Parallel parking, hills and colored curbs

Key points

1. When you finish parallel parking, your vehicle should be parallel to and within 18 inches of the curb.

   Source: Handbook p. 26

   “Your vehicle should now be parallel and within 18 inches of the curb.”
   California Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 26

2. Parked downhill against a curb, turn the wheels toward the curb.

   Source: Handbook p. 27

   “Downhill: turn the wheels toward the curb.”
   California Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 27

3. Parked uphill against a curb, turn the wheels away from the curb. With no curb, turn them toward the right.

   Source: Handbook p. 27

   “Uphill: turn the wheels away from the curb. No Curb: turn the wheels toward the right”
   California Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 27

4. White curb: stop only to pick up or drop off passengers. Green curb: park for a limited time.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “White: Stop only long enough to pick up or drop off passengers. • Green: Park for a limited time.”
   California Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 28

5. Yellow curb: load and unload passengers and freight, and do not stop longer than the posted time.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “Yellow: Load and unload passengers and freight. Do not stop longer than the time posted.”
   California Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 28

6. Red means no stopping, standing or parking. Blue is for disabled persons with a placard or special plate.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “Red: No stopping, standing, or parking. Buses may stop at a red zone marked for buses only. • Blue: Parking for a disabled person or someone driving a disabled person with a special placard or special license plate.”
   California Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 28

7. Never park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or fire station driveway.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or fire station driveway.”
   California Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 28

8. Never park within 20 feet of a crosswalk, or within 15 feet where a curb extension is present.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “Within 20 feet of an unmarked or marked crosswalk, or within 15 feet of a crosswalk where a curb extension is present.”
   California Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 28

9. Never park within three feet of a sidewalk ramp for disabled persons.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “Within three feet of a sidewalk ramp for disabled persons.”
   California Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 28

10. If you must stop on a freeway, park completely off the pavement and stay inside with the doors locked.

    Source: Handbook p. 29

    “If you must stop on a freeway, park completely off the pavement and stay in your vehicle with the doors locked until help arrives.”
    California Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 29

Numbers to know

3 questions from the California practice test

1. 1. After parallel parking, how close must your vehicle be to the curb?

   1. Within 6 inches of the curb
   2. Within 3 feet of the curb
   3. Within 18 inches of the curb
   4. No set distance if the wheels are straight
   Show answer

   Within 18 inches of the curb. After parallel parking, the vehicle should be parallel and within 18 inches of the curb. Three feet appears in the straight-line backing practice, but it is not the final parallel parking curb distance. The cue is the last alignment step: straighten the car, pull forward or back if needed, and check that the vehicle sits close enough to the curb before turning it off and setting the parking brake.

2. 2. When parking uphill next to a curb, which way should you turn the front wheels?

   1. Toward the curb before setting the brake
   2. Away from the curb, then let the vehicle roll back slightly
   3. Straight ahead with the transmission in neutral
   4. Toward the center only if the curb is red
   Show answer

   Away from the curb, then let the vehicle roll back slightly. Uphill parking with a curb calls for turning the front wheels away from the curb and letting the vehicle roll back a few inches until the wheel rests gently against the curb. Turning toward the curb is the downhill rule. The cue is the hill direction: uphill plus curb means wheels left, then parking brake and park or gear. This positions the curb to stop the vehicle if equipment fails.

3. 3. What is the minimum legal distance for parking near a fire hydrant?

   1. 20 feet from the hydrant
   2. 3 feet from the hydrant
   3. 15 feet from the hydrant
   4. 30 feet from the hydrant
   Show answer

   15 feet from the hydrant. A vehicle may not be parked within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. The 20-foot distance is a tempting number because California uses it near crosswalks, but hydrants and crosswalks have different spacing rules. When scanning for a place to leave the car, look ahead for hydrants and fire station driveways before you pull in. If the hydrant is close enough that firefighters would lose access, keep moving.

Source: the California Driver's Handbook, Section 6: Navigating the Roads. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.