How Much Space Do You Leave When Parallel Parking in California?
While parallel parking, you pull up alongside the vehicle in front of the empty space. How much room should you leave between your vehicle and that vehicle?
Short answer: About two feet, between your vehicle and the one beside you, before you start backing into the space.
Why
The handbook's parallel parking steps say to pull up alongside the vehicle in front of the space and leave about two feet between the two of you. You stop once your rear bumper lines up with the front of the space, and your signal stays on.
On the test, watch for the moment before any backing happens. The question is about the side gap, not the space itself. That one has its own number: look for a spot at least three feet longer than your vehicle.
After you check your blind spots, you back in at about a 45-degree angle. When you finish, your vehicle should be parallel to the curb and within 18 inches of it.
Source: California Driver's Handbook (2025), page 26. Read the handbook ↗
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