The following violations are listed on the City of Columbia parking citation. These are the most common violations. The City of Columbia also enforces state regulations concerning parking and traffic. Be advised that ordinances below may not be full and complete, to find further information on each ordinances below, please go to the following link:
https://library.municode.com/sc/columbia/codes/code_of_ordinances
1. Handicapped Parking $500.00
2. Residential Parking Permit $25.00
3. Parking Overtime $8.00
4. Parking Wrong Side of Street $15.00
5. Parking Improperly $7.00
6. Parking in “No Parking” Area $20.00
7. Parking in Bus/Taxi Zone $20.00
8. Double Parking $20.00
9. Blocking Driveway $20.00
10. Meter Ord. (Meter Expired)$8.00
11. Blocking Sidewalk $20.00
12. Loading Zone $15.00
13. Reserved Parking Area $ 20.00
14. Refeeding Meter $12.00
15. Tree Zone $20.00
16. Keys in Unattended Vehicle $25.00
17. 2nd Violation Same Meter $12.00
18. 3rd Violation Same Meter $17.00
PARKING ORDINANCES
Sec. 12-41 – Unattended motor vehicles
It shall be unlawful for any person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle to leave such vehicle unattended on any street, alley, other public property, or new or used car lot, or on any private parking lot to which the general public is invited and at which there is not attendant, without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition and removing the ignition key from the vehicle; provided, however, the provisions of this section shall not be applicable to vehicles used for public transportation, vehicles used for delivery and emergency purposes, or vehicles owned and operated for governmental purposes by the city, county or state. Whenever any police officer shall find a motor vehicle standing unattended with the ignition key in the vehicle in violation of this section, such police officer shall prepare a citation against the owner of the vehicle and shall affix the citation to the vehicle. The registered owner of a vehicle found in violation shall be held responsible for any such violation.
Sec. 12-43 – Parking prohibited during certain hours in designated places
When signs are erected in each block giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle between the hours so designated on any day except Sundays and public holidays.
Sec. 12-44 – Parking time limited in designated places
When signs are erected in each block giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle for longer than the period and between the hours so designated except on Sundays and public holidays.
Sec. 12-45 – Stopping, standing or parking in loading zone
No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle for any purpose or period of time other than for the expeditious loading or unloading of passengers in any place marked as a passenger zone during hours when the regulations applicable to such passenger zone are effective, and then only for a period not to exceed three minutes.
No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle for any purpose or length of time other than for expeditious unloading and delivery or pickup and loading of materials in any place marked as a loading zone during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday. In no case shall the stop for loading and unloading of materials exceed 30 minutes. Unless otherwise posted by the traffic engineer, any vehicle may occupy a loading zone on Sunday, or for a period not to exceed 15 minutes after 11:00 a.m. and before 8:00 a.m. on Monday through Saturday.
Sec. 12-46 – Use of bus and taxicab stands
No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle other than a bus in a bus stop or other than a taxicab in a taxicab stand when any such stop or stand has been officially designated and appropriately signed, except that the driver of a passenger vehicle may temporarily stop therein for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading passengers when such stopping does not interfere with any bus or taxicab waiting to enter or about to enter such zone.
Sec. 12-47 – Manner of parking generally; angle parking; permit for backing up to curb
No person shall stand or park a vehicle in a roadway other than parallel with the edge of the roadway, headed in the direction of traffic, and with the curbside wheels of the vehicle within 18 inches of the edge of the roadway, except as follows:
(1) Upon those streets which have been marked or signed for only parking, vehicles shall be parked at an angle to the curb indicated by such marks or signs and headed in the direction of traffic.
(2) In places where and at hours when stopping for the loading and unloading of merchandise or materials is permitted, vehicles used for the transportation of merchandise or materials may back into the curb to take on or discharge loads when the owner of such vehicle holds a permit granting him such privilege, and such permit shall be either in the possession of the driver of on the vehicle at the time such vehicle is backed against the curb to take on or discharge a load, and it shall be unlawful for any owner or driver to violate nay of the special terms or conditions of any such special permit.
Sec. 12-48 – Parking between roadway and adjacent property line
It shall be unlawful for any person to stand or park a vehicle upon that portion of a street between the curb lines or the lateral lines of a roadway and adjacent property lines.
