Parking when there is no signage

Not all parking rules in the City of Vancouver require signed zones. Street and lane regulations are enforced under Street and Traffic Bylaw 2849.

Street-parking violations

Three hour bylaw: Parking next to properties in which you live or work

Section 17.6 (f): Between 8am and 6pm every day, do not park your vehicle for more than 3 hours in front of residential or commercial properties that you do not own or work at.

The 3-hour bylaw restricts non-resident parking to a maximum of 3 hours to allow daytime access for residents to their homes and for business owners and employees to their workplaces.

Exempted from this time limit are:

• Emergency vehicles
• Consular vehicles
• Carshare vehicles
• Vehicles with a SPARC placard, that may park in time-limited resident parking zones for 3 hours

Blocking visibility and access to property and fire hydrants

The following violations can block driver, cyclist, and pedestrian visibility, and cause difficulty for firefighters to access hydrants. Do not stop or park:

• Section 17.5 (c): Within 6 m of the nearest edge of the closest sidewalk on an intersecting street. See the image below.  
  
• Section 17.5 (d): When there is no sidewalk, 9 m of the nearest edge of the pavement of an intersecting street. See the image below.
  
• Section 17.5 (a): Within 1.5 m of an intersecting lane.
• Section 17.2 (d): Within 1.5 m of a private road, boulevard crossing, or sidewalk crossing. See the image below.
  
• Section 17.4 (b): Within 6 m of either side of a crosswalk.
• Section 17.2 (a): Within 6 m of the approach side of a stop sign.
• Section 17.2 (c): Within 5 m of a fire hydrant, measured from either side of the hydrant, starting from the nearest curb or road edge. See the image below.
   

Blocking drivers and pedestrians from moving

The following violations can block other drivers and pedestrians. Do not park: 

• Sections 17.4 (c), (d): On sidewalks or sidewalk crossings.
• Section 18.1 (c): More than 30 cm from the curb, or edge of the roadway.
• Section 18.1 (b): In the opposite direction of traffic.
• Section 18.1 (a): Unparallel with the curb or roadway unless there are marks or signs that indicate angle parking.

Stopping on boulevards or medians

• Section 17.4 (e): Do not stop on a boulevard unless it is specifically designated for parking motor vehicles. A boulevard is:
  • On a street with curbs: The portion of the street between the outside curb and the adjoining property line.
  • On a street without curbs: The portion of the street between the edge of the roadway and the adjoining property line.
  • On a street where traffic is separated by a median: It includes the median.

Lane-parking violations

Blocking traffic, driveways, garage doors, waste containers, and fire escapes in lanes

When stopping or parking in a lane, leave at least:

• Section 19.1 (d): 3 m clearance in lanes to allow traffic to continue to flow.
• Section 19.1 (g): 1.5 m on either side of, and 5.5 m directly in front of private driveways, roads, and garage entrances. See the image below.
  
  
• Section 17.2 (e): 1.5 m on either side of a garbage container.
• Section 19.1 (b): 2 m from the inside edge of the closest sidewalk, or an intersecting street or lane.
• Section 19.1 (f): 
  1. 0.5 m along the lane from either edge of a door, gate or opening in a wall or other barrier that permits pedestrian access between public and private property; and
  2. 3 m into the lane from the front of either edge of a door, gate or opening in a wall or other barrier that permits pedestrian access between public and private property.