Are you supposed to park there? What Fort Worth law says about where you can put your car
An easy way to ruin your day is to get a parking ticket.
Luckily, Texas operates a nice and clear system equipped with visible street signs and easy options to pay for parking if needed. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when zipping around the city.
Familiarize yourself with the parking regulations around Fort Worth to avoid getting a ticket. Here is all the information you should know.
How to know where it is safe to park in Texas
In Texas, the local government code allows for the city to:
- Limit parking spaces to certain vehicles or no vehicles at all.
- Put a time limit on how long a vehicle can be parked in an area or spot.
- Prohibit parking in certain areas.
There will be clear signs that say “No Parking” or “Towing Enforced.” Some signs may even just indicate certain hours where parking is permitted, such as “2-Hour Parking.”
If there are no visible signs, painted curbs, or indication of no parking, then it is legal to park your car in that spot.
“If a county restricts or prohibits parking in a place, it shall erect an appropriately worded sign at the place to inform a driver of a vehicle of the restriction or prohibition. The county is not required to erect a sign to indicate that parking is prohibited on a lawn or other area that does not appear to be a place intended for use as a parking area,” according to Texas’ local government code.
What do those street signs around Fort Worth mean?
Parking indicators in Texas will be decorated with red or black writing, most likely on a white sign. The occasional green sign may pop up as well. They must be located in a visible area next to the parking space. Red curbs can also indicate no parking zones.
Wording on the signs will indicate the regulations for parking. Examples include,
- No parking any time
- No parking 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- No parking except on Sundays and holidays
- No standing any time
- One hour parking
- No parking loading zone
- No parking bus stop
- Reserved parking for persons with disabilities
- No parking on pavement, on bridge, on r.o.w.
- No parking except on the shoulder, within 10 feet of pavement
- No parking, no parking with an arrow
- No parking symbol
- No stopping on pavement, except on the shoulder
- Diagonal parking
- Parallel parking
- 2 HR Parking
Parking meters also have their own regulations. In Fort Worth, meters are lined along the central business district, the medical district, University Street near TCU, and the Cultural District.
If a meter has a red bag over it, parking in that space is prohibited. Vehicles that park there, regardless, will be subject to a citation or tow.
Sometimes you may have to pay to park in Fort Worth
Meters in the business, medical, and University areas operate daily. However, they charge you from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Saturdays and Sundays, as well as between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., are free.
Meters in the Cultural District are located along Will Rogers West and operate daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. All Fort Worth meters are free on city-observed holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Thanksgiving Friday
- Christmas Day
To pay for parking, you will need either some spare change or to download the FW Park app. This app allows you to pay and also increase meter time from your phone. Parking prices go as follows:
- Red/one-hour meters: $2 an hour
- Orange/two hour meters: $2 an hour
- Blue/four-hour meters: $1 an hour
- Green/10-hour meters: $0.50 an hour
On West 7th Street, drivers can park for two hours free once daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; otherwise, parking is $3 an hour between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. every day.
What are the penalties for illegal parking?
If a citizen does not follow the parking rules, then they can be faced with a Class C misdemeanor. This means a fine of up to $500 but no chance of jail time.