Mardi Gras is less than week away, and parades are rolling nonstop throughout the New Orleans metro area. While knowing parking enforcement year-round is important, it is especially necessary during the parading season.

Whether you’re a local that needs a refresher, or a bold visitor with a car, here are important parking enforcement laws to know during the season.

Additionally, during the carnival season, the City of New Orleans is providing on-the-spot coverage on weather, traffic and parade safety via its text service starting today. To sign up, text MARDIGRAS17 to 888777.

Parking during the parades

New Orleans will set up over 3,000 temporary No Parking signs throughout the city.

As reminder, parking is prohibited on both sides of the street/neutral ground two hours before and two hours after any parade. Violation of parking on parade routes will result in towing and a $75 fine.

This law impacts the following streets this weekend:

• Tchoupitoulas Street between Jackson and Nashville Avenues;
• Napoleon Avenue between Tchoupitoulas Street and S. Claiborne Avenue; and
• St. Charles Avenue between Napoleon Avenue and Canal Street.

Beginning the Friday before Mardi Gras, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m. until the Wednesday after Mardi Gras, March 1, at 6 a.m., no on-street parking is allowed and no vehicular traffic except those with issued permits are allowed into the French Quarter between Iberville Street, N. Rampart Street, Dumaine Street and Decatur Street ($