Quick Answer
Painted curbs are parking rules — they tell you whether you can stop, for how long, and who for. The color code is nearly identical across states, but the exact minutes and rules can differ.
Red Curb
A red curb means no parking, no standing, and no stopping — at any time, for any reason. Even pulling over briefly to check your phone is a violation. Red curbs are most often found at fire hydrants, fire lanes, bus stops, and intersections.
Yellow Curb
A yellow curb is a commercial loading zone. You can stop long enough to actively load or unload cargo or passengers, but you cannot leave the vehicle unattended unless the posted sign permits it. In most states the time limit is 20 to 30 minutes and the vehicle must remain attended.
White Curb
A white curb is for the active loading or unloading of passengers only. You can stop just long enough for people to get in or out. Most jurisdictions set this at 3 to 5 minutes. Do not leave your vehicle.
Green Curb
A green curb means short-term parking. A sign or the curb itself lists the time limit — commonly 10, 15, or 30 minutes. Once the limit is up, you must move the vehicle; returning and re-parking in the same spot is typically not allowed.
Blue Curb
A blue curb designates parking for people with disabilities. You must display a valid disabled placard or license plate. Parking in a blue zone without a placard is one of the most heavily fined parking violations in every state, with fines typically ranging from $250 to more than $1,000.
What the DMV Test Asks
Curb color questions come up most often as:
The answers follow the rules above. Memorizing the five colors is fast, and missing these questions is easy to avoid.
Practice Now
Take a free DMV practice test — the parking-related questions in your state exam bank include real curb color questions with plain-English explanations.