways and Illegal Parking in San Diego

This guide is for the City of San Diego. If the vehicle is in another city or an unincorporated area, see who to call below.

• It is a violation even without a sign. The City says parking is prohibited "in front of a public or private driveway (even your own driveway)," and that this applies whether or not there are signs or curb markings.
• The vehicle can be towed. The Police Department's vehicle impounds page lists "Vehicles found on City of San Diego property blocking a driveway and a complaint is registered" among the common reasons for an impound.
• When to call 911 instead. SDPD says to call 911 if there is a danger to life or property, a crime in progress or within the last 5 to 10 minutes, a medical emergency, or a fire. A blocked driveway on its own is a non-emergency call.

A car parked on the street across your driveway is on a public street, so a private tow is generally not the route; see towing from private property for vehicles parked on your property itself.

Parking on public streets and alleys is regulated by the San Diego Municipal Code and the California Vehicle Code. The City's parking enforcement page lists these rules as applying "whether or not there are signs or curb markings present." Parking is prohibited:

• in front of a public or private driveway, even your own;
• within 15 feet of a fire station driveway or fire hydrant;
• on a sidewalk or parkway;
• in an intersection or a crosswalk, or within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk;
• on the roadway side of a parked vehicle (double parking);
• in a bus stop, in a tunnel, or on a bridge unless posted otherwise;
• in a way that obstructs the free use of the street;
• in alleys, except to actively unload goods or passengers, unless the alley is a designated alley parking zone.

• Red zones. Municipal Code section 86.0112(f) prohibits parking or standing "in violation of any sign or red curb marking prohibiting the parking or standing of a vehicle."
• Disabled spaces. Section 86.0114 allows parking in a Disabled Persons Parking Zone only if the driver or a passenger being transported is disabled and the vehicle displays a disabled license plate or placard issued under the Vehicle Code. The zones are in effect 24 hours a day, including Sundays and holidays, unless signs show limited hours. Section 86.0152 separately covers a placard or plate that has been reported lost, stolen or expired, belongs to someone reported deceased, is counterfeit or altered, or is displayed when the person it was issued to is not being transported and is not nearby.
• Sidewalks and parkways. Section 86.0148 allows parking on the strip between the curb and the property line only when the vehicle is perpendicular to the curb, within the extension of the driveway so no part sticks into the street or the sidewalk, and does not block emergency vehicle access to a residential driveway.
• Private driveways and property. Section 86.0113 says no one may park in a private driveway or on private property without the direct or implied consent of the owner or the person in lawful possession of it.

What the citations cost. A sample of the fines on the City's parking citation fine schedule:

From the City of San Diego parking citation fine amounts, as of October 31, 2026. The City says all amounts include an $11.00 California state surcharge; late fees are extra.

For most parking problems other than a blocked driveway, use the Get It Done parking form or the Get It Done San Diego app. As of October 31, 2026, the form's parking categories are: 72 Hour Violation, Red Zone, Yellow Commercial Zone, Blue Disabled Zone, Passenger Zone (White), Bike Lane, Alley, Lane of Traffic, Sidewalk, Fire Hydrant, No Residential Permit, Timed Zone Violation, EV Charger, Parking Within 20 Feet of Crosswalk, and Oversized Vehicle. The City asks for one report per vehicle, with details such as:

• The license plate, plus the make, model and color, so officers find the right vehicle.
• The exact location, with the pin on the vehicle.
• A photo showing the vehicle and the curb, sign, hydrant or space involved.

Vehicles that have not moved. A car parked legally but left in one spot for more than 72 hours is a different report, handled by the Police Department's Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Unit and on a different timeline. See our guide to abandoned and 72-hour vehicles for how that rule works.

The City's neighborhood parking rules fact sheet defines an oversized vehicle as one, including any attached trailers or loads, that exceeds 27 feet in length and 7 feet in height, and says non-motorized vehicles include open and closed trailers. Section 86.0140 lists exceptions, including vehicles actively loading or unloading, vehicles there to perform a service on the same block, government and utility vehicles, commercial loading zones, and vehicles displaying a valid City permit. Residents can get a Temporary Overnight Recreational Vehicle Permit to park an RV on their own block for a limited time.

To report one, choose Oversized Vehicle on the Get It Done parking form. For the permit details and how the oversized vehicle rules fit with the 72-hour rule, see the RVs and oversized vehicles section of our abandoned vehicles guide.

The San Diego Police Department's Know Your Towing Rights page summarizes the California Vehicle Code sections (22651.07, 22658 and 22953) that regulate towing from private property. The Department notes that the page is for information and does not replace legal advice. Among the points it lists:

• Owner authorization. The property owner or their agent must authorize the tow, be present at the time of the tow, and sign a written authorization, with exceptions for an illegally parked vehicle and for tenants of residential properties with 15 or fewer units and no onsite manager.
• Tow-away sign. The owner must post a visible sign, at least 17 by 22 inches with 1-inch letters, saying parking is prohibited, vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense, and giving the local law enforcement phone number. The page lists exceptions, including a property that is a single-family dwelling.
• One-hour rule. A property owner may not have a vehicle towed within one hour of it being parked, except a vehicle in a fire lane, a disabled parking space, a designated tenant space, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, or parked so it interferes with the entrance or exit to a property.
• Owner returns during the tow. If the vehicle owner returns before the tow truck has left the lot, the driver must release the vehicle immediately. The tow company may charge up to half the regular tow fee for a vehicle already hoisted.

The page also covers the 10-mile limit for storage, storage facility hours, payment, and the right to retrieve personal property. If your own car was towed from private property, the Police Department says the City may have no record of it and to look for the information posted where it was towed. Suspected unlawful tows can be reported to the City Attorney's Office through its Towing Complaint Form.

• Timing. As of October 31, 2026, the Get It Done parking form lists an estimated resolution time for parking violations other than 72-hour and abandoned vehicles of "1 day/varies based on available resources," and says response times "vary based on the volume of priority calls."
• Updates. The form says "Updates are only provided for vehicles parked over 72 hours," so you may not hear back about a red zone or hydrant report.
• Phone calls. SDPD says timeliness on non-emergency calls depends on the urgency or priority of the situation, the likelihood of making an arrest, and the availability of an officer.
• Possible outcomes. A citation, an impound, or no action if the vehicle has left. If a vehicle is towed by the City, the owner can find it through AutoReturn (619-527-4392), and SDPD Tow Administration (858-495-7830) handles questions and post-storage hearings.

For other problems you can report to the City, see our guide to reporting a problem to the City of San Diego. For cars that have not moved in days, see our abandoned vehicles guide. For loud vehicles and car alarms, see our noise complaints guide.