For our friends and family in the WHMA community: we like to share items of interest for each of you and feel that sometimes we may not know or understand the laws. Parking is something most of us have to contend with on a daily basis. We hope this will be of interest to you and we want you to feel free to share it if needed. Follow this link for a PDF of the WHMA document.
Section 545.302
(a) An operator may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle:
(1) on the roadway side of a vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street;
(2) on a sidewalk;
(3) in an intersection;
(4) on a crosswalk;
(5) between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or within 30 feet of a place on the curb immediately opposite the ends of a safety zone, unless the governing body of a municipality designates a different length by signs or markings;
(6) alongside or opposite a street excavation or obstruction if stopping, standing, or parking the vehicle would obstruct traffic;
(7) on a bridge or other elevated structure on a highway or in a highway tunnel;
(8) on a railroad track; or
(9) where an official sign prohibits stopping.
(b) An operator may not, except momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger, stand or park an occupied or unoccupied vehicle:
(1) in front of a public or private driveway;
(2) within 15 feet of a fire hydrant;
(3) within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection;
(4) within 30 feet on the approach to a flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign, or traffic-control signal located at the side of a roadway;
(5) within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to a fire station and on the side of a street opposite the entrance to a fire station within 75 feet of the entrance, if the entrance is properly marked with a sign; or
(6) where an official sign prohibits standing.
(c) An operator may not, except temporarily to load or unload merchandise or passengers, park an occupied or unoccupied vehicle:
(1) within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing; or
(2) where an official sign prohibits parking.
(d) A person may stop, stand, or park a bicycle on a sidewalk if the bicycle does not impede the normal and reasonable movement of pedestrian or other traffic on the sidewalk.
Section 545.303
(a) An operator who stops or parks on a two-way roadway shall do so with the right-hand wheels of the vehicle parallel to and within 18 inches of the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.
(b) An operator who stops or parks on a one-way roadway shall stop or park the vehicle parallel to the curb or edge of the roadway in the direction of authorized traffic movement with the right-hand wheels within 18 inches of the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway or the left-hand wheels within 18 inches of the left-hand curb or edge of the roadway. This subsection does not apply where a local ordinance otherwise regulates stopping or parking on the one-way roadway.
(c) A local authority by ordinance may permit angle parking on a roadway. This subsection does not apply to a federal-aid or state highway unless the director of the Texas Department of Transportation determines that the roadway is wide enough to permit angle parking without interfering with the free movement of traffic.
(d) The Texas Department of Transportation, on a highway under the jurisdiction of that department, may place signs prohibiting or restricting the stopping, standing, or parking of a vehicle on the highway where the director of the Texas Department of Transportation determines that stopping, standing, or parking is dangerous to, or would unduly interfere with, the free movement of traffic on the highway.
(e) To the extent of any conflict between Subsection (a) or (b) and a municipal ordinance adopted under Section 545.302(g) , the ordinance controls.
There are a number of Texas parking laws that tell companies how they are allowed to remove an illegally parked vehicle. To find a similar Texas parking law, visit the official website of the Texas legislature.
The laws above and more can be found at:
https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/transportation-code/transp-sect-545-302.html
