Camarillo Driveway Rules Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

The Camarillo Municipal Code and the city's Zoning Ordinance collectively govern where and how vehicles may be parked or stored on private residential property. All vehicle parking on a residential lot must take place on a solid paved surface — concrete or asphalt — that was either included in the original approved development or added through a properly issued building permit. Parking on grass, dirt, gravel, or landscaped areas is prohibited. Any informal expansion of a paved parking area requires a building permit and must be built to city engineering standards, including proper drainage management to prevent runoff onto adjacent properties or public streets. A vehicle parked on a residential driveway may not project beyond the property line over the public sidewalk or into the public right-of-way, as doing so creates an accessibility barrier for pedestrians and a potential safety hazard.

Camarillo's code enforcement provisions prohibit storing inoperable, unregistered, or substantially dismantled vehicles in open view on residential property. A vehicle is generally considered a nuisance if it lacks current California DMV registration, displays expired tags for an extended period, is missing essential components such as wheels, an engine, or body panels, or is actively undergoing disassembly in an unsheltered location visible from the street, sidewalk, or adjoining properties. Such vehicles must be stored inside an enclosed and permitted garage, or behind a solid opaque fence of sufficient height to fully screen them from public view. A vehicle merely covered with a tarp that remains visually prominent from the street does not typically satisfy the screening requirement under Camarillo's code. Enforcement actions begin with a notice of violation and a compliance deadline before progressing to administrative citations.

Garages must retain their utility as off-street parking spaces as required by the zoning code. Converting an attached or detached garage to a bedroom, office, recreation room, or storage space without first obtaining appropriate building permits and providing equivalent replacement parking is a zoning violation. California state law does permit garage conversions to accessory dwelling units (ADUs) under defined circumstances, but such conversions still require building permits, design review, and compliance with all applicable ADU standards. Residents with questions about driveway expansions, on-property vehicle storage, or garage conversion requirements should contact the Camarillo Community Development Department.