Ontario — Parking

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the City of Ontario's local development code requires for parking, including off-street vehicle parking, loading, bicycle parking, dimensions, and rules for reductions or shared arrangements. The city's off-street parking and loading rules live in Division 6.03 of the Ontario Development Code (the Development Code functions as the municipality's zoning/regulatory text) and apply across the city's residential, commercial, mixed‑use, and industrial districts. The practical rules below point you to the controlling sections and tables you will need when preparing plans or a parking analysis. See the city's zoning overview for how parking fits into broader approvals and zoning requirements.

(First mentions: "parking" links to the city's Development Standards; this page assumes you are working with the Development Code chapters summarized here.)

Core rules at a glance

• Applicability: Off‑street parking and loading requirements apply when a lot is developed, a new building is constructed, a use is established or intensified, or a building's GFA/seating increases beyond thresholds. See § 6.03.005.
• Required counts and how to compute them: The required parking by land use is Table 6.03‑1; rounding rules and computation by GFA are in § 6.03.015.
• Design/dimensions: Minimum stall, aisle, driveway, and loading dimensions are in Table 6.03‑2 (design standards) and § 6.03.045.
• Bicycle parking and EV/fuel‑efficient stalls: Bicycle parking and low‑emission/EV spaces follow CALGreen/Title 24 rules as required by § 6.03.035 and § 6.03.040; the Development Code defers to those state standards.
• Disabled parking: Accessible stalls must comply with current state accessibility regulations and count toward minimums per § 6.03.030.
• Loading: Off‑street loading standards (location, screening, dimensions, and minimum numbers for certain uses) are in § 6.03.055.

For design review or discretionary relief that affects parking configuration, consult the city's Design Review and Variances and Exceptions procedures. For overlay‑specific changes (e.g., historical or airport overlays), check the Overlay Districts rules.

District-by-district breakdown (parking-focused)

Below are the actual district labels used in the Development Code with the parking- and development‑standards that are relevant to them. For permitted land uses consult the Land Use Matrix and the applicable district chapter (see the cited tables).

LDR-5 (Low Density Residential — LDR-5)

• Purpose / typical uses: low‑density single‑family residential; density range 2.1–5.0 DU/acre shown in Table 6.01‑2C.
• Key parking standards: Single‑family traditional development requires 2 spaces per dwelling within a garage; small‑lot/common‑interest projects require 2 resident spaces per dwelling within a garage plus 0.2 guest spaces per dwelling (Table 6.03‑1). § 6.03.015 and Table 6.03‑1 control.
• Where it applies: residential neighborhoods mapped as LDR‑5 in the Development Code; small‑lot infill special rules apply (see small‑lot notes in Division 6.01).

MDR-11 (Medium Density Residential — MDR-11)

• Purpose / typical uses: attached multi‑family housing at 5.1–11.0 DU/acre; examples and development standards in Table 6.01‑3 and Figures 6.01‑3A/B.
• Key parking standards: Multiple‑family resident parking by unit type: studio 1.5; 1‑bed 1.75; 2‑bed 2.0; 3+ bed 2.5 spaces per dwelling (including one space in garage/carport where required). Guest parking formula depends on project size and is in Table 6.03‑1. § 6.03.015 and Table 6.03‑1 apply.

MDR-18 / MDR-25 (Medium/High — MDR-18, MDR-25)

• Purpose / typical uses: higher multi‑family densities (MDR‑18: 11.1–18.0 DU/acre; MDR‑25: 18.1–25.0 DU/acre) with corresponding open‑space and parking expectations in Tables 6.01‑3 and 6.01‑4.
• Key parking standards: Same multiple‑family formulas apply (Table 6.03‑1) and a Parking Management Plan is required for 3+ unit projects; parking assignment rules and CC&R inclusion are mandatory per § 6.03.015.F.

HDR-45 (High Density Residential — HDR-45)

• Purpose / typical uses: highest residential density (25.1–45.0 DU/acre) for compact multi‑family or mixed‑form housing.
• Key parking standards: Multiple‑family parking rates and guest parking rules from Table 6.03‑1 apply; note special open‑space and design rules that may affect parking layout (see Table 6.01‑4). § 6.03.015 and Table 6.03‑1.