Sec. 12-49 – Parking for certain purposes prohibited
No person shall stand or park a vehicle upon any roadway for the principal purpose of:
(1) Displaying it for sale; and/or
(2) Washing, greasing or repairing such vehicle, except repairs necessitated by an emergency.
Sec. 12-50 – Responsibility of vehicle owner for illegal parking
No person shall allow, permit or suffer any vehicle registered in his name, or which he has leased or rented from another person, to stand or park in any street in the city in violation of any of the ordinances of this city regulating the standing or parking of vehicles.
Sec. 12-51 – Use of loading zones
(a) Parking places marked as loading zones shall be used only by vehicles actually engaged in loading or unloading, pickup or delivery of merchandise to or from a business which can be served from the loading zone within a period of 30 minutes.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any vehicle, regardless of size or tonnage, to occupy any loading zone unless the owner has first obtained an annual permit from the chief of police, which shall run from July 1 to June 30. The chief of police shall issue permits only for those vehicles which have as their principal business purpose the transporting of goods and merchandise, and he shall collect an annual fee of $5.00 for one vehicle permit, provided that additional vehicles under the same ownership may be issued permits for a fee of $2.00 each.
(c) The owner of any vehicle found in violation of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable, upon conviction, in accordance with section 1-5, and the permit, if any, issued for the vehicle, shall be revoked in addition to other penalties provided by law.
Sec. 12-52 – Certain parked vehicles declared nuisance
Any vehicle parked continuously in any metered parking space for 24 hours or more or parked on any street or other public property, whether in an authorized or unauthorized zone, which is found to be the subject of $50.00 or more past due on outstanding bonds under the city parking ordinance, is hereby declared to be a public nuisance.
Sec. 12-53 – Immobilization and impoundment of vehicles
(a) Authorized; procedure; fee. Any vehicle identified as a public nuisance may be impounded by the city by giving authorization to a commercial towing or wrecker service to tow the vehicle away and store it in a safe place until claimed by the owner or by immobilizing it in such a manner as to prevent its operation.
(1) Immobilization shall be at the direction of a city police officer or other city employee charged with such responsibility.
(2) Upon immobilization, the officer or employee shall place upon the vehicle a notice sufficient to warn vehicle has been immobilized and that any attempt to move or drive it may result in damage. Such notice shall also inform the owner or driver of the reason for immobilization and the amount of the outstanding bonds then due.
(3) Immobilization shall remain in place for 48 hours unless sooner released in accordance with subsection (b) of this section. If compliance with subsection (b) of this section has not occurred within 48 hours, the vehicle shall be towed and impounded.
(4) The owner of the vehicle immobilized or towed shall have the right to be heard on the validity of the action taken by the city if a hearing is requested within 15 days of immobilization. Such hearing shall be in municipal court.
(5) The owner of an immobilized vehicle shall be subject to a fee of $35.00 for the immobilization, which fee shall be exclusive of any bonds posed, fines imposed or storage costs assessed.
(b) Release of vehicle to owner.
(1) No impounded vehicle shall be released without satisfactory proof of ownership. The owner of a towed or immobilized vehicle may secure its release by:
(a) Posting the bond required by the municipal court for his appearance to contest the validity of the actions of the city and to answer for the parking violations.
(b) Paying all outstanding parking bonds then due, together with the fee imposed by subsection (a)(5) of this section.
(2) Towing and storage charges of a commercial towing or wrecker service shall be the responsibility of the owner.
Sec. 12-71 – Meter zone establishment
The city council may establish by resolution from time to time, as traffic conditions require, zones to be known as parking meter zones upon such streets of the city as are selected by the city council for the location of such meters, and in such parking meter zones the city manager shall cause parking meters to be installed and shall cause parking meter spaces to be designated as provided in this division.
Sec. 12-72 – Location and operation of meters
(a) Parking meters installed in the parking meter zones established by the provisions of this division shall be placed upon the curb immediately adjacent to the individual parking places described in this division. Each parking meter shall be placed or set in such a manner as to show or display by a signal that the parking space adjacent to such meter is or is not legally in use.
