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Bike Parking Codes by City: Plain-English Guides for California Metros

A plain-English, primary-sourced guide to commercial and multifamily bicycle parking requirements, city by city, with the statewide CALGreen layer that sits under all of them. Reviewed 2026-05-29. Requirements change and vary by parcel; always confirm the controlling code with the local planning department at permit time. This is planning guidance, not legal or permit advice.

What this is

Every California metro writes its own bicycle parking code on top of the statewide green building code. The ratios, the labels, and even which document governs a given parcel differ from city to city, and the differences are large enough to change a bike room before the floor plan is locked. These guides translate each city’s code into plain English, with the exact sections and the worked numbers on each city page, and the statewide CALGreen framework explained once below. Start with the city your project is in.

Which guide do you need?

City What makes its code distinctive Guide
San Francisco Class 1 and Class 2 under Planning Code Section 155.2, with about one Class 1 (secure, long-term) space per dwelling unit. San Francisco bike parking code
Los Angeles Two zoning codes are in effect at once, Chapter I (Section 12.21 A.16) and the new Chapter 1A (Division 4C.3); which one governs depends on the parcel. Los Angeles bike parking code
San Diego Per-dwelling-unit ratios that scale with unit size; in a Transit Priority Area the car-parking minimum is zero, but the bicycle minimum still applies. San Diego bike parking code
Sacramento No minimum vehicle parking citywide, so the bicycle minimum is often the binding requirement; ratios vary across four parking districts. Sacramento bike parking code
Oakland A dedicated bicycle parking chapter (Planning Code Chapter 17.117); long-term and short-term are defined by a two-hour threshold, with tighter ratios in the downtown D-BV zones. Oakland bike parking code

Each guide gives the controlling code section, the requirement table, a worked multifamily example, and the design standards that decide whether a room or rack run actually counts.

The statewide layer that sits under every city

California’s green building code (CALGreen, Title 24, Part 11) sets its own bicycle parking thresholds that apply to projects across the state, independent of the local code. In the 2025 CALGreen, effective January 1, 2026, residential bicycle parking for multifamily buildings, hotels, and motels is in Section 4.106.4.4, and nonresidential bicycle parking is in Section 5.106.4. For the statewide multifamily framework, see the California multifamily bike parking overview.

How the local code and CALGreen stack

The local city code and CALGreen are separate layers, not a single rule. A project has to satisfy both, so the practical approach is to design to whichever requirement is greater for the project and confirm each at permit time. A city table can require more spaces than CALGreen, or sort them into long-term and short-term differently, and a few cities tie a piece of their own code back to CALGreen. The city guide tells you the local count; CALGreen sets the statewide floor. When they differ, the larger number governs.

What to send Ground Control Systems

We do not set your code count. The count is the project team’s call with the local planning department and your code consultant. What we do is make the layout work once the count is known. Send us:

  • The project city and address, and the use (residential unit count, or commercial floor area).
  • The floor plan or a program sketch showing where a bike room or rack zone could go.
  • Anything you already know about the count or the controlling code.

We come back with a bike-room layout, the product mix that fits the floor plate (vertical, two-tier, lockers, floor-mount racks, and scooter racks where relevant), the long-term and short-term split on the plan, and a quote. Reach us at 800-630-7225, info@groundcontrolsystems.com, or the contact page. The Download Center has CAD files and product specifications. For layout and code-support help, see services.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Which bike parking code applies to my project?

Start with the city the project is in, then the parcel. Most cities have one code citywide, but the controlling document can depend on the parcel: Los Angeles runs two zoning codes at once, and several cities apply different ratios in downtown or transit areas. Use the city guide for the structure, and confirm the controlling code and the count with the local planning department.

Q: Do I follow the city code or CALGreen?

Both. They are separate layers. Design to whichever requirement is greater for your project and confirm each at permit time.

Q: Is this legal advice?

No. These are plain-language overviews of how each city structures its bicycle parking requirements. They are not legal or permit advice and are not a substitute for the current code text. Confirm specifics with the local planning department and your project’s code consultant.

More cities

These five California metros are the starting library. We can add more cities on request as projects come up. Reach out with the city and we will build the guide from primary sources.

Bike parking codes beyond California

The same plain-English treatment for major metros outside California. Each city sets its own multifamily bicycle parking minimum in its zoning code:

City The short version
Portland, OR Zoning Code Chapter 33.266: long-term and short-term ratios by use, split across Standard A and Standard B map areas.
Seattle, WA SMC 23.54.037: one long-term space per dwelling unit, with a step-down after the first 50 units.
Denver, CO Zoning Code Section 10.4.3.5: multi-unit ratios from 1 per 5 units up to 1.1 per unit, split 80 percent enclosed and 20 percent fixed.
New York City, NY Zoning Resolution 25-811: one enclosed bicycle space per two dwelling units, waived at 10 dwelling units or fewer.
Washington, DC 11-C DCMR Chapter 8: one long-term space per three dwelling units plus one short-term per 20, for buildings with 8 or more units.
Minneapolis, MN Zoning Code Chapter 555: one space per dwelling unit, with at least 90 percent long-term.

Sources