Ontario Parking Rules: Safe Parking, Parallel Parking and Roadside Stops

Parking safely is an essential skill for every new driver. Whether you are preparing for an Ontario road test or building confidence on local roads in Vaughan, Richmond Hill or Newmarket, you need to understand where you may park, how to secure your vehicle and how to re-enter traffic safely.

Parking rules can vary by road and municipality. Always check and obey posted signs, and remember that some parking by-laws may not be displayed on signs.

Basic parking rules

Follow these important rules whenever you park along a roadway:

• Never park on the travelled portion of a road. If you must stop, move completely off the road onto the shoulder where it is safe to do so.
• Never park on a curve, hill or other location where you cannot see clearly for at least 125 metres in both directions.
• Do not park where you would block another parked vehicle, a sidewalk, a crosswalk, a pedestrian crossing or a road entrance.
• Do not park within three metres of a fire hydrant.
• Do not park on or within 100 metres of a bridge.
• Do not park within six metres of a public entrance to a hotel, theatre or public hall while it is open to the public.
• Do not park within nine metres of an intersection, or within 15 metres when the intersection is controlled by traffic lights.
• Do not park within 15 metres of the nearest rail of a level railway crossing.
• Do not park where your vehicle would interfere with traffic or snow clearing.

Opening your door safely

Before opening the door of a parked vehicle, make sure you will not endanger another person or vehicle or interfere with traffic. A useful habit is the Dutch reach: open the driver’s door with your right hand. This naturally encourages you to turn and complete a shoulder check.

Take extra care around cyclists, who may travel close to parked vehicles. If you must open a door next to traffic, leave it open only long enough to load or unload passengers.

Secure your vehicle before walking away

After parking:

• Turn off the ignition and lights.
• Remove the key.
• Set the vehicle securely and lock the doors.
• Never leave children or animals inside the vehicle.

Before moving away from a parked position, signal and check for traffic. Pull out only when it is safe.

Accessible Parking Permits

The Accessible Parking Permit, formerly called the Disabled Person Parking Permit, is a laminated card that may be displayed on the dashboard or turned-down sun visor of a vehicle in which the person named on the permit is travelling. It allows that vehicle to use designated accessible parking, standing and stopping areas. The permit belongs to the permit holder, not to a specific vehicle.

People with the former Disabled Person Parking Permit may continue using it until it expires. Any new permit issued after expiry is an Accessible Parking Permit.

The permit is issued free of charge to qualified individuals. Eligibility must be certified by a licensed physician, chiropractor, extended-class nurse practitioner, physiotherapist or occupational therapist, based on the conditions listed on the Accessible Parking Permit application form.

Types of Accessible Parking Permits

• Regular permit (blue): Issued to people with permanent disabilities and valid for five years. The source material states that, until 2011, all individuals needed re-certification before renewal; after that date, only people whose condition was considered “subject to change” would need re-certification.
• Temporary permit (red): Issued when a disability is expected to last more than two months but is not permanent. This permit is not renewable.
• Traveller permit (purple): Valid for up to one year and issued upon request to people who hold a valid Accessible Parking Permit and plan to fly from an Ontario airport. The traveller permit is displayed on the dashboard or sun visor while the vehicle is parked at the airport; the regular permit travels with the permit holder.
• Company permit (green): Valid for up to five years and issued to companies and non-profit organizations that own or lease vehicles used to transport people with physical disabilities.

Misuse or abuse of an Accessible Parking Permit should be reported to police. Misuse can result in fines and revoked privileges. Applications are available at ServiceOntario centres or by sending a request to:

Never park in a space designated for people with disabilities unless an Accessible Parking Permit is displayed in the windshield. The permit must belong to you or one of your passengers. This also applies to accessible curb areas reserved for picking up or dropping off passengers with disabilities.

How to parallel park

Parallel parking means positioning your vehicle with its wheels parallel and next to the curb or side of the road. On roads where parking is permitted, park parallel to the curb unless signs require angled parking. Park on the right side of the road in the direction of traffic. Unless signs say otherwise, parallel parking may be permitted on both sides of a one-way road.

Choose a space approximately one and one-half times the length of your vehicle. Check traffic beside and behind you, signal, and pull alongside the vehicle ahead of the space, leaving about one metre between the vehicles. Stop when your rear bumper is aligned with the other vehicle, then:

1. Reverse slowly and carefully while turning the steering wheel fully toward the curb.
2. When you can see the outside rear corner of the vehicle in front of the space, straighten your wheels while continuing to reverse.
3. Turn the steering wheel fully toward the road to bring your vehicle into line with the curb.
4. If you are not parallel with the curb, drive forward to straighten the vehicle.
5. Set the parking brake. Place an automatic transmission in Park, or select first or reverse gear in a manual vehicle.
6. Turn off the engine, remove the key, check traffic before opening the door and lock the vehicle.

Parking on a hill

Wheel position helps reduce the risk of your vehicle rolling into traffic if the brakes become disengaged:

• Facing downhill: Turn the front wheels toward the curb or right shoulder.
• Facing uphill with a curb: Turn the steering wheel left, toward the road, so the tyres will catch the curb if the vehicle rolls backward.
• Facing uphill without a curb: Turn the wheels sharply to the right so that, if the vehicle rolls, it moves off the road rather than into traffic.

Always set the parking brake, select Park or first/reverse gear as appropriate, turn off the engine, remove the key, check traffic before opening the door and lock the vehicle.

Making a safe roadside stop

If you need to stop briefly to check something outside the vehicle or look for directions, follow these steps:

1. Before slowing, check your mirrors and blind spot.
2. Signal before slowing unless vehicles are waiting to enter the road from side roads or driveways between you and the intended stopping point. In that situation, pass those entrances first so other drivers do not mistake your signal for a turn.
3. Steer steadily to the side of the road while reducing speed. Stop parallel to the curb or road edge, no more than about 30 centimetres away, without blocking an entrance or other traffic.
4. Turn off your signal and switch on your hazard lights.
5. For an automatic vehicle, select Park and set the parking brake. For a manual vehicle, set the parking brake and select neutral if the engine will remain running, or low or reverse if the engine will be turned off.
6. When stopped on a hill, position the wheels against the curb in the appropriate direction to help prevent rolling.

Pulling back into traffic

When leaving a roadside stop:

1. Release the parking brake and select Drive or first gear.
2. Turn off the hazard lights and activate your left-turn signal.
3. Immediately before moving, check your mirrors and blind spot for vehicles and cyclists.
4. Accelerate smoothly to return to normal traffic speed and blend with surrounding traffic. Use moderate acceleration in light traffic and accelerate more quickly when heavier traffic requires it. In a manual vehicle, shift gears as your speed increases.
5. Cancel the left-turn signal as soon as you are back on the road.

Key points to remember

• Look for signs, but remember that not every parking by-law is posted.
• Keep sidewalks, crossings, entrances, hydrants, intersections and traffic routes clear.
• Use careful observation and the Dutch reach when opening a parked vehicle door.
• Practise parallel parking, hill parking and roadside stops until each manoeuvre feels controlled and consistent.
• Signal, check your mirrors and complete a blind-spot check before moving into traffic.

Want more confidence with parking and road-test manoeuvres? Contact WDS Driving School to book professional driving lessons in Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Scarborough or Newmarket and build safe, practical driving skills.