Each parking meter shall be installed and set to display, upon the deposit of a $0.25 coin of the Untied States, a signal indicating legal parking for twenty (20) minutes, in such zones as are designated by the city council. Each meter shall also be arranged so that upon the expiration of the legal parking time it will indicate by a mechanical operation and the dropping of the proper signal that the lawful parking has expired.
(b) Subsection (b) is hereby repealed.
Sec. 12-73 – Marking of spaces; vehicles to be parked within marking
The city manager is hereby instructed to have lines or marking painted or placed upon the curb or upon the street adjacent to each parking meter for the purpose of designating the parking space for which such meter is to be used, and each vehicle parked alongside of or next to any parking meter shall park within the lines or markings so established. It shall be unlawful and a violation of this division to park any vehicle across any such line or making so designated by such lines or markings.
Sec. 12-74 – Parking position
When a parking space in any parking meter zone is parallel with the adjacent curb or sidewalk, any vehicle parked in such parking space shall be parked so that the foremost part of such vehicle shall be alongside of and nearest to the parking meter. When a parking space on any parking meter zone is diagonal to the curb or sidewalk, any vehicle parked in such parking space shall be parked with the foremost part of such vehicle directed at and nearest to such meter.
Sec. 12-75 – Deposit of coin
When any vehicle shall be parked in any space alongside or next to which a parking meter is located in accordance with the provisions of this division, the operator of such vehicle shall, upon entering the parking space, immediately deposit or cause to be deposited a coin of the United States in such parking meter, and the parking space may then be lawfully occupied by such vehicle during the period provided. If such vehicle shall remain parked in any such parking space beyond the parking time limit, the parking meter shall display a sign or signal showing illegal parking, and in that event such vehicle shall be considered as parked overtime and beyond the period of legal parking time, and the parking of a vehicle overtime or beyond the period of legal parking time in any such part of a street where any such meter is located shall be a violation of this division.
Sec. 12-76 – Overtime parking
It shall be unlawful for any person to cause, allow, permit or suffer any vehicle registered in his name, or which he has leased or rented from another person, to be parked longer than the maximum period of legal parking time established for any parking meter zone as described in this division, as shown on the face of the meter. The provisions of this section apply whether or not an additional coin is put in the meter after the vehicle has remained parked longer than the maximum period shown on the meter face.
Sec. 12-77 – Depositing slugs
It shall be unlawful to deposit or cause to be deposited in any parking meter any slug, device or metallic substitute for a coin of the United States.
Sec. 12-79 – Violations; citations; penalty
(a) It shall be the duty of police officers or other city employees charged by the City Manager with such responsibility to report:
(1) The number of each parking meter which indicates that the vehicle occupying the parking space adjacent to such parking meter is or has been parked in violation of any of the provisions of this division;
(2) The state license number of such vehicle; and
(3) Any other facts, a knowledge of which is necessary to a thorough understanding of the circumstances attending such violation.
(b) Each such police officer or employee shall also attach to such vehicle a notice to the owner thereof that such vehicle has been parked in violation of a provision of this division, stating the bond set by the city court in regard to such violation.
(c) In any parking meter zone, every hour or fraction of any hour of overtime parking shall constitute a separate offense.
(d) Persons who receive a parking ticket may elect to pay the bond amount of the parking ticket or they may invoke the right of trial upon their acceptance of a warrant in substitution of each parking ticket issued. Upon receiving a request for such trial, a warrant shall be issued and a courtesy copy of that warrant will be mailed to the owner’s address listed in the vehicle’s registration information along with the date and time of the trail. The original warrant will be served at the time of the trail. Service of a warrant vests the municipal court with jurisdiction to hear and dispose of the charge for which the warrant was issued and served. Upon conviction after trial, the person shall be punished for each violation in accordance with Sec. 1-5.
(a) All commercial trucks while actually loading and unloading are required to pull in to the curb without charge in metered spaces.
(b) Any commercial truck parked in a meter space longer than while actually loading and unloading will be in violation of this division.
(c) Disabled operators of vehicles bearing license plates issued by the state highway department indicating that the operator is disabled shall be exempt from the requirements of this division pertaining to deposit of coins in parking meters. All other parking and meter regulations, including overtime parking prohibitions, shall apply to such operators.