BP, IP, IL, IG, IH (Business & Industrial — BP, IP, IL, IG, IH)

• Purpose / typical uses: business park and industrial districts with varying intensities; industrial table (Table 6.01‑10) and parking standards address business parks, manufacturing, and general industrial building types.
• Key parking standards: Industrial uses are regulated in Table 6.03‑1: examples include manufacturing: 1.85 spaces/1,000 SF (with tractor‑trailer parking one space per 4 dock‑high doors where applicable), and multi‑tenant business parks: 3 spaces/1,000 SF plus trailer parking provisions. Loading and truck staging are tightly regulated by § 6.03.055 (screening, no backing to public streets, location).

MHP (Mobilehome Park — MHP)

• Purpose / typical uses: mobilehome parks; project design and parking are defined in the mobilehome park standards.
• Key parking standards: Mobilehome parks follow Division 6.03 for off‑street parking and have project‑specific requirements (e.g., 2 resident spaces per dwelling or as specified in Table 6.03‑1 for mobilehome parks).

Notes:

• Where the district table or land‑use matrix is needed to confirm permitted uses, consult Table 5.01‑1 (Land Use Matrix) and the district chapters in Division 6.01; those references appear throughout the Development Code (see Table of Contents entries).
• For accessory dwelling units (ADUs), off‑street parking exceptions appear in the ADU rules in Division 5.03; ADU parking is treated specially (examples: no ADU parking required in certain transit‑proximate situations). See the ADU off‑street parking subsection.

Key standards table (decision‑relevant extracts)

Practical guidance & interpretation

• Use Table 6.03‑1 as the starting point: compute resident and guest spaces separately, follow rounding rules in § 6.03.015.E (fractions of 0.5 or greater round up).
• If your proposed use is not listed in Table 6.03‑1, the Zoning Administrator will set an appropriate requirement based on comparable uses (§ 6.03.010.C). Be prepared to submit a parking demand analysis if seeking a shared‑parking or low‑demand reduction.
• Bicycle parking and EV/fuel‑efficient spaces follow state rules (CALGreen / Title 24). For compliance with those technical standards consult the California Building Standards Code and include the bike racks and access paths on site plans. § 6.03.035 and § 6.03.040 reference CALGreen.
• For ADUs, the Development Code contains explicit off‑street parking exceptions (e.g., transit proximity, historic district, ADU within existing primary residence) — check the ADU subrules in Division 5.03 before assuming an extra stall is required.
• For large commercial/office developments (150+ stalls) expect circulation requirements (primary drive aisles unencumbered for 100 ft+ behind the street property line) per § 6.03.045.A.2–4.

Checklist

• Confirm whether the project triggers Division 6.03 applicability (new building, CUP, >5% GFA increase, new seating). See § 6.03.005.
• Calculate required stalls using Table 6.03‑1 and the rounding rules in § 6.03.015.
• Verify stall/aisle/driveway dimensions and clearances follow Table 6.03‑2 / § 6.03.045; dimension plan accordingly.
• Include required accessible stalls per § 6.03.030 (state rules) and mark them.
• Provide bicycle parking and any carpool/EV stalls per § 6.03.035 / § 6.03.040 and CALGreen (Title 24).
• If loading required, show loading stalls, screening, and no‑backing design per § 6.03.055.
• If proposing shared or reduced parking, prepare a Shared Parking Agreement or Low Demand Parking Reduction Agreement and parking analysis per § 6.03.020.
• For multiple‑family projects provide a Parking Management Plan and include required language in CC&Rs per § 6.03.015.F.
• Coordinate lighting, screening, and landscaping with Divisions 6.05 (landscaping) and the parking‑lot lighting rules (§ 6.03.050).

