At the beginning of this year, a new parking law was passed in California that majorly impacts parking across the state, especially in a city like San Francisco. While Assembly Bill No. 413 technically went into effect at the beginning of the year, the city will only start giving warnings for violations starting this Monday, November 11.
The law, sometimes referred to as the “daylighting Law” prohibits parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk on the side of approaching traffic. The law applies to all crosswalks, whether they are marked or unmarked. This also applies if the curb is not painted red, drivers are still expected to park 20 feet away from the crosswalk. If a curb is painted red, simply comply with the area marked in red.
For now, you will only receive a warning if you break the law, but starting January 1 2025, the city will start issuing citations with fines starting at $40 if you don’t follow the new parking measure.
Why was the Daylighting law passed?
The new parking law intends to make intersections safer by providing more visibility for people driving and walking. This especially helps people crossing the street to see any oncoming traffic before stepping off the curb. While this new parking law might seem jarring in San Francisco, it’s common throughout the rest of the United States. Over 40 states currently have daylighting parking laws.
When will the law go into effect?
The law was passed last year and is technically in effect, although the city will just start issuing warnings on November 11, 2024. Starting January 1, 2025, you could receive a fine if you aren’t in compliance. Prior to January 1, 2025, SF “will not issue citations, unless the violation occurs in an area marked using paint or a sign” according to SFMTA.
You can learn more about the law and how it will impact SF drivers at the SFMTA website.