San Diego's 72-hour parking rule: how a legally parked car gets towed
No car may sit on a San Diego street for more than 72 hours. It can be cited ($76.50) and towed, usually after a neighbor reports it in Get It Done. City guidance says to move at least a tenth of a mile to reset the clock.
- Limit
- 72 consecutive hours
- Fine
- $76.50
- Move at least
- 1/10 mile
- Report
- Get It Done or 619-531-2000
Any City street, posted or not
City parking FAQ
The short version
- San Diego Municipal Code §86.0118 bans parking on any street for more than 72 consecutive hours
- The fine is $76.50 on the City's citation schedule, with late fees if it goes unpaid
- Enforcement usually starts with a neighbor's Get It Done report: 37,000+ came in during the first nine-and-a-half months of 2023
- City guidance says a car must move at least one-tenth of a mile; a 2023 proposal to make it half a mile went to Council
- RVs and oversized vehicles face a separate 2 a.m.–6 a.m. ban under §86.0139
The rule catches people because nothing is posted. There's no sign and no meter, and the car can be parked perfectly legally in front of its owner's own house. Under San Diego Municipal Code §86.0118, no vehicle may stay on any City street for more than 72 consecutive hours, and California Vehicle Code §22651(k) lets the City tow one that does.
72 hrs
Limit on any City street
$76.50
Fine under §86.0118
City citation schedule
37,000+
Reports, Jan to mid-Oct 2023
NBC 7 and CBS 8
How a parked car ends up towed
- 01
Someone reports it
Almost every case starts with a report in the Get It Done app or a call to 619-531-2000. In 2023 that was about 130 reports a day.
- 02
A warning goes on the car
Officers leave a pink notice on the vehicle, according to NBC 7's 2023 reporting on the City's process.
- 03
72 hours later, they check
If the car hasn't moved, it can be cited, towed, or both.
- 04
Getting it back
Towed cars go through the City's contractor, AutoReturn (619-527-4392). The City's impound page doesn't publish tow and storage rates, so call AutoReturn for the current total. Storage keeps accruing until you collect the car.
How far you have to move it
The City's parking FAQ and the SDPD's enforcement procedure both say a vehicle must move at least one-tenth of a mile, about two short city blocks, to count as moved. Rolling it a few feet doesn't reset anything. In October 2023 a City Council committee approved raising the distance to half a mile, which needed two full Council votes to take effect. We couldn't confirm it was finally adopted, and the City's own pages still say a tenth. Moving the car half a mile covers you either way.
The 72-hour rule vs. the oversized-vehicle rule
| 72-hour rule (§86.0118) | Oversized-vehicle rule (§86.0139) | |
|---|---|---|
| Applies to | Any vehicle | RVs, oversized vehicles and non-motorized vehicles such as trailers |
| When | Parked more than 72 consecutive hours, any time of day | 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., and within 50 feet of an intersection at any time |
| Fine | $76.50 | $171.50 |
If you got a ticket or a tow
You have 21 days to contest a San Diego parking citation: here's how to fight one. Near the beaches and universities, permit zones add another layer: see residential parking permits. If you live in a vehicle, the overnight rules are different again: sleeping in a car or RV in San Diego.
KEEP READING
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
City of San Diego · Checked October 7, 2026
- PrimaryParking FAQs
City of San Diego · Checked October 7, 2026
One-tenth of a mile
City of San Diego · Checked October 7, 2026
$76.50 and $171.50
- PrimaryVehicle Code §22651
State of California
- PrimaryParking enforcement
City of San Diego · Checked October 7, 2026
Reporting by Get It Done or phone
- PrimaryVehicle impounds and towing
City of San Diego · Checked October 7, 2026
AutoReturn contact
NBC 7 San Diego · October 18, 2023
Pink notice; 37,000+ reports; half-mile proposal
San Diego Police Department · June 2026