Driveway Red Zones

Driveway Red Zones provide additional clearance for vehicles accessing off-street parking. They are installed next to active residential and commercial driveways. They are typically two feet long and installed on both sides of a driveway. It is illegal to park in any red curb and vehicles parked in red curb are subject to towing and citation.  

Requirements

Before applying please be aware of the following requirements and considerations:

1. Proof of vehicle storage - applicant must provide photos demonstrating that the garage is accessible and used for vehicle storage.
2. Curb adjacent to the driveway must be undamaged in order for it to be eligible for painting.
3. If the proposed red curb will cross the neighbor's property line, the applicant must contact their neighbor and inform them of the proposed change. In some cases, neighbor consent will be required.
4. The property must have a properly constructed standard-sized driveway with curb cuts. 

Additional Considerations and Reasons for Denial 

Before applying please be aware that Driveway Red Zones provide additional space to access off-street parking, and applications for Driveway Red Zones may be denied if a survey shows them to be unnecessary in the requested location. 

In addition, an application for a Driveway Red Zone may be denied, if the Driveway Red Zone would render the adjacent public curb space too small to fit a car. Or if the Red Zone would render the adjacent public curb space too small to fit a car, it may be recommended that the red curb be painted WITHIN the driveway on the slope of the driveway instead of on the curb in order to ensure that a parking space is not eliminated.

Non-confirming/oversized driveways may also result in the denial of a Driveway Red Zone. Per San Francisco Planning Department a standard driveway is (10’) feet long by (3’) feet wide including (18”) inches for the wings.

Any alterations to an official driveway red zone painted by the SFMTA, such as painting a clear coat or extending the zone, will invalidate the zone and it will be grayed out.

Fees 

Driveway Red Zones require application and installation fees for unmetered streets and streets with Pay or Permit regulations. There are no Driveway Red Zone fees for streets where everyone (residents and visitors) must pay the meter. Because application fees are non-refundable, please carefully assess your driveway prior to applying.  

Each site is surveyed within 60 days after the application fee is paid. The Surveyor approval notice will be sent to the applicant with the paint fee invoice. Please make sure to read the details of the approval notice and make sure to comply with any additional conditions included with your approval. The survey is valid for 6 months from the completion date. After this period, a new application fee will be required. If the Surveyor recommends red curb that crosses into a neighboring frontage, the applicant will be responsible for contacting the impacted neighbor about the proposed changes so that they have the opportunity to comment on the proposed red curb. In some cases, neighbor consent may be required prior to the red curb being installed. The installation fee is due only when and if the application has been approved and should not be combined with the application fee. 

Apply for a driveway red zone.