Parking Regulations

General Information

The Code Compliance Office, Bowie Police Department, and Bowie Park Rangers enforce parking regulations of the Bowie City Code. Chapter 14 applies to on-street parking, Chapter 17 City Park regulations, and Chapter 26 parking restrictions on residential property. The Code Compliance Office and the Bowie Police Department share responsibilities for the enforcement of most on-street parking violations.

There are additional parking restrictions governed by State and County laws, zoning and private property regulations. These include:

On-Street Parking

Car on streetA vehicle must be parked:

  • Outside any crosswalk
  • 15 ft. or more from a fire hydrant
  • Beyond 25 ft. from a Stop sign
  • Outside a designated fire lane.
  • Beyond 3 ft. of a driveway entrance.
  • 30 ft. or more from an intersecting street.
  • 3 ft. or more from the vehicle parked to the front or to the rear.
  • With all wheels on street pavement.
  • Right wheels to the curb and within 12 inches of the curb.
  • Not blocking a public sidewalk, including that portion of the driveway.
  • No longer than 72 hrs. without being moved one full vehicle length.
  • At a location which provides the width of the open roadway of 8
    feet or more.

Prohibited On-Street Parking

Commercial truckVehicles prohibited from being parked on a City street:

Abandoned or Inoperative Vehicles. Any car, trailer or semi-trailer which is parked illegally, does not have valid registration plates displayed for that vehicle, one or more flat tires, a motor vehicle unable to be moved under its own power (dead battery, engine or transmission missing), partially dismantled, wrecked or missing a fender, steering wheel, bumper, hood, etc.

Commercial Vehicles. Any tow truck, stake platform truck, commercial trailer, tractor-trailer, and vehicles used for carrying freight, merchandise or in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise with a load space exceeding 300 cubic feet, containing advertising or lettering or graphics exceeding 4 inches in height or has a gross vehicle weight of 7500 lbs. or more.

Parked During a Snow Emergency. The accumulation of snow and ice accumulation to a depth of 2 inches constitutes a snow emergency. The snow emergency remains in effect until the snow accumulation has been cleared. Vehicles may not be parked on a City street during a snow emergency.

Where prohibited by sign or other designation. This includes fire lanes, handicapped parking space, no parking areas and residential parking districts.

Campers, boat trailers, cargo and personal trailers, buses, unless during the immediate loading and unloading of passengers or merchandise.


Parking on Residential Lots

Car without tagsVehicles parked on residential lots must be "operative", parked on a "paved surface" and in compliance with zoning regulations.

Vehicles prohibited from parking on a residential lot* include:

1. "Inoperative vehicles". Any motor vehicle, trailer, camping vehicle or boat trailer that:

  • Is partially dismantled or wrecked,
  • Is missing a transmission, engine, fender, steering wheel, window, or hood,
  • Has one or more flat tires,
  • Motor vehicle unable to move under its own power,
  • Is not displaying valid registration plates for the vehicle.

2. "Commercial Vehicles". Any commercial vehicle that:

  • Has 300 cubic feet or more of load space,
  • The manufacturer's gross vehicle weight exceeds 7,500 lbs.,
  • Has dual rear wheels,
  • The lettering, insignia, icon, graphics is greater than 4 inches in height,
  • Is a tow truck,
  • Is a stake platform trucks, or
  • Is a crane

* Unless parked within a private parking garage