Verify with the jurisdiction for parcel‑specific interpretations or potential overlays that alter parking (see Overlay Districts).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Ontario requires off‑street parking and loading per its Development Code: count spaces using Table 6.03‑1, design stalls and aisles to Table 6.03‑2 sizes, provide bicycle and accessible parking per state rules, and follow loading‑area screening and no‑backing rules; reductions or shared parking need formal agreements and, for multi‑family projects, a Parking Management Plan must be recorded. Key code anchors include § 6.03.005 (when rules apply), § 6.03.015 (how many spaces), § 6.03.045 (dimensions), § 6.03.035 (bicycles), and § 6.03.055 (loading).

Source References

• Division 6.03 — Off‑Street Parking and Loading (Purpose, Applicability, General Requirements): § 6.03.000, § 6.03.005, § 6.03.010.
• Required Number of Off‑Street Parking Spaces and Table 6.03‑1: § 6.03.015, Table 6.03‑1.
• Reduction, Shared Parking, Low Demand Agreements, and Tandem Parking: § 6.03.020, § 6.03.025.
• Parking for the Physically Disabled: § 6.03.030.
• Bicycle parking and fuel‑efficient vehicle parking (references to CALGreen/Title 24): § 6.03.035, § 6.03.040.
• Off‑Street Parking Design Standards (dimensions; Table 6.03‑2): § 6.03.045, Table 6.03‑2.
• Parking Lot Lighting: § 6.03.050.
• Off‑Street Loading Standards and screening: § 6.03.055.
• District development standards and residential density tables (LDR‑5, MDR‑11, MDR‑18, MDR‑25, HDR‑45): Division 6.01 tables and figures (e.g., Table 6.01‑2C, Table 6.01‑3, Table 6.01‑4).
• ADU off‑street parking rules (exceptions and special rules): Division 5.03 (Accessory Dwelling Units) — Off‑Street Parking subsection.

Retrieved passages

• Ontario Zoning Code (Article have) High relevance show source text
• CGBSC § 6.03.020 (Section 6.03.020) High relevance show source text
• Ontario Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Ontario Zoning Code (Section 4.02.015) High relevance show source text
• CGBSC § 6.03.020 (Section 6.03.020) High relevance show source text
• Ontario Zoning Code (Section 4-11.08) High relevance show source text
• Ontario Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• CBC § 2026 (Article have) Medium relevance show source text
• Ontario Zoning Code (Section 6.03.020) High relevance show source text
• CFC § 045 Medium relevance show source text
• Ontario Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Ontario Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Ontario Zoning Code (Section 6.03.020) Medium relevance show source text
• Ontario Zoning Code (Section and) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Division 6.03 — Off‑Street Parking and Loading (Purpose, Applicability, General Requirements): **§ 6.03.000**, **§ 6.03.005**, **§ 6.03.010**. (§ 6.03.000)
• Required Number of Off‑Street Parking Spaces and Table 6.03‑1: **§ 6.03.015**, Table 6.03‑1. (§ 6.03.015)
• Reduction, Shared Parking, Low Demand Agreements, and Tandem Parking: **§ 6.03.020**, **§ 6.03.025**. (§ 6.03.020)
• Parking for the Physically Disabled: **§ 6.03.030**. (§ 6.03.030)
• Bicycle parking and fuel‑efficient vehicle parking (references to CALGreen/Title 24): **§ 6.03.035**, **§ 6.03.040**. (Title 24)
• Off‑Street Parking Design Standards (dimensions; Table 6.03‑2): **§ 6.03.045**, Table 6.03‑2. (§ 6.03.045)
• Parking Lot Lighting: **§ 6.03.050**. (§ 6.03.050)
• Off‑Street Loading Standards and screening: **§ 6.03.055**. (§ 6.03.055)
• District development standards and residential density tables (LDR‑5, MDR‑11, MDR‑18, MDR‑25, HDR‑45): Division 6.01 tables and figures (e.g., Table 6.01‑2C, Table 6.01‑3, Table 6.01‑4).
• ADU off‑street parking rules (exceptions and special rules): Division 5.03 (Accessory Dwelling Units) — Off‑Street Parking subsection.
• Ontario_ZoningCode.md

• Official Ontario code library