Moving Permit in San Diego, CA
Permit Summary
Moving Permit Scope
Permit Scope
San Diego uses the Traffic Control Permit process for moving-related activity that encroaches into or temporarily uses the public right-of-way, including streets, sidewalks, parking spaces, medians and alleys. Temporary storage containers in the public right-of-way are expressly covered. Oversized or overweight vehicles or loads moving over City streets use the separate Transportation Permit process.
Moving Equipment Covered
Temporary storage or moving containers are expressly covered by the Traffic Control Permit process when placed in the public right-of-way. The same process also covers other work or temporary uses encroaching into streets, sidewalks or parking lanes. Oversized or overweight moving vehicles and loads are covered by the City's separate Transportation Permit.
Vehicle Eligibility Rules
The Traffic Control Permit guidance does not establish a special license-plate or commercial-vehicle eligibility rule for ordinary vehicles. If a moving vehicle or its load is oversized or overweight, a Transportation Permit is required for the portion of the route on City-maintained streets; permits for state, county or other-city streets must be obtained from the responsible jurisdiction.
Moving Container Rules
A temporary storage container placed in the public right-of-way requires a Traffic Control Permit. The applicant must submit DS-269 and a traffic control plan, give at least three working days' notice before placement, and show the container location and dimensions together with nearby driveways, meters, curb zones and bus stops. Containers may not be placed in front of painted curbs. The permit is valid for up to seven days; an extension requires City Engineer approval and must be requested at least five working days before expiration. Tow-Away/No Parking signs must be posted 72 hours before placement and meter deactivation where applicable.
Parking & Reserved Space
Location Restrictions
Temporary storage containers and dumpsters may not be placed in front of a painted curb; the City's examples include red no-parking, white passenger-loading and blue accessibility zones. Plans must identify all special curb zones, bus stops and driveway openings and show street, parking-lane and equipment dimensions. Additional location-specific requirements may be imposed during review.
Metered Parking Rules
For a temporary storage container, each metered space that cannot be used is charged $20 per meter per day. The plan must identify each affected parking meter by number, and Tow-Away/No Parking signs must be posted 72 hours before deactivation. For other Traffic Control Permit scopes, current guidance also lists $300 for single/dual meter-head post removal, $600 for pay-station removal, and $20 per metered space per day or per covered meter per day.
Timing & Permit Duration
Temporary No Parking Signs
Sign Posting Rules
The permit holder or contractor must post Tow-Away/No Parking signs where temporary parking removal is part of the approved traffic control and must tag or cover affected parking meters as applicable. For temporary storage containers, the signs are posted before placement and meter deactivation. Temporary No Parking zones may be established when a street is authorized for a use other than normal traffic flow or is used to move unusually large equipment, articles or structures.
Neighbor / Property Notice Rules
Current Traffic Control guidance requires property owners and/or tenants to be notified before a driveway is closed. The current temporary-storage-container bulletin does not state a separate general neighbor-notice requirement when no driveway is being closed.
Enforcement & Street Restrictions
Enforcement / Towing Rules
San Diego Municipal Code section 82.30 authorizes City police personnel to remove a vehicle parked in violation of properly posted temporary No Parking signs. Section 86.0109 requires temporary signs to be posted at least 24 hours before removal, while current Traffic Control Permit instructions require 72-hour advance posting for permitted parking removal. Work in the public right-of-way without an approved or current Traffic Control Permit can also be stopped and may receive a notice of violation and enforcement fines.
Traffic / Street Restrictions
Traffic control plans must conform to the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and applicable City standards. Current Form DS-269 requires the plan to represent existing striping, signing, sidewalks and bike lanes; travel lanes must be at least 12 feet wide and 14 feet adjacent to bike lanes unless the City Traffic Engineer approves otherwise. Work that creates an undue safety risk or severe congestion may be shut down. Storage-container plans must also show street and parking-lane dimensions, special curb zones, bus stops and driveways.
What You Need Before Applying
Requirements
Moving-related use of the public right-of-way is handled through the Traffic Control Permit process when the activity encroaches into streets, sidewalks, parking spaces, medians or alleys, including placement of a temporary storage container. Applicants must submit the required traffic-control forms and plan electronically and comply with applicable traffic-control, parking, access and sign-posting conditions. Oversized or overweight moving vehicles or loads require a separate Transportation Permit.
Exemptions
The Traffic Control Permit page states that there are no exemptions once a Traffic Control Permit is required. The moving-related permit trigger is conditional on the activity using or encroaching into regulated public right-of-way space; temporary storage containers placed in the public right-of-way are expressly required to obtain the permit.
Required Documents
Principal submittals are the Traffic Control Plan/Permit Form (DS-269), Project Contacts Information (DS-345), and a traffic control plan. For a temporary storage container, the plan must include start/end dates, street and cross streets, owner contact information, a plan view, driveway dimensions, north arrow, parking meter locations and meter numbers, special curb zones and bus stops, and street, parking-lane and container dimensions. An approved Right-of-Way Permit is also required where applicable.