Parking Enforcement

Obtaining an Overnight Parking Permit


The city prohibits overnight parking on certain designated streets during posted hours. Applications for overnight parking permits may be obtained from the Finance Department at City Hall (8650 California Avenue). The following documents are required when filing the completed permit and must be attached:

  • A copy of a valid California driver's license or California identification card. The street address on either card must be same as the address for the preferential permit district. 
  • Proof of Current DMV Vehicle Registration.
  • A current DMV printout that shows the applicant has paid all outstanding parking citations, including any civil penalties or related fees. 
An application processing fee is charged.

Each property is entitled to 1 Residential Parking Permit and 1 Guest Parking Permit. Permits will be issued to current registered and operable vehicles only. The permit is valid for 1 year. Permits may be renewed annually on January 1st by filing a renewal application with the Finance Department, and paying the renewal fee.

Preferential Parking


No special event permits shall be issued in Preferential Parking Districts. A Preferential Guest Parking Permit is valid for 14 days and renewable every 6 months.

Note: The sale or transfer of a permit shall be subject to a fine in the amount of $100, and that any misuse of any permit is grounds for revocation of the permit.

Parking Citations


Payment of Parking Citations in Person


Payment of a parking citation in person will be accepted at South Gate City Hall (8650 California Avenue), or the South Gate Police Department (8620 California Avenue). The payment must be made by check or money order, along with the violation notice. Cash payments and/or payments without the violation notice will not be accepted. To ensure your payment is received and properly posted to your citation you must write the citation number on the check or money order.

Payments by Mail


To pay a parking citation by mail, send the check and violation in the envelope provided to:
City of South Gate
Citation Processing Center
P.O. Box 10479
Newport Beach, CA 92658-0479

Questions Regarding Parking Citations


All questions regarding parking citations must be directed to the Citation Processing Center at 800-989-2058, or go to the citation processing center's website.

​Indigent Payment Assistance

If believe you are qualify for payment assistance based on the inability to pay, please click the link  for more info. 

To Contest a Citation


To contest a parking citation:

Income Tax Offset Notices


State law allows agencies to recover unpaid parking debts by placing a lien against your vehicle registration. Before the Department of Motor Vehicles will re-issue your registration, you will have to pay any outstanding tickets. You may pay these at the DMV when you register your vehicle. If you fail to register your vehicle, or wait past the due date, a lien will be placed against your State Income Tax return. Any unpaid fines will be deducted from your next return.

Preferential Parking Districts


The following is a list of streets that are considered Preferential Parking Districts and require a parking permit. Applications for preferential parking permits may be obtained from the Business License at City Hall. A copy of a valid California driver's license or California identification card must be attached to the application form. The street address on either card must be the same as the address for the preferential permit district. For more information, call Business License at (323) 563-9545 or (323) 563-9544.
  • Cypress Avenue Preferential Parking District
    District Limits: Between Firestone Boulevard and Southern Avenue
    Everyday 7 p.m. - 2 a.m.
  • Calden Avenue Preferential Parking District
    District Limits: East side of Calden Avenue between Firestone Boulevard and Southern Avenue
    Monday - Thursday 4-10 p.m.
  • Beaudine Avenue Preferential Parking District
    District Limits: From 8813 to 8825 Beaudine Avenue, and from 8818 to 8836 Beaudine Avenue
    Monday - Thursday 4-10 p.m.
  • Hildreth Avenue Overnight Permit Parking District
    District Limits: Any available parking space in South Gate Park parking lots immediately adjacent to Hildreth Avenue between Southern Avenue and Tweedy Boulevard
  • Glenwood Place Preferential Parking District
    District Limits: Between Calden Avenue and Santa Fe Avenue
    Monday - Thursday 4-10 p.m
  • Bowman Avenue Preferential Parking District
    District Limits: Between alley South of Firestone Boulevard and Southern Avenue
    Everyday 7 p.m. - 2 a.m.
  • Benson Way Preferential Parking District
    District Limits: The entire street
    Everyday 10 p.m. - 6 a.m.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Does the street sweeper and parking enforcement work on holidays?
There will not be any street sweeping enforcement on the following holidays:
  • New Year's Day
  • Martin Luther King's Birthday
  • President's Day
  • Cesar Chavez Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Indigenous People's Day 
  • Veteran's Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Eve
  • Christmas Day
All other parking regulations will be enforced.

Can I park on my front lawn?
No, parking on the front lawn of your residence is against the South Gate Municipal Code.

Can I block my own driveway?
No, the vehicle code does not make exemptions for your own driveway.

Can my neighbor reserve street parking by parking in such a way to take up two spaces with one vehicle?
Although this is not considerate, there is no violation of the vehicle code.

I paid for my registration renewal but did not complete the required smog test, is it legal for me to operate or park my vehicle on public streets?
The registration process is not complete until all steps are completed. If a smog check is required, the registration process is not complete until the smog check is completed. . If your current registration is expired then you could be cited on public streets.