STPAUL.GOV/PARKING
Contact
Elizabeth Stiffler
Civil Engineer
800 City Hall Annex
25 4th Street West
Saint Paul,
MN
55102
P: (651) 266-6210
F: (651) 298-4559
Hours
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Monday - Friday
Everything you need to know about parking in Saint Paul.
Parking Rules
The rules of parking can be an intimidating and costly problem for drivers in urban areas. Following two simple guidelines can reduce your risk of being ticketed.
- Identify, read and understand the posted parking signs. Parking where signs say you can't is a sure way to find a ticket on your windshield. If you can't figure out if it is legal to park, it's probably best to find a different space.
- Know the places where you are prohibited from parking by state law or City Code that are typically unsigned. Below is an explanation of some of the more common unsigned zones where parking is prohibited in the City of Saint Paul.
Common Unsigned Parking Restrictions
| Do Not Park Within 30 Feet of a Stop Sign |
Parking is prohibited within 30 feet of a stop or yield sign to improve the visibility of the sign, to allow for better sightlines between pedestrians and vehicles approaching the intersection, and to ensure that vehicles waiting at the stop sign can see oncoming traffic on the other approaches.
Tip: Most cars are 18-20 feet long, so the space between you and a stop or yield sign should be larger than a single parking space. |
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Do Not Park Within 30 Feet of a Signalized Intersection
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Parking is prohibited within 30 feet of traffic signal to allow for better sightlines between pedestrians and vehicles approaching the intersection, and to ensure that vehicles waiting to turn at the signal can see oncoming traffic on the other approaches.
Tip: Most cars are 18-20 feet long, so the space between you and a traffic signal should be larger than a single parking space.
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| Do Not Park Within 20 Feet of a Marked Crosswalk at an Intersection |
Parking is prohibited within 20 feet of a marked crosswalk at an intersection. This improves the ability of pedestrians to see oncoming traffic and increases the distance from which motorists can see pedestrians in the crosswalk. The additional sight distance enables them to more comfortably stop, as required by state law.
Tip: Most cars are about 18 to 20 feet long. If there is a full parking space between you and the crosswalk, you are most likely far enough away. |
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Do Not Park Within 20 Feet of an Unmarked Crosswalk at an Intersection
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Parking is prohibited within 20 feet just as it is at a marked crosswalk. This improves the ability of pedestrians to see oncoming traffic and increases the distance from which motorists can see pedestrians in the crosswalk. The additional sight distance enables them to more comfortably stop, as required by state law.
Tip: Most cars are about 18 to 20 feet long. If there is a full parking space between you and the crosswalk, you are most likely far enough away. |
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| Do Not Park Within 4 Feet of Another Vehicle |
You are not allowed to park too close to another parked vehicle. Four feet ensures that people can move between vehicles, and drivers can freely leave their parking spaces and access the front and rear of their vehicles.
Tip: Leave enough space so that you would easily be able to take something large out of your trunk, and the person in front of you could do the same.
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Parking in a Residential Alley
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You are not allowed to park within 5 feet of a driveway in an alley. You are also not allowed to park within 20 feet of a driveway on the opposite side of the alley. In addition, 10 feet must be maintained for the free movement of traffic. These rules ensure that people can access, enter, and exit their property from the alley.
Note: These rules apply only to alleys outside the downtown region. Parking in alleys is prohibited in the downtown region defined as the “congested district” in City Code.
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| Do Not Park Within 80 Feet of a Bus Stop |
You are not allowed to park within 80 feet upstream of a bus stop. This allows buses to reach the curb, where they can remove themselves from the travel lane and drop off passengers with mobility issues onto the sidewalk.
Tip: This distance can be difficult to judge and is often signed. If there is not a sign marking the start of the no parking zone, many city residential properties are between 40-50 feet wide. Parking two properties away from the bus stop should put you in a legal zone if no other restrictions are present.
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