Quick and Comprehensive Guide to Curb Color Meanings

Thanks to colored curbs, people can easily tell if they can park or drop off passengers in a specific area with a single glance. Here’s a quick guide to curb colors and their meanings:

• Red curbs – You cannot park, stop, or load passengers or goods.
• White curbs – You can quickly pick up or drop off passengers.
• Yellow curbs – You can load and unload goods and passengers.
• Green curbs – You can park here for a short time.
• Blue curbs – You can only park here if you’re a handicapped driver.

Why Are Curbs Colored?

The curbs along the road’s edges have color for the driver’s convenience. Each color represents what you are and aren’t allowed to do in that specific area.

For example, a red curb means you cannot unload passengers there, while a white curb indicates you’re free to unload passengers. It’s far easier to color curbs than it’s to place signs that people will have to slow down to read.

5 Curb Colors

One quick look is all it takes for a driver to know what they can or cannot do when they’re nearing a curb. Curbs come in five different colors:

• Red
• White
• Yellow
• Green
• Blue

Red Curbs

Parking: No

Passenger Loading: No

Commercial Loading: No

The red curbs, also known as red zones, indicate that you cannot stop or park your vehicle in that area. They reduce traffic and maximize the safety of the public.

A car parked at the corner of an intersection could limit the visibility of drivers in the area, increasing the risk of accidents. Red zones help prevent that from happening.

Red zones are typically found on roads that must stay as visible and uncongested as possible. You can expect to see these curbs around areas dedicated to public transit, law enforcement, and first responders like firefighters and medics.

White Curbs

Parking: No

Passenger Loading: Yes

Commercial Loading: No

Colored curb markings in white, also known as white zones, indicate that you can stop long enough to either pick up or drop off passengers, but you can’t park your vehicle.

Most white-painted curbs share the same meaning as colorless curbs.

Cars are not allowed to stop, stand, or park by a white curb unless it’s to load or unload passengers, or to deposit mail in a mailbox.

Passengers have a 3-minute time limit to enter or exit the vehicle. These white curbs prevent road congestion by encouraging drivers to load passengers as quickly and efficiently as possible.

White zones are typically found in busy areas such as schools, hospitals, or hotels.

Yellow Curbs

Parking: No

Passenger Loading: Yes

Commercial Loading: Yes

A yellow-colored curb marking means you’re free to make short stops to load and unload both passengers and goods. Unfortunately, this means parking is out of the question.

Commercial drivers like deliverymen for Amazon and FedEx are allowed to park and exit their vehicles to drop off packages, but regular drivers are forbidden.

Most yellow zones are in areas with businesses that require the steady loading and unloading of goods and passengers.

There’s also a possibility that a yellow curb could mean differently, depending on which coast you’re in.

West Coast yellow curbs permit commercial loading and sometimes passenger loading and unloading for up to five minutes.

In most cases, restrictions for yellow curbs are only in effect from Monday to Saturday, which usually runs from seven in the morning until six in the evening.

Meanwhile, yellow curbs in the East Coast generally mean that parking is prohibited, which is the same case for red zones.

Green Curbs

Parking: Yes for short periods of time.

Passenger Loading: No

Commercial Loading: No

Green curbs, also known as green zones, are exclusively for short-term parking. This color indicates that you can park your car next to the curb, but only for a fixed amount of time.

The time limit depends from curb to curb, so you’ll need to keep an eye out for the specific limit to avoid parking tickets.

Blue Curbs

Parking: Yes, but for handicapped drivers only

Passenger Loading: No

Commercial Loading: No

These curbs, also known as blue zones, indicate all-day parking spots for disabled drivers.

The vehicles of people with disabilities have distinguishable license plates and placards. Only cars with these plates can use blue zones.

Blue zones are typically found in residential areas. However, you can also spot them in commercial areas, providing comfortable and accessible parking to disabled drivers.

What Happens if I Don’t Follow Colored Curb Laws?

Failing to know the colored curb meanings could land you in trouble, especially if you park in no-parking zones or leave your car in a green zone for too long. Here are some of the consequences you could face if you’re not careful with following curb laws and regulations.

You Could Get Fined

Taking too long to unload passengers in a white zone or leaving your car parked in a green zone over the indicated time limit is illegal. You could receive a parking ticket or a hefty fine for failing to comply with curb zone laws.

Your Vehicle Could Get Towed

Parking your vehicle in a white or red zone is illegal. If you leave your car unattended in a place where it shouldn’t be, authorities might have it towed.

Other Consequences

Failing to learn the curb zone laws and repeating offenses could damage your credit score, especially if you fail to pay any of your parking tickets or fines. If you’re negligent, debt collectors could get involved.

Failing to pay parking tickets could also get your car impounded and your driver’s license revoked, leaving you without a vehicle and a license to drive.

Processing Curb Colors

Contrary to popular belief, curbs aren’t painted randomly. Processing these road signs requires an application process followed by an inspection for zone approval.

The appropriate authorities will need to pay a non-refundable application fee, which already covers the site assessment, public notification, and hearing process.

In most cases, white, green, red, and general loading zones require application fees. There are, however, some white and general loading zones that might qualify for a fee exemption.

For example, government agencies and some non-profit organizations that provide services to senior citizens and people with disabilities are exempted from application fees when requesting to have their curbs colored.

Site assessments are usually conducted about a month after the application. Once the application has been approved, a public notice will be issued and a hearing will be held.