Seattle to begin enforcing 72-hour parking rule Oct. 15

SEATTLE – The city of Seattle will begin enforcing its 72-hour parking rule again this Friday. The parking rule was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide stay at home order.

Vehicles parked in one place for 72 hours or more will be warned from October 15 or cited 19 months. “

SDOT said changing travel patterns, demand for parking and increasing requests to remove abandoned vehicles from city streets were factors in resuming enforcement of the 72-hour parking rule.

While the rule will be enforced from Oct. 15, SDOT said it “will not seize a vehicle with people living in it unless it poses a specific public health risk, such as the occupants exposed to the weather or other environmental, fire, health and safety hazards. “

SDOT said it could take longer than usual to respond to requests to remove abandoned vehicles from city streets because enforcement has been on hold for so long.