How to Parallel Park
Learn how to parallel park step by step. Covers the exact technique, reference points, and how to handle tight spaces without hitting anything.
We avoided parallel parking for years. We would circle the block three times looking for a pull-through spot rather than attempt the one open space between two cars. When there was no alternative, we would take six attempts, hold up traffic, and end up two feet from the curb.
The problem was not the skill itself. It was that nobody ever explained the reference points. Driving instructors say "turn the wheel when you are lined up" but never explain what "lined up" means or what you should be looking at.
Parallel parking is geometry. When you know the exact positions to start turning and when to straighten, it works on the first attempt every time. The technique in this guide uses specific reference points that work regardless of your car size.
Once you learn it, you will never circle the block again.
Find a space that is long enough
You need a space that is about one and a half times the length of your car. With practice, you can squeeze into tighter spaces, but when learning, give yourself room. Drive slowly past the space to size it up. If the gap between the two parked cars looks shorter than one and a half car lengths, keep looking. You will know the space is big enough if you can clearly see both the front bumper of the car behind the space and the rear bumper of the car in front with plenty of room between them as you drive past. Also check the space for obstructions: fire hydrants, driveways, bus stops, and low posts are easy to miss when you are focused on the cars. A fire hydrant typically has a no-parking zone of 15 feet on either side. Parking too close to one gets you a ticket regardless of how well you parked.
Pull up beside the car in front of the space
Pull forward until your car is parallel to the car in front of the empty space. Leave about two to three feet of space between your car and the parked car (roughly an arm's length). Your rear bumper should be roughly even with their rear bumper. This is your starting position. Stop here and put your car in reverse. Turn on your right turn signal to let traffic behind you know you are about to park. Check your mirrors and look behind you. If traffic is coming, let them pass before you begin the maneuver.
Good to know: If you have adjustable side mirrors, tilt your right mirror slightly downward so you can see the curb during the maneuver. This gives you a clear view of how close you are getting without having to twist around.
Turn the wheel all the way right and back in slowly
With the car in reverse, turn your steering wheel all the way to the right (full lock). Begin reversing slowly. Very slowly. Speed is the enemy of parallel parking because it gives you less time to react and adjust. As you reverse, your car's rear end will swing into the space at an angle. Keep looking over your right shoulder and in your right mirror. You are watching for two things: the curb appearing in your right mirror, and the car behind the space approaching in your rear window. If a car pulls up behind you while you are backing in, do not panic or rush. Keep your signal on and continue the maneuver at your pace. Other drivers can see your reverse lights and signal. They will wait. Rushing this step because of traffic pressure is how people end up touching the car behind them.
Straighten when you see the right reference point
This is the critical step. When your car is at approximately a 45-degree angle to the curb (the exact reference point is when you can see the entire front of the car behind you in your left side mirror, or when your right rear wheel is about a foot from the curb), straighten your steering wheel completely. Continue reversing straight back with the wheel centered. This slides your car evenly into the space. If you straighten too early, you will end up too far from the curb. If you straighten too late, your right rear wheel will hit the curb.
Turn left to bring the front in
As your car slides back and your front end clears the rear of the car in front of you, turn your steering wheel all the way to the left. Continue reversing slowly. This swings your front end toward the curb and aligns your car parallel to it. Stop before you get close to the car behind you. Check your right mirror for curb distance. You should be within six to twelve inches of the curb. If you are further out, you may need to pull forward with the wheel turned right, then back up again with the wheel left to inch closer.
Center yourself in the space
Once your car is parallel to the curb, pull forward or reverse slowly to center yourself in the space with roughly equal distance between you and the cars in front and behind. Leave enough room that both you and the cars around you can exit. Straighten your wheels completely before turning off the engine. This makes pulling out easier and prevents your tires from rubbing the curb if someone bumps your car. Check your curb distance one final time. If you are more than twelve inches from the curb, you may need to redo the maneuver. Most cities require you to be within eighteen inches of the curb. When you exit the space later, turn on your signal, check mirrors, and pull forward slowly while turning the wheel away from the curb. When your front bumper clears the car in front of you, straighten out and merge into traffic. If the space is very tight, you may need to reverse slightly toward the car behind you first to give yourself room to clear the front car's bumper.
Parallel parking feels impossible until you learn the reference points, then it feels automatic. The whole maneuver takes about ten seconds once you are comfortable with it. Practice in a low-pressure environment first. Find an empty stretch of curb and use traffic cones, water bottles, or anything visible as your "cars." Do it ten times in a row. By the fifth attempt, you will feel the geometry clicking. By the tenth, it will feel routine. The confidence that comes from knowing you can park anywhere changes how you drive in cities. You stop circling blocks, stop avoiding certain streets, and stop stressing about finding "easy" spots.
Questions we get asked about this
Answers from experience, not a textbook.
Pull out and try again. Signal, check mirrors, pull forward until you are back at the starting position beside the car in front, and repeat the steps. Nobody gets it perfect every time, especially in tight spaces or unfamiliar cars. If you need three attempts, that is fine. The cars behind you can wait ten extra seconds. Do not rush because of traffic pressure. A rushed parking attempt is how you hit the car behind you.
Six to twelve inches is ideal. Most cities legally require you to be within eighteen inches of the curb. If you are further than eighteen inches, you may get a parking ticket and you are partially blocking the traffic lane. If your wheels are touching or riding up on the curb, you are too close and may damage your tires or rims. A quick visual check: from the driver's seat, you should be able to see about a hand's width between your right side mirror and the curb.
Use them as aids, not replacements for checking mirrors and looking over your shoulder. Backup cameras have a limited field of view and can distort distances. They are great for seeing the car behind you and the curb, but they do not show you what is happening on your sides. Use the camera to fine-tune your curb distance and closeness to the car behind, but rely on your mirrors and direct observation for the overall maneuver. Parking sensors that beep faster as you approach an object are helpful for judging how close you are to the car behind you, especially in tight spaces where you cannot see the bumper directly.
The same technique but mirrored. Pull up beside the car in front with the left side of your car closest to them. Turn the wheel all the way left when backing in. Straighten when you reach the 45-degree angle. Turn all the way right to bring the front in. Left-side parallel parking is common on one-way streets. The maneuver is identical but feels different because your reference points are on the opposite side. Practice it separately once you are comfortable with right-side parking.
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How to Parallel Park
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