Having a neighbor that parks a lot of cars on the street outside their home can be an annoying problem. When one homeowner parks multiple vehicles along the curb, it eats up valuable street parking that other residents rely on. While you want the convenience of knowing I can park in front of my house, the public street doesn’t belong to us.
When neighbors think they can use the public curb to store their extensive car collection, many see them as inconsiderate neighbors. So, at what point are they preventing you or one neighbor and guests from finding parking near your homes?
Most residential streets were not designed to accommodate more than a few vehicles per household. So a neighbor with 6 cars wastes parking spaces, and conflicts arise. There is a territorial struggle when taking up parking spaces in public space you’ll know that no one really owns. In our guide, we’ll look at neighbors’ rights when on-street parking. By the end, you’ll better understand street parking in residential areas. So, does a neighbor with too many cars need to limit to how many cars they have that take up multiple parking spots? (Read Person Sitting In Car Outside My House)
How Many Cars Are Too Many for Street Parking?
Most residential areas don’t have specific laws about how many cars per household can be parked on public streets. So technically, your neighbor can park several cars on the street outside their home as long as the vehicles are registered and not violating parking regulations.
However, in some areas, you may find they don’t allow street parking in residential areas, and no one is allowed to park as many cars as they want. Homeowners need to leave cars parked outside in the driveway and no more.
In other instances, anything over four cars parked on the street outside a single-family home is excessive by most standards. Parking six cars or more is almost always seen as too many vehicles cluttering the neighborhood parking. At that point, the number of cars starts impeding other residents’ ability to park and possibly partly blocking their driveways.
Is My Neighbor Breaking Any Laws by Parking Too Many Cars?
Most times, it isn’t breaking the law when parking on your property or leaving cars outside on the road. No laws prohibit residents from parking multiple cars on a public street as the street is public property. Your neighbor may park vehicles there, even if you probably wouldn’t like them to.
However, many municipalities have laws against storing vehicles long-term on public streets. For example, a common ordinance states that any one car cannot remain parked in a public street in one spot for more than 72 hours without moving. If your neighbor has cars that sit untouched on the street for weeks, they may violate this ordinance, and the government could issue a citation.
You may want to check with your local city or town about laws about abandoned vehicles or long-term street parking. If neighbors take up too many parking spots, their cars are breaking these parking rules. So, you may get the improperly stored vehicles towed if they leave their cars there.
Can I Do Anything About My Neighbor Has Too Many Cars?
While your neighbor may not be breaking laws, having many cars parked on your street can still be frustrating. Here are a few things you might do about the situation:
- Talk to your neighbor: Have a polite conversation explaining how the number of cars makes parking challenging on your street. See if compromises can be reached, like parking 1 or 2 vehicles in their driveway or garage.
- Report vehicles violating parking rules: Check local laws about abandoned vehicles or parking time limits. Report any potential violations to parking enforcement.
- Petition the city: Gather other concerned neighbors to petition the city to enact permit parking or restrict overnight street parking in your area. This makes the street less appealing for storing many vehicles.
- Talk to HOA/landlord: If you live in a townhome or apartment complex, report the issue to the homeowners association or landlord. Rules may prohibit residents from parking multiple vehicles on shared streets.
- Park in front of their home: This passive-aggressive approach involves you parking not in front of your house but parking in front of their house. This forces them to keep more cars on their property, yet it can escalate tension.
- Call for a tow: Sometimes, you may call a tow company and get excess vehicles towed from the front of your property at the owner’s expense if they are illegally parked. (Read Can You Work On A Car In A Storage Unit)
How Many Cars Can Be Parked on the Street Legally?
Most residential streets don’t have codified limits on the number of cars parked along the curb. So, there is no set legal limit for how many vehicles a household can park on a public street outside their home. The street parking is public property.
However, many municipalities prohibit parking large numbers of vehicles on the street long-term. Abandoned vehicle ordinances often stipulate that cars cannot remain parked without moving for 72 hours or more. This prevents residents from using public streets as permanent storage for extra vehicles. If parked cars start to block traffic flow or impede access for emergency vehicles, they may also be towed for obstructing the right-of-way, even if they are moved periodically.
Is It Illegal to Park in Front of Someone Else’s House?
No, it is not illegal to park your car in front and side of another person’s home if it is on a public street. The street outside someone’s house is not their private property. As long as you obey any posted parking signs and restrictions, you have as much right to park along the public curb as they do.
However, regularly using the parking space in front of someone else’s home is often considered rude or inconsiderate. Their visitors have trouble finding parking, which can feel invasive to some homeowners. Talking to a neighbor and reaching an understanding is recommended before routinely parking in front of his home or in front of her house.
If your neighbor parks multiple cars in front of your home every day, they are not breaking any laws. But you can speak to them and request, “Can you please stop parking in front of our house.” When approached properly, most neighbors will try to compromise and pick a spot in front of their home.
Is There a Limit For How Long a Car Can Be Parked on the Street?
So, while residents may park on the street outside their home, vehicles cannot remain parked in one spot indefinitely. If a neighbor has cars that sit for weeks without moving, they likely violate the 72-hour abandoned vehicle ordinance.
You can report such violations to parking enforcement or the police non-emergency line if you don’t want to get named.
Can I Call and Have Illegally Parked Cars Towed from My Street?
If a vehicle on your street is abandoned or violating parking rules, then yes – you can usually call to have it towed. Common violations include:
- Parked over 72 hours without moving
- They started parking and blocking a driveway or crosswalk.
- Neighbors park their car too close to a stop sign or hydrant
- Obstructing traffic flow
First, identify who keeps parking their car and ask them to move it properly. If that doesn’t work, call your city’s parking enforcement department or non-emergency police line. Explain exactly how the vehicle is parked illegally. (Learn How To Stop Neighbors From Using Your Garbage Can)
What Can I Do About a Neighbor Who Parks Large Vehicles on the Street?
Many residential streets are simply not wide enough to accommodate oversized vehicles like RVs, trailers, commercial trucks, or they need to park a boat trailer. Your options are limited if the vehicles are within size limits and legally registered. You can speak to your neighbor; just politely ask and approach them without demands.
Organizing concerned neighbors to petition the city for new street parking rules may work if that fails.
Can My HOA Create Rules About Too Many Cars Parked on the Street?
For residents living in a homeowner’s association (HOA) community, the HOA may enact parking restrictions to control vehicles on neighborhood streets. The HOA owns and maintains all common areas, including roads and streets within the development.
So, unlike public streets, the HOA can create a new privacy policy and parking policies for private streets that homeowners must obey. For example, they may:
- Limit the number of cars per household allowed parked on the street overnight
- Ban parking large commercial vehicles on internal streets
- Require residents to keep a certain number of vehicles in their garage or driveway
- Designate permit parking zones for residents and guests only
Is There Anything I Can Do About a Neighbor Parking in Front of Their Own House?
No, there are no laws regarding prohibiting your neighbor from parking their own legally registered vehicles in front of their house or anywhere else on a public residential street. The street parking outside their home technically belongs to the city, not to them.
The best solution is to see if they can keep 1 or 2 extra vehicles in their driveway or garage to open up more street parking. If approached politely, most neighbors will try to find solutions and be more considerate.
Conclusion
When a neighbor persistently parks too many cars on the street, it can create frustration and animosity in the neighborhood. While their right to use public street parking is protected, excessive use by one homeowner is inconsiderate. The best solution is always open communication and compromise.
If approaching your neighbor diplomatically doesn’t work, checking local ordinances and petitioning for permit parking may provide options. But use legal actions like towing only as a last resort. In most cases, pressuring the city for new restrictive parking policies to target one obnoxious neighbor will backfire and divide the community. (Learn How To Stop Neighbors Shooting Fireworks Over My House)
FAQs:
How many cars can my neighbor legally park on the street?
There is no set legal limit, but parking more than 2-3 cars regularly is usually considered excessive. The street is public property that anyone can park on.
Can I call the police about too many cars parked on the street?
Only if vehicles violate parking laws, like being abandoned over 72 hours, otherwise, the police cannot get involved in civil disputes over street parking.
What happens if I park in front of their house since they take up all the parking near mine?
If you’re like, “My neighbors have used my space,” and wasn’t going to park outside their home, blocking their access may escalate tensions.
My neighbor’s giant camper wastes 3 spaces. Isn’t that illegal on a residential street?
Unfortunately, unless it’s violating a size ordinance, they can likely park it there indefinitely if properly registered. You can ask them to move it or speak to the city about size limits.
There are 5 broken-down cars parked near my neighbor’s house. Can I get them towed?
Probably. Most cities consider vehicles parked on the street untouched for 72 hours to be abandoned. Report them, and the city can tow them after proper notice.
