Sacramento Municipal Code Ch. 10.40 Parking Meters

The following traffic district is hereby designated as a parking meter zone:

A. The central traffic district. (Ord. 2025-0019 § 3; prior code § 25.08.130)

The parking manager may install, or cause to be installed, parking meters, pay-by-space machines and pay-and-display machines in all parking meter zones established by this code or hereafter created by the city council in such numbers and in such places as, in the parking manager's judgment, may be necessary for the regulation, control and inspection of the parking of vehicles therein. (Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(ii); Ord. 2000-007 § 3; prior code § 25.08.131)

A. Each parking meter shall be so set as to display a signal showing lawful parking upon the deposit of the appropriate United States coins, currency or city prepaid parking card for the period of time prescribed by this title.

Each parking meter shall be so arranged that upon the expiration of the lawful time limit it will indicate by a proper visible signal that the lawful parking period for the adjacent parking meter space has expired and in such cases the right of such a vehicle to occupy the space shall cease.

B. Each pay-by-space or pay-and-display machine shall conspicuously display the applicable parking rates and instructions on use of the machine.

Each pay-by-space or pay-and-display machine shall, upon the deposit of the appropriate United States coins, currency, or city prepaid parking card with respect to a parking meter space controlled thereby, dispense a receipt showing the amount of time purchased and when the lawful parking period will expire for that space. Upon expiration of the lawful parking period, the right of a vehicle to occupy the space shall cease. (Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(iii); Ord. 2000-007 § 4; prior code § 25.08.132)

The maximum parking time limits within designated portions of the parking meter zone shall be as provided by this title or other ordinances, and shown by proper signs erected and maintained. (Prior code § 25.08.133)

The parking manager may place green curb markings adjacent to parking meter spaces which shall mean no stopping or parking for longer than fifteen (15) minutes. (Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(iv); Ord. 2000-007 § 5; prior code § 25.08.134)

The rates for parking in a parking meter zone shall be established by ordinance. Parking or standing a vehicle in a parking meter space is lawful for the period of time corresponding to the monetary amount deposited or paid for that space. (Ord. 2016-0032 § 1; Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(v); Ord. 2000-007 § 6; prior code § 25.08.135)

Parking meters and pay stations that accept payment for the purposes of parking on the street shall be operated in the parking meter zones every day except Sundays and legal holidays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The parking manager may, after conducting parking surveys, determine that other hours of operation will facilitate the control of parking and may place signs indicating hours of operation on Sundays and legal holidays and other than between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Ord. 2018-0059 § 2; Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(vi); Ord. 2000-007 § 7; prior code § 25.08.136)

When any vehicle is parked in any parking meter space, the operator of the vehicle shall, immediately after entering the parking meter space, deposit or cause to be deposited in the meter or machine controlling the space the proper coin or currency of the United States, or city prepaid parking card as is required by Section 10.40.060 for the parking meter space. The operator of vehicle, after the proper deposit, shall also set in operation the timing mechanism on the meter or machine, if any, in accordance with directions properly appearing thereon. In addition, if the parking meter space is controlled by a pay-and-display machine, the operator of the vehicle shall immediately cause the parking receipt provided by the machine to be placed face up on the driver's side dashboard of the vehicle. Failure to make a proper deposit and to set the timing mechanism in operation, and (if applicable) failure to place the receipt on the vehicle dashboard as prescribed, shall constitute a violation of this title.

Upon the proper deposit of such coin and the setting of the timing mechanism in operation and, if applicable, the placement of the parking receipt on the vehicle dashboard, the parking meter space may be lawfully occupied by the vehicle during the period of time which has been prescribed for the part of the street in which the parking meter space is located; provided, that any person placing a vehicle in a parking meter space adjacent to a meter or controlled by a machine which indicates that unused time has been left by the previous occupant of the space shall not be required to deposit a coin so long as the occupancy of the space does not exceed the indicated unused parking time. When an oversize vehicle occupies more than one space, a proper deposit shall be made for each of the spaces. (Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(vii); Ord. 2000-007 § 8; prior code § 25.08.137)

No vehicle shall be parked overtime or beyond the period of lawful parking time established for a parking meter space; nor shall any vehicle remain in a space for which there is a parking meter or pay-by-space/pay-and-display machine when the parking meter displays a signal indicating illegal use of the space or the machine or receipt indicates that the lawful parking period has expired.

The display of a signal showing illegal parking during the hours of operation for any parking meter while a motor vehicle is parked in a space adjoining the parking meter shall be prima facie evidence that the motor vehicle has been parked overtime and beyond the lawful parking period.

The indication by a pay-by-space machine that the lawful parking time has expired or the display of a pay-and-display parking receipt indicating that the lawful parking time has expired, during the hours of operation for any pay-by-space or pay-and-display machine, while a motor vehicle is parked in a space controlled by that pay-by-space or pay-and-display machine, shall be prima facie evidence that the motor vehicle has been parked overtime and beyond the lawful parking period. (Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(viii); Ord. 2000-007 § 9; prior code § 25.08.138)

Parking or standing a vehicle in a parking meter space shall be lawful up to the maximum time indicated on the parking meter, on the pay-by-space or pay-and-display machine, or on posted signs. No person shall deposit in a parking meter or pay-by-space/pay-and-display machine any coins, currency, or city prepaid parking card for the purpose of extending the parking time of a vehicle beyond the designated maximum time allowed for parking. (Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(ix); Ord. 2000-007 § 10; prior code § 25.08.139)

No person shall deface, injure, tamper with, open or wilfully break, destroy or impair the usefulness of any parking meter or any pay-by-space or pay-and-display machine installed under the provisions of this title. (Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(x); Ord. 2000-007 § 11; prior code § 25.08.140)

Each police officer or parking enforcement officer shall take the number of any parking meter space at which any vehicle is overparked, as provided in the title, the state vehicle license of the vehicle and the time and date of the overparking. The police officer or parking enforcement officer shall then issue, in writing, a citation for illegal parking in the form and subject to the procedure provided for by law and the city code applicable to parking violations within the city. (Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(xi); 2000-007 § 12; prior code § 25.08.141)

The money required to be deposited in parking meters and pay-by-space/pay-and-display machines as provided in this title is hereby levied and assessed as fees to provide for the proper regulation and control of traffic upon the public streets, to provide for public vehicular off-street parking facilities and to cover the cost of the supervision, inspection, installation, maintenance, control and use of the parking spaces and regulating parking of vehicles in the parking meter zones. (Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(xii); Ord. 2000-007 § 13; prior code § 25.08.142)