COMMERCIAL VEHICLE LOADING ZONES

Houston Code of Ordinances ch. 26, art. IV

in effect

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-221 Designation of commercial vehicle loading zones.

Sec. 26-221. - Designation of commercial vehicle loading zones. The traffic engineer is hereby authorized to determine the location of commercial vehicle loading zones and may authorize the parking official to place one or more appropriate signs indicating the same and stating the hours during which the provisions of this article are applicable. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07; Ord. No. 09-2, § 12, 1-7-09)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-222 Parking in commercial vehicle loading zones.

Sec. 26-222. - Parking in commercial vehicle loading zones. It shall be unlawful for any person during the posted hours of operation of a commercial vehicle loading zone to: (1) Park any vehicle other than a commercial vehicle in any commercial vehicle loading zone designated by the city; (2) Utilize a commercial vehicle loading zone for any purpose other than the expeditious loading or unloading of property, goods or merchandise from a commercial vehicle; (3) Park any commercial vehicle in any commercial vehicle loading zone without either: a. Displaying a current and valid commercial vehicle parking permit issued and utilized pursuant to this article; or b. Paying the meter fee as provided in section 26-228 of this Code; or (4) Park any commercial vehicle in any commercial vehicle loading zone for a period in excess of that allowed for the class of permit held or in excess of the maximum time allowed by the meter. In addition to any applicable fine or penalty, any vehicle parked in violation of this section shall be subject to being towed at the direction of any law enforcement officer. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07; Ord. No. 09-2, § 12, 1-7-09)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-223 Commercial vehicle parking.

Sec. 26-223. - Commercial vehicle parking. The operator of a commercial vehicle may utilize a commercial vehicle loading zone during the posted hours of operation of the zone pursuant to a permit issued under this article or by payment of the meter fee as provided in section 26-228 of this Code. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-224 Permit application; issuance.

Sec. 26-224. - Permit application; issuance. (a) A person may apply for a commercial vehicle loading permit by submitting an application in the form prescribed by the director, along with the appropriate permit fee. (b) The parking official shall issue a permit, unless he determines that: (1) The application is incomplete or materially untruthful; or (2) There exist any unresolved parking citations as defined in section 26-261 of this Code for any vehicle owned by the applicant or any agent of the applicant. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07; Ord. No. 09-2, § 13, 1-7-09)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-225 Permit classes.

Sec. 26-225. - Permit classes. Permits shall be classified as follows: (1) Class A permit. A Class A permit will be valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance and shall be transferable to any other commercial vehicle operated by the permittee upon prior notice in a manner prescribed by the parking official. A commercial vehicle with a Class A commercial vehicle loading zone permit may be parked in a commercial vehicle loading zone or, where such zones are unavailable or occupied, parked utilizing one or two metered automobile parking spaces without payment of the usual meter fee as required elsewhere in this chapter for such spaces. A commercial vehicle with a Class A permit may be parked for a period not to exceed two consecutive hours at one time. (2) Class B permit. A Class B permit will be valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance and shall be transferable to any other commercial vehicle operated by the permittee upon prior notice in a manner prescribed by the parking official. A commercial vehicle with a Class B permit may be parked in a commercial vehicle loading zone for a period not to exceed one hour at one time. (3) Class C permit. A Class C permit will be valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance and shall be transferable to any other commercial vehicle operated by the permittee upon prior notice in a manner prescribed by the parking official. A commercial vehicle with a Class C permit may be parked in a commercial vehicle loading zone for a period not to exceed 30 minutes at one time. (4) Class D permit. A Class D permit will be valid for a period not to exceed 21 consecutive days. A commercial vehicle with a Class D permit may be parked in a commercial vehicle loading zone for a period not to exceed one hour at one time. Only one Class D permit per commercial vehicle may be issued within a 12-month period. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-226 Permit specific to commercial vehicle.

Sec. 26-226. - Permit specific to commercial vehicle. Each permit shall be registered to a specific commercial vehicle and shall be transferable only as provided in this article. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-227 Display of permit.

Sec. 26-227. - Display of permit. A permit must be conspicuously displayed upon the commercial vehicle for which it is issued so as to be easily visible to any person passing such commercial vehicle on the street or sidewalk while the commercial vehicle is parked in any commercial vehicle loading zone. Any failure to display a permit shall create the presumption that no permit for the commercial vehicle exists. The parking official may accept a valid license plate number on file with the department for each permit holder in lieu of affixing a permit or hanging a permit. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07; Ord. No. 2023-548, § 12, 7-12-2023)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-228 Use of parking meters.

Sec. 26-228. - Use of parking meters. As an alternative to obtaining a permit, the operator of a commercial vehicle may park the commercial vehicle in a commercial vehicle loading zone space or spaces during posted hours of operation for the zone by paying the commercial vehicle loading zone meter fee for each space utilized in whole or in part for parking the commercial vehicle in that zone, provided that: (1) The commercial vehicle is then being expeditiously loaded or unloaded; and (2) The meter or meters are not allowed to expire; and (3) The commercial vehicle may not be parked in excess of the maximum time allowed as posted on the meter or as authorized by a permit as provided for by section 26-225 of this Code; provided, however, that pending the installation of a meter in a commercial vehicle loading zone, an unpermitted commercial vehicle may utilize one or more metered passenger vehicle spaces, or portions of such spaces, within the same blockface as the unmetered commercial vehicle loading zone, by paying the meter fee for each space wholly or partially occupied by such commercial vehicle. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07; Ord. No. 09-2, § 14, 1-7-09; Ord. No. 2011-1175, § 11, 12-14-2011)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-229 Compliance with other laws.

Sec. 26-229. - Compliance with other laws. Except as allowed by a Class A permit, a permit issued under this article shall not excuse compliance with applicable laws, and a commercial vehicle parked in any metered automobile parking space remains subject to any "no parking" and "tow-away zone" restrictions applicable to the parking space. Additionally, a permit does not excuse the requirement that the commercial vehicle must be expeditiously loaded or unloaded at all times while parked under this article. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-230 Fees.

Sec. 26-230. - Fees. (a) Fees for commercial vehicle loading zone permits are stated for this provision in the city fee schedule. A permit may be replaced during its valid term for the fee stated for this provision in the city fee schedule, upon providing the parking official the police report for the stolen permit or an affidavit for a lost permit. The permit shall be valid only for the remainder of the original term. (b) The commercial vehicle loading zone meter fee per hour per metered space is stated for this provision in the city fee schedule. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07; Ord. No. 2011-1168, § 13, 12-14-2011)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-231 Disposition of fees.

Sec. 26-231. - Disposition of fees. All fees and/or revenues generated from the use of commercial vehicle loading zones shall be first expended to defray all signage and administration costs under this article, and the remainder shall be deposited into the ParkHouston special revenue fund. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07; Ord. No. 2011-1175, § 12, 12-14-2011; Ord. No. 2020-348, § 9, 4-29-2020)

Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH26PA_ARTIVCOVELOZOFetched: 10/26/2026