Some SLO County cities enforce new ‘daylighting’ law. Others have yet to ticket
More than a year after California’s “daylighting” law banned parking next to crosswalks, SLO County drivers can expect different levels of enforcement — or no enforcement at all — depending on the city they’re parking in.
The statewide law went into effect in January 2025, but based on statements and data provided to The Tribune, not all cities in the county are actively issuing citations for it.
Here’s everything you need to know about local enforcement.
What is the daylighting law?
California Vehicle Code 22500(n), commonly referred to as the daylighting law, prohibits parking within 20 feet of any unmarked or marked crosswalk, regardless of whether the space is marked with red paint.
Cyclist and pedestrian-focused groups such as the California Bicycle Coalition and California Walks sponsored the law’s passage as a way to enhance street safety. Since the law went into effect last year, the groups have continued to call on cities to enforce it.
“The improved sight lines provided by daylighting intersections allow time for drivers to see someone crossing the road on foot or by bike, slow down, and come to a stop to yield the right of way,” the California Bicycle Coalition and California Walks wrote in a May 2025 news release. “The 20-foot space required by state law is the equivalent of just a single parking space. We believe one parking space is worth the life of someone’s child or grandparent.”
Nationwide, 43 states have enacted daylighting laws.
Which SLO County cities are enforcing the law?
Based on statements and data provided to The Tribune, the cities of San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, Grover Beach and Morro Bay are the only cities in the county currently issuing citations for the daylighting law.
San Luis Obispo has issued 106 citations since July 2025, the highest number among the cities enforcing the law.
SLO Parking Program Manager Donna King said the city adopted a $60 daylighting citation fee in July 2025, after which Parking Services focused on educating drivers before beginning formal enforcement.
“Warnings were issued through the end of 2025, providing six months of education before citations were routinely issued,” King wrote in a statement to The Tribune. “While enforcement began after the fee was adopted, education was the primary emphasis during that initial period.”
Now, the city’s parking compliance officers still prioritize education and “voluntary compliance,” but may also issue citations depending on the situation, according to King. In addition to citations, the city has issued 514 warnings.
In Pismo Beach, the city has implemented a similar strategy, foregrounding education as officers also begin to issue formal citations.
“The city of Pismo Beach has focused on education and awareness of the daylighting law to date,” assistant city manager Silas Clarke wrote in a statement to The Tribune. “The Pismo Beach Police Department has, however, written citations within the last two years for daylighting.”
According to the provided data, the Pismo Beach Police Department has written 16 citations for daylighting since January 2025. Clarke said no written warnings have been issued for daylighting, but numerous verbal warnings have been provided.
Bryan Millard, the police commander for the Grover Beach Police Department, said the city is actively enforcing the law and has posted about it on social media to inform residents. He said the police department has written 26 citations since January 2025.
The Morro Bay Police Department has also used social media posts to educate residents about the law, as well as “city council announcements, city manager updates and some news media stories,” according to Police Chief Amy Watkins.
Watkins said that the city is now issuing citations for the law in places where curbs and signage have been updated accordingly. Since July 2025, the police department has issued 11 citations related to daylighting, she said.
“The city has moved into enforcement with some signage and curbing updates, but we still have more to do to complete curbing and signage throughout the city,” Watkins wrote in a statement to The Tribune. “The law does not require the curb paintings or signage. We are issuing citations where curbs or signage has been updated.”
3 SLO County cities are not currently issuing citations
Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles and Atascadero, meanwhile, are not yet actively enforcing the daylighting law — each of the cities has issued zero citations since the law went into effect last year.
Arroyo Grande Police Department Cmdr. Greg Pierce said the city is currently focused on education rather than enforcement.
“The Arroyo Grande Police Department is currently partnering with city staff to conduct a public education campaign regarding the new daylighting parking law,” Pierce wrote in a statement to The Tribune. “Our goal is to ensure residents and visitors understand the purpose of the law and how it enhances visibility and safety at intersections and crosswalks.”
Pierce said that the Arroyo Grande Police Department doesn’t typically issue written warnings but does attempt to contact vehicle owners for educational purposes.
Paso Robles has received only one report of a daylighting violation, for which a warning was issued, according to city management analyst Jenn Starnes.
Starnes attributed local compliance to the city’s educational campaign when the law first took effect.
Throughout 2025, Starnes said, officers placed fliers on windshields of cars that would have been in violation of the law.
She also pointed to the city’s pedestrian safety plan as a potential factor in the lack of violations.
“The city’s proactive approach to pedestrian and bicyclist safety may be a contributing factor, with many curbs already identified with red paint to warn drivers to keep a safe distance from crosswalks,” Starnes wrote in a statement to The Tribune. “While not required by law, this is primarily done in areas with high levels of pedestrian traffic, such as downtown and near schools.”
