California · Rules
Parking rules protect hydrants, crosswalks and the people walking past your car. A badly parked car can block a fire crew or roll into traffic with no one inside. California’s standard drive test doesn’t score parallel parking, but you’ll use it every day.
Roadfeel’s road-sense principles
Tags show the kind of rule and whether it’s a written-test point or matters on the drive test (our tagging). Each rule links to its official source.
When parallel parking, check blind spots and reverse at about 45 degrees; once your rear wheel gets within 18 inches of the curb, straighten out. End parallel and no more than 18 inches out.
New York differs: Every New York road test includes parallel parking. You also need to know the no-parking places and what each of the NO PARKING, NO STANDING and NO STOPPING signs allows. New York rule
New York differs: Step 4: straighten the wheels and pull forward, leaving room for the cars ahead and behind. When you’re done, your wheels must be no more than 1 foot (12 inches) from the curb. New York rule
To back in a straight line, check traffic and blind spots, then reverse slowly about three car lengths while staying within three feet of the curb.
Downhill against a curb: point the front wheels into the curb, apply the parking brake, and shift to park (or a gear, with a manual).
New York differs: On a hill: set the parking brake, shift to Park (first gear in a manual), and turn the front wheels toward the curb or roadside so the car can’t roll into traffic. New York rule
Uphill against a curb: steer the front wheels away from the curb, then let the car roll back a few inches until the tire gently touches it.
With no curb, whether facing uphill or downhill, angle the wheels right, so a brake failure would send the car toward the road’s edge, not its center.
White curb: you may stop just long enough for passengers to get in or out.
New York differs: A NO PARKING sign still lets you stop briefly to load or unload goods or passengers. New York rule
Green curb: parking is allowed for a limited time, shown on a nearby sign or painted on the curb.
Yellow curb: stop only to load or unload passengers or freight, no longer than the posted time; noncommercial drivers usually must stay with the vehicle.
Red curb: no stopping, standing, or parking at all, except buses where the red zone is marked for them.
Blue curb: only for vehicles displaying a disabled placard or special plate, carrying or driven by a person with a disability.
Never leave your car at a posted NO PARKING sign, on any crosswalk (marked or not), on or partly across a sidewalk, or blocking a driveway.
Keep at least 15 feet away from a fire hydrant or a fire station driveway when parking.
New York differs: Keep at least 20 feet from a fire station driveway when parking or standing, and 75 feet if you’re on the opposite side of the street. New York rule
Don’t park within 20 feet of a crosswalk, marked or unmarked, or within 15 feet where the corner has a curb extension.
Don’t park within 3 feet of a wheelchair sidewalk ramp, in front of a wheelchair-access curb, or in the crosshatched stripes beside a disabled parking space.
Also off-limits: zero-emission-vehicle charging or fueling spaces (unless you drive one), tunnels and bridges unless signs allow, between a safety zone and the curb, and double parking.
Never park on a freeway or the wrong side of the street, except in emergencies, on police orders, or where allowed; a car left on a freeway over 4 hours may be removed.
Setting up to parallel park: find a gap that is three feet or more longer than your car and signal, pull up beside the car in front of the gap about two feet away, stop when your rear bumper lines up with the front of the space, then check blind spots before backing in.
Whenever you park on a hill, set the parking brake and keep the car in park (or in gear with a manual). On a sloping driveway, also turn the wheels so the car can’t roll into the street.
3 of our 43 practice questions for this chapter, with explanations. The rest are in the app.
Answer: B. Parking for a limited time
A green curb means limited-time parking, so the space turns over and more drivers get to use it. White is passenger pick-up/drop-off, yellow is loading, red is no stopping, blue is disabled parking.
Answer: A. Turn them away from the curb and roll back until a tire rests on it
Uphill against a curb is the exception: point the front wheels away from the curb, toward the road. Then let the car roll back a few inches until the tire touches the curb. If the car rolls, the curb catches the back of the tire.
Answer: A. You may load or unload for the posted time, usually staying with the car
A yellow curb is for loading and unloading passengers and freight, for no longer than the posted time. This is so the space stays free for the next vehicle that needs it. Drivers of noncommercial vehicles are usually required to stay with their vehicle.
40 more practice questions for this chapterKeep practicing in Roadfeel
Restated in our own words from the California Driver Handbook (DL 600, rev. 6/2025) and dmv.ca.gov. The handbook is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0, which bars commercial reuse, so we don’t reproduce it; we quote short phrases and link to it.