(d) Witnesses who testify or are subpoenaed to testify in criminal cases in the circuit court, while in attendance at court, shall not be subject to parking meter requirements for deposit of coins or overtime parking, and parking meter tickets certified by the clerk of court as exempt under this subsection shall be canceled.
Sec. 12-105 – Parking limitations; posting of signs
Upon designation by the council of a permit parking district, the traffic engineer shall designate within the district an adequate number of on-street parking spaces to reasonably ensure sufficient parking to residents and visitors of residents of the district.
In such district, appropriate signs giving notice of the designation of the district as a permit parking district will be posted restricting all parking during the hours specified on such signs, except parking by the holders of permits for that district granted under this division.
Sec. 12-106 – Resident and tenant permits
(a) When an area has been designated as a permit parking district, each residential unit in the particular district may be issued by the police department a maximum of two permits entitling owned vehicles to park in the restricted district. No vehicles shall receive a permit for more than one permit parking district at the same time.
(b) Upon showing proof of residency, any tenant living in a permit parking district who operates a vehicle may be issued, by the police department, a permit entitling such vehicle to park in the restricted district. A vehicle may be entitled to a permit during such time as the tenant resides at the location designated on the application for the permit itself, and the permit shall automatically become void when the tenant vacates that location.
Sec. 12-107 – Visitor permits
Every resident of a permit parking district shall be entitled to three portable visitor permits that shall be used for visitors of the residents of the area. Every tenant of the district shall be entitled to one portable visitor permit; provided that, if two or more tenants occupy the same rental unit, the tenants shall be entitled to a maximum of one visitor permits per living unit.
Sec. 12-108 – Special permits; exemptions
(a) Each resident and tenant of a permit parking district may obtain from the police department special parking permits for stated times on a temporary basis for meetings, gatherings, funerals, social occasions and similar events occurring at the residential unit of the individual requesting the special permit. Application for a special permit shall be made 24 hours in advance to the police department in writing stating the time and duration for which the permit is requested, the address and the approximate number of vehicles contemplated. It shall be unlawful for any person requesting a special permit to abuse this section or make false statements in requesting a special permit. Upon violation, the police department shall immediately cancel all permits issued to the individual and the individual shall be subject to prosecution for violation of this division.
(b) Any truck or vehicle providing repairs, deliveries or other services to a resident of the area shall be exempted from the provisions of this division.
Sec. 12-109 – Obedience to parking regulations
No permit issued pursuant to this division shall entitle a person to park a vehicle on yellow lines in bus stops, loading zones, or fire hydrant or other prohibited zones, or to violate any applicable parking law.
Sec. 12-111 – Permit fees
Annual fees will be charged as follows for permits issued under this division:
(1) Vehicle permits: $5.00 per vehicle.
(2) Visitor permits: $1.00 per vehicle.
(3) Transfer to another vehicle: $1.00 per vehicle.
Sec. 12-112 – Violations; citations; penalty
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, it shall be unlawful for any person to park a vehicle in a permit parking district without a permit or visitor permit during any posted hours.
(b) Upon violation of this division, there shall be attached to such vehicle a citation to the owner thereof that such vehicle has been parked in violation of a provision of this division, stating the bond set by the court for such violation. Every person convicted of a violation of any of the provisions of this division shall be punished for each such violation by a fine of not less than $25.00.
(c) Any vehicle parked in violation of a provision of this division for more than 12 hours shall constitute a public nuisance and shall be summarily towed at the expense of the owner.
Sec. 12-114 – Denial or cancellation of permit
The police department shall have the power to deny the issuance of a permit under this division or cancel an existing permit if the vehicle is not an owned vehicle or the vehicle does not meet the criteria of this division, or if any individual is abusing the rights and privileges granted under this division. Upon cancellation of a permit, it shall be unlawful to use it, and the holder shall surrender the permit to the police department immediately upon request.
Sec. 12-115 – Appeals
Any person aggrieved by the denial or cancellation of a permit under this division shall have the right to appeal such denial or cancellation to the Parking Services Director upon written notice within ten days of such denial or cancellation.
