About General Parking Regulations

The following information summarizes common parking regulations enforced in the City of Sausalito. Parking restrictions, time limits, payment requirements, and enforcement hours vary by location.

Always check nearby signs, curb markings, parking meters, and pay-station instructions before leaving your vehicle.This page is intended as a general guide and does not contain every applicable provision of the Sausalito Municipal Code or California Vehicle Code.

For questions or clarification, contact the Sausalito Parking Authority at (415) 289-4116 or parking@sausalito.gov.

Time Limits and Metered Parking

  • Parking time limits and enforcement hours vary by street and neighborhood.
  • Metered parking is located primarily in downtown Sausalito.
  • Check the meter display and nearby regulatory signs for the applicable rate, time limit, payment options, and enforcement hours.
  • Payment at a parking meter does not authorize a vehicle to remain beyond the posted maximum time limit.
  • Residential permit parking areas may allow limited-time parking without a permit during certain hours and restrict parking to permit holders during other hours.
  • Moving a vehicle from one space to another within the same regulated area will restart the posted time limit.
  • Green curbs provide short-term parking for the time indicated on the curb or nearby sign.

72-Hour Parking Restriction

A vehicle may not remain parked without moving for more than 72 consecutive hours on a City street or in a public parking area.

  • Vehicles exceeding the 72-hour limit may be cited and/or towed.
  • Payment of parking fees does not allow a vehicle to remain beyond 72 consecutive hours.
  • Parking permits and disabled-person placards or license plates do not provide an exemption from the 72-hour restriction.
  • The Sausalito Police Department does not grant exemptions from the 72-hour restriction.
  • This restriction does not apply to vehicles parked entirely on private property.

Colored Curbs

Curb colors identify specific parking and stopping restrictions:

  • Red curb: No stopping, standing, or parking.
  • Yellow curb: Commercial loading and unloading only, subject to posted restrictions. Enforced 24 hours every day unless otherwise posted.
  • White curb: Passenger loading and unloading only.
  • Green curb: Short-term parking for the posted time limit.
  • Blue curb: Parking only for vehicles displaying a valid disabled-person placard or qualifying license plate.

Restrictions apply for the hours shown on nearby signs. When curb paint is faded, missing, or not present, posted signs and other regulatory markings remain enforceable.

Where Parking Is Prohibited

Unless signs specifically authorize parking, do not park:

  • Where a No Parking, No Stopping, Tow-Away, Loading Only, Permit Only, or other restrictive sign is posted
  • Along a red curb
  • On or partially across a sidewalk
  • In front of a public or private driveway
  • On a marked or unmarked crosswalk
  • Within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk, or within 15 feet of a crosswalk with a curb extension
  • Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or fire station driveway
  • In front of a wheelchair-accessible curb ramp or within three feet of the ramp
  • In the crosshatched access aisle next to a disabled parking space
  • In a designated electric-vehicle charging space unless the vehicle is eligible and actively charging
  • Outside the boundaries or “T” markings of a designated parking space
  • Facing against the direction of traffic
  • Double parked or in a manner that obstructs a travel lane, bicycle lane, pedestrian route, or other vehicle

Vehicles parked in violation of applicable regulations may be cited and/or towed.

Parking Along a Curb

When parallel parking:

  • Park in the direction of traffic on that side of the roadway.
  • Position the vehicle parallel to and no more than 18 inches from the curb.
  • Where parking-space lines or “T” markings are provided, park the entire vehicle within the designated space.
  • Do not allow any portion of the vehicle to block a driveway, crosswalk, sidewalk, access ramp, travel lane, or adjacent parking space.

Parking on Hills

Sausalito has many steep streets. When parking on a hill:

  • Set the parking brake and place the vehicle in park, or in gear if it has a manual transmission.
  • When facing downhill, turn the front wheels toward the curb.
  • When facing uphill with a curb, turn the front wheels away from the curb.
  • When no curb is present, turn the wheels toward the side of the roadway so the vehicle would roll away from traffic.

Municipal Parking Lots

Payment is required in City-operated paid parking lots every day between 7am – 10pm.

  • Municipal Lots 1–4 and the designated public spaces at the Sausalito Yacht Harbor are prepaid parking facilities.
  • Remember your numbered parking space before proceeding to a pay station or starting a mobile payment session via Park Mobile.
  • Payment may be made using an available pay station, ParkMobile, or SMS Text by texting ‘PARK’ to 77223.
  • Parking rates may vary by location, date, demand, or special event.
  • Payment must be completed immediately after parking and before leaving the lot.
  • A parking payment does not authorize parking in a reserved, permit-only, disabled, loading, electric-vehicle charging, or otherwise restricted space.
  • Review all entrance signs, space markings, and payment instructions before leaving your vehicle.
  • No payment is required for vehicles properly displaying disabled-person placards or license plates.

Visit the Public Parking Lots page for current lot locations, operating hours, payment options, ParkMobile zone numbers, and other information.

Disabled-Person and Disabled-Veteran Parking

Vehicles displaying a valid disabled-person placard, disabled-person license plate, or qualifying disabled-veteran license plate may:

  • Park in a designated disabled parking space
  • Park next to a blue curb
  • Park longer than the posted limit in a time-limited parking area
  • Park at an on-street parking meter without payment
  • Park in an area requiring a resident parking permit

A disabled-person placard or license plate does not authorize parking:

  • Along red, yellow, or white curbs
  • In a No Parking, No Stopping, Tow-Away, or loading zone
  • In a driveway, crosswalk, sidewalk, or crosshatched access aisle
  • In an electric-vehicle charging space unless the vehicle is eligible and actively charging
  • In violation of the 72-hour parking restriction
  • In any location where the vehicle creates a safety hazard or obstruction

Recreational Vehicles, Boats, and Trailers

Recreational vehicles, boats, and trailers are subject to additional location-specific restrictions.

  • Recreational vehicles may not remain parked without moving on a City street for more than eight hours.
  • Occupying or using a recreational vehicle for overnight lodging is prohibited within Sausalito city limits.
  • Boat and boat-trailer parking is prohibited in certain areas and may be limited to one hour in other locations.
  • Always check nearby signs before parking an oversized vehicle, recreational vehicle, boat, or trailer.

Contractor Parking Permits

Contractor parking permits and temporary no-parking signs may be available for work authorized by the City of Sausalito.

  • Contractors must obtain an encroachment permit from the City’s Department of Public Works before using the public right-of-way for construction-related activities.
  • Depending on the approved work, the encroachment permit may authorize contractor parking and/or temporary no-parking signs.
  • Permits must be obtained before reserving or restricting the use of any public parking space.
  • All permit conditions, posting requirements, approved locations, dates, and hours must be followed.

For additional information or to begin the encroachment permit process, contact the Department of Public Works at (415) 289-4106.

Additional Information

For current information about specific facilities and programs, visit:

For additional questions, contact the Sausalito Parking Authority at (415) 289-4116 or parking@sausalito.gov.

 

General Parking Regulations