Parking on the Sidewalk in Front of Your Own Home: Is It Allowed or Not?

Parking on the sidewalk in front of your own home—what you need to know

There are several regulations governing parking on sidewalks. If you violate these, you can expect fines or even a point on your license.

• Fines start at €55. If you park on the sidewalk for more than an hour and are caught, the fine increases to €70, and you’ll receive a point on your license in Flensburg. If you also obstruct other people or vehicles, you could even face a fine of €80.
• Even if it’s the curb in front of your own driveway, the rule in Germany is that you’re not allowed to park your car or motorcycle in front of it. 
• If you park on the sidewalk, pedestrians are forced to find a way around you. If they have to step onto the street or the bike path to do so, they in turn run the risk of being hit by a vehicle.
• The Road Traffic Regulations stipulate that you may only park on sidewalks if this is expressly permitted by sign 315. However, this only applies if your vehicle weighs less than 2.8 metric tons and your parking does not block any manhole covers.
• Sign 315 also specifies the direction in which you are allowed to park. You can identify this by the white arrows.
• If parking on the curb is permitted, you must examine the signs more closely. If the car is shown entirely on the curb, you may park completely on it. If it is shown only halfway on the curb, you may not park completely on it.
• The rules mentioned above also apply to bike lanes. If you park on a bike lane without permission, you can also expect penalties.
• To avoid penalties, it’s best to always park in designated areas or on your own property. If you live in the city and do not have your own parking space, there are always alternatives, such as resident parking spaces. You can find out where these are located by contacting your local municipality.