Guide · 6 min read
How far from an intersection can you park in DC?
Updated October 2026 · Sources: DC parking regulations (§ 2405), the posted setback rules.
The short answer: 40 feet from the corner
On your side of the street, DC keeps you at least 40 feet back from the point where the curb lines of the two streets meet — roughly two and a half car lengths. On the far side of a one-way street the setback drops to 25 feet. And you may never park on the crosswalk itself, painted or not.
A stop or yield sign at the side of the roadway carries its own 25-foot setback on the approach side, so a signed corner is stricter than a bare one. The measurement runs back along the curb from the corner, not from painted stripes.
This trips up drivers from states that use a 20- or 25-foot crosswalk setback. DC measures from the corner. When in doubt, give up the space — corner spots are the single most reliably ticketed curb in the District because they look open all day.
Every DC setback, in one table
These apply on every DC street whether or not a sign or painted curb says so. DC almost never paints its corners, so absence of paint is not permission.
Swipe table →
| Curb feature | Keep back | How to judge it |
|---|---|---|
| Corner of two intersecting streets (your side) | 40 feet | About 2.5 sedan lengths back from where the curb lines meet |
| Corner on the far side of a one-way street | 25 feet | Roughly 1.5 sedan lengths back from the far corner |
| Crosswalk (marked or unmarked) | Never on it | No setback — the crossing itself must stay clear |
| Stop sign or yield sign | 25 feet | Measured from the sign, on the approach side |
| Fire hydrant | 10 feet | Both directions along the curb; towable |
| Driveway or alley entrance | 5 feet | Any overlap of the apron is a tow risk |
| Fire station driveway | 20 feet | Any hour, whether or not an engine is rolling |
| Curb ramp or corner ramp | Never block | No distance — the ramp must stay fully clear |
Time-based rules — sweeping, rush hour, RPP — stack on top of these. They are all in the DC street parking rules guide.
Why corners get ticketed so hard in DC
- No paint, no sign, still illegal. The 40-foot setback needs no posting. There is nothing at the corner to warn you, so the space stays open — and stays enforceable.
- Sight lines are a safety complaint. Corner parking blocks turning drivers' view of pedestrians, so these spots generate 311 complaints, which generate enforcement sweeps.
- Curb ramps and bus flares hide inside the 40 feet. Blocking a ramp is a separate, immediately towable violation, not a lesser one.
- Daylighting projects change the geometry. The city has been adding flex posts, bike corrals, and painted daylighting at DC corners. Once hardware occupies the corner, the "space" you remember is gone.
How to judge 40 feet without a tape measure
- Find the corner, not the stripes. Picture where the sidewalk edge of the crossing street would run if it kept going. That line is your starting point.
- Count car lengths. Two and a half sedans, or two large SUVs plus a gap. Pace it if you are unsure — a normal adult stride is about 2.5 feet, so sixteen paces is 40 feet.
- Check for the ramp. If any part of your car shadows a curb ramp, move regardless of the distance.
- Then read the sign. The setback only makes the space legal in space. The sign decides whether it is legal in time — and the two are independent.
Key takeaways
- 40 feet back from the corner on your side of the street; 25 feet on the far side of a one-way.
- Never on a crosswalk — painted or not. Unpainted curbs are not permission.
- 25 feet from a stop or yield sign, 10 from a hydrant, 5 from a driveway or alley.
- Never block a curb ramp — distance does not matter there.
- Clearing the setback does not clear the posted time rules.
FAQ
How far from an intersection can you park in DC?
At least 40 feet back from the corner on your side of the street. DC bans standing or parking within 40 feet of the intersection of the curb lines of intersecting streets, and within 25 feet of the curb-line intersection on the far side of a one-way street. On a quiet corner there is no sign and no paint telling you this — the rule applies anyway.
Is it 20 feet or 25 feet from a crosswalk in DC?
Neither. DC does not use a crosswalk setback at all — it bans parking on a crosswalk outright, and separately keeps you 40 feet from the corner on your approach. Many states use 20 or 25 feet from a crosswalk, which is why drivers moving to the District misjudge DC corners. Measure from where the curb lines meet, not from painted stripes.
What if there is no crosswalk painted at the corner?
It changes nothing. The setback is measured from where the curb lines of the two streets meet, whether or not any paint, signal, or sign exists at the corner. Unmarked corners are the most reliably ticketed spots in the city precisely because they look legal.
How much is a DC ticket for parking too close to a corner?
Parking inside the corner setback is a $20 violation. Obstructing a crosswalk is written separately at $50, and parking within 25 feet of a stop or yield sign is $50. A vehicle that also blocks a curb ramp can be towed.
Can I park in the space right after the corner if a car is already there?
No. Another car parked illegally does not make the space legal, and enforcement writes each vehicle separately. DC ticket writers work corners in a single pass, so a row of cars inside the setback usually means a row of tickets.
Does the setback rule apply to alleys and T-intersections?
Yes — the corner setback applies wherever two streets meet, including T-intersections. Alley entrances are a separate rule: keep 5 feet clear of an alley or driveway mouth, and never block it.