LA County begins 'daylighting' law parking enforcement: What to know
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has officially begun active enforcement of California's "daylighting" law and a local nonconforming vehicle ordinance.
What we know:
The LASD announced that parking enforcement officers are actively writing tickets for two specific parking violations.
The first is California's "daylighting" law, which has been active since January 1, 2025.
The law prohibits parking within 20 feet of the approach side of a marked or unmarked crosswalk, or within 15 feet of the approach side of any crosswalk with a curb extension.
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The second regulation is LA County's nonconforming vehicle ordinance. Under this legislation, certain oversized and specific vehicles are restricted to designated parking areas within unincorporated parts of LA County.
Both violations result in a $63 fine.
However, the nonconforming vehicle ordinance also includes a provision allowing authorities to tow vehicles. If a vehicle is impounded, the owners are fully responsible for all removal and storage costs.
What we don't know:
The sheriff's department has not specified the exact number of citations issued since active enforcement began, nor have they provided a specific list of the unincorporated neighborhoods seeing the highest volume of enforcement.
What they're saying:
According to the LASD, the primary motivation behind the strict adherence to the crosswalk law is public safety.
"The purpose of the law is to improve visibility at intersections, making it easier for drivers to see pedestrians and for pedestrians to see approaching traffic," the LASD said in a statement.
With enforcement now fully underway, local officials are urging the public to double-check their surroundings before walking away from their cars.
"LASD encourages motorists to take a few moments to familiarize themselves with these parking regulations before leaving their vehicles," the department added.
What you can do:
To avoid a $63 ticket or a costly tow, drivers should measure their distance from crosswalks when parking near intersections, ensuring they leave at least 20 feet of open space (or roughly the length of one large SUV) before a crosswalk.
Owners of oversized vehicles should review LA County's specific vehicle code ordinances to ensure they are only parking in authorized zones within unincorporated areas.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.