How Close Can You Park To A Fire Hydrant? (And What Happens If You Block One?)

Whether you hang your hat in the city or somewhere in the not-so-distant suburbs, a well-situated fire hydrant may be the difference between the loss of life or property and the salvage of both. Even as invaluable as fire hydrants are, the devices — which are sometimes stolen and resold for unusual reasons — can sometimes be a little frustrating, if only because the water-providing devices often occupy prime parking locations in any neighborhood. 

That is, in general, a good thing, as the locations tend to be selected to make them accessible to as many homes and businesses as possible. The only rub in that equation is that drivers throughout the world are not actually allowed to park their vehicles in the general vicinity of any fire hydrant. As for how close you are legally allowed to park to a fire hydrant, the answer to that question may vary depending on where you live. But wherever you are in the world, the general laws about parking near fire hydrants dictate that you should remain at least ten feet away, though some areas go five feet and others extend it to 15 feet. 

There is good reason for those rules to be in place, as parking in front of one of the potentially life-saving devices could prevent firefighters from accessing them in a time of need. And if firefighters can't roll their big red fire trucks right up to the water sources when they need to, loss of life and property may well ensue.

If you're curious what the rules about parking near fire hydrants of any color are where you live, we'd encourage you to research what the legal distance is in your city, state, or principality. Those laws should be clearly posted on websites hosted by local governments and/or emergency providers. Whether the law states ten feet or 15 feet, the one universal rule regarding fire hydrants is that you are not, under any circumstances, permitted to park your vehicle directly in front of one.

As for the consequences you might be faced with should you choose to park your car, truck, or sport utility vehicle in front of a fire hydrant, they can be pretty severe based on the circumstances. As with the variations in legal parking distances, they can also vary depending on where the infraction occurs. At the very least, if you park near or in front of a fire hydrant, you can expect to receive a citation from any local law enforcement officer who discovers your vehicle left unattended there.

Apart from the financial burden of paying a fine for parking in front of a fire hydrant, local authorities may also be inclined to have your illegally parked vehicle towed away from the location at your own expense. In a worst-case sort of scenario, should firefighters require access to the hydrant your vehicle is blocking, they are legally allowed to damage the vehicle to gain such access. That may include knocking out windows, or forcibly moving the vehicle themselves by whatever means necessary.