Where not to park and parking on hills

Key points

1. Do not park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or more than 12 inches from a curb.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. • More than 12” from a curb.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 19

2. Do not park within the 30 feet before a traffic signal, stop sign or flashing beacon.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “Within the 30 feet approaching any traffic control signal, stop sign, or flashing beacon at the side of the roadway.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 19

3. Do not park within 50 feet of the nearest rail at a railroad crossing.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “Within 50 feet of the nearest rail at railroad crossings.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 19

4. Stay 20 feet from a fire station driveway on the same side, and 75 feet from it on the opposite side of the street.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “Within 20 feet of driveway entrance to a fire station and on side of street opposite the entrance within 75 feet of entrance.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 19

5. Never park in an intersection, in a crosswalk at an intersection, in front of a driveway, or on a bridge or in a tunnel.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “Within an intersection. • Within a pedestrian crosswalk at an intersection. • Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. • More than 12” from a curb. • In front of a driveway.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 19

6. Parking double, or two deep along the curb, is not allowed.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “Double or, “two-deep” along the curb or side of street.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 19

7. Downhill, with or without a curb, stop within 12 inches of the curb or edge and turn the wheel sharply toward the curb or edge.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “bring the vehicle to a stop parallel to and within 12 inches of the curb or road edge. Turn the steering wheel sharply toward the edge or curb side of the roadway”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 52

8. Uphill with a curb, turn the wheel sharply away from the curb and let the car roll back until the tire touches the curb.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Move slowly forward turning the steering wheel sharply away from the curb. Stop then allow the vehicle to roll slowly back until the tire touches the curb and stop.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 52

9. Always set your parking brake, then put the car in park or in gear.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Always set your parking brake when you park. Then place the vehicle in gear if it has a manual transmission or in “park” if it has an automatic transmission.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 52

10. Painted curbs: white means short stops only, yellow a loading zone, blue a handicap restriction and red a fire zone.

    Source: Handbook p. 55

    “White indicates that only short stops are permitted Yellow indicates a loading zone or some other restriction Blue indicates a handicap restriction Red indicates fire zone restrictions”
    Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 55

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Kansas practice test

1. 1. How close may a Kansas driver park to a fire hydrant?

   1. Within 5 feet
   2. Within 10 feet
   3. Within 15 feet
   4. Within 25 feet
   Show answer

   Within 15 feet. Kansas prohibits parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. The five-foot and ten-foot choices leave too little clearance, while 25 feet is farther than the handbook's stated boundary and is not the tested figure. The reason for the restriction is practical: a parked vehicle can obstruct firefighters who need to connect equipment and reach the hydrant quickly. As you approach a hydrant, count at least 15 feet of space before leaving the vehicle. Do not treat the rule as a courtesy-only suggestion, because the handbook places it among locations where parking is not allowed.

2. 2. When parking uphill beside a curb in Kansas, how close should the vehicle be to the curb?

   1. No more than 24 inches
   2. No more than 12 inches
   3. At least 3 feet
   4. Any distance if hazard lights are on
   Show answer

   No more than 12 inches. The Kansas parking instructions place the vehicle parallel to and within 12 inches of the curb when parking uphill beside one. The 24-inch and three-foot choices leave too much space, while the option allowing any distance ignores the required positioning. The curb itself is not a target to strike, so move carefully and keep the vehicle close without contact. This positioning helps keep the travel lane open and supports the vehicle's proper uphill setup. The memory cue is the short measurement: within 12 inches, or one foot, of the curb.

3. 3. How far from a curb may a vehicle be parked in Kansas?

   1. No more than 12 inches
   2. No more than 18 inches
   3. No more than 24 inches
   4. No more than 36 inches
   Show answer

   No more than 12 inches. The Kansas list of illegal parking places includes parking more than 12 inches from a curb, along with parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in front of a driveway, on a bridge or in a tunnel, in No Parking zones, and double parking along the curb. Eighteen inches is the figure used in some other states. When parking downhill, stop parallel to and within 12 inches of the curb or road edge and turn the wheels toward it.

Source: the Kansas Driving Handbook, Section 2: State Laws and Rules of the Road. 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.