Yes, there are plans to use technology to change the existing manual chalking method used in parking enforcement.  The City Council awarded a contract to a consultant to provide automated digital chalking and parking enforcement on two parking enforcement vehicles.  The new enforcement vehicles will be operational in the very near future.  The Police Department will use these two vehicles to drive all the parking-restricted streets in the City, at residential-driving speeds, and capture the license plates and location of all vehicles on parking-restricted streets.  On follow-up enforcement visits, vehicles not registered in the permit parking program will be cited, if they exceeded the posted parking restrictions and if they do not have a guest parking permit displayed.

It is anticipated that parking enforcement will be more frequent than by use of the present manual method.  It is also anticipated that greater compliance to the posted permit parking restrictions will be achieved.  Please ensure that you and your guests display a valid permit to avoid being cited.

Yes, there are plans to make the program available online.  The City Council awarded a contract to a consultant to develop a web-based permit parking management system; you will be able to manage your household’s parking permits through it.  It is anticipated that the system will be available for use by the participating residents and City staff in the very near future.  You are encouraged to provide your e-mail address so that we may keep you informed on the status.

There are two types of Visitor Parking Permits under the Program:

• Visitor paper passes must be placed on the driver’s side of the dashboard and be oriented so as to be clearly visible and readable through the windshield by Parking Enforcement Officers. Visitor paper passes must have all fields filled out in ink and contain no erasures, alterations, or other visible changes.
• The other type of Visitor Parking Permits available, are hang-tags. They measure 8-1/2”x11”, and are oversize to prevent your visitor from inadvertently driving away with it – the hang-tag needs to be removed before placing the vehicle in motion, as required by State law, under penalty of a citation. The hang-tags do not require any data to be written on them; they are simply hung from the rear-view mirror in your visitor’s vehicle, so that they are visible and readable through the windshield by Parking Enforcement Officers. Up to three Visitor hang-tags may be purchased per qualifying residence, at the rate established by the City Council.

Residents who reside on a parking-restricted street in a parking District may obtain 36 one-day visitor paper passes per calendar quarter, or 12 three-day visitor paper passes per calendar quarter – each type of permit cover the same number of calendar days. The total of 36 calendar days per calendar quarter may be accomplished by any combination of one-day and three-day visitor paper parking passes you desire.

The first 144 one-day visitor paper passes or 48 three-day visitor paper passes are free of charge (distributed as 36 one-day or 12 three-day paper passes per calendar quarter). Additionally, you may purchase 144 one-day visitor paper passes (12 per calendar month, at the rate established by the City Council).

For special events at your home, such as for birthday parties or other gatherings, you may purchase at the rate established by the City Council, 25 one-day visitor paper passes per calendar quarter. Further, in case of a funeral reception, the celebration of a memorial, or the like, at your home, you may obtain 25 one-day visitor paper passes per year.

In total, you may obtain a combined 413 visitor paper passes, between the free and purchased visitor paper passes, during any calendar year.

The City Council may, at their discretion, modify the fees for visitor paper passes in the future.

Generally, new applicants to the program, who submit all the required documentation, will be able to purchase a parking permit over-the-counter, and the time it takes will vary depending on how many other customers arrived before you, the complexity of the matter for which they need assistance, and the number of staff available at the front counter.  Occasionally, our public counter is closed for lunch; please call (310) 253-5600 prior to your arrival, to confirm that we are open during your lunch time.  Also, City Hall is closed on alternating Fridays.

During November and December, existing program participants must renew their permits by mail—renewal applications submitted prior to December 15th, will be fulfilled prior to December 31st.  If we receive your renewal application in the mail after December 15th, you will receive your permits in January.

Please be aware that State law requires that you update your home address with the Department of Motor Vehicles and update your vehicles registration within 10 days from the day you move. Please see Q3 on page one of this F.A.Q., for assistance on updating your address and vehicle’s registration with the California DMV.

You will need to provide the documents indicated in Q2, at the time of application. While your information is being updated, you may obtain 45-day temporary parking permit(s) which will prevent your vehicle from being cited, when used appropriately. The purpose of the temporary parking permit is to allow time for your new registration to arrive, and has a specific date of expiration. The temporary permit is subject to revocation. If you do not provide the evidence and updated California DMV vehicle registration, your temporary parking permit will not be renewed. However, if you need a short extension due to extenuating circumstances, please request it in writing.

Once you submit the updated California DMV registration, you will be provided annual resident’s static cling parking permit(s).

Within your own permit parking District, your parking permit allows you to park for a period of time beyond the time limit indicated on the signs in the District (1-hour, 2- hours, or other), but only when the signs posted indicate "Except By Permit" or "Permit Exempt." Your parking permit indicates your District number. Your parking permit is valid on any parking-restricted street in the District in which you reside -- your parking permit is not valid on any other District than your own.

If the posted time-limited parking restriction signs do not indicate "Except By Permit" or "Permit Exempt,” – such as on commercial streets or segments -- then your parking permit does not give you privileges to park on such blocks beyond the posted parking limitation. In this case, you are required to comply with the parking limitation posted. Similarly, your permit does not exempt you from parking at fire hydrants, red curbs, blue curbs, loading zones, or when street sweeping occurs, among other restrictions. Enforcement of the permit parking restrictions does not have a grace period. Additionally, please be aware that possessing a valid parking permit does not guarantee a parking space.

California law states that you must notify the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 10 days of changing your address. There is no charge to change your address, and you may notify the DMV by any of the following ways:

1. Complete your change of address online at: www.dmv.ca.gov/online/coa/welcome.htm
2. Visit any DMV office, complete a change of address form, and give it to a technician. The technician will give you a Change of Address Certificate card (DL 43) to complete and carry with your license.
3. Download the Change of Address form DMV 14, from the following web page: www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/dmv/dmv14.htm. Complete the information, and mail it to the address listed at the top of the form.
4. Call any DMV office at 1 (800) 777-0133 and request that a change of address form be mailed to you. It will take 5 days for you to receive it. Complete the information required on the form, then mail it to the address listed at the top of the form.

If you do 3 or 4 above, type or write in ink your new address on a small piece of paper, sign and date it. Carry this piece of paper with your license. Do not tape or staple the change of address information to your driver license.

The Program, adopted by the City Council, is operated and managed by the Engineering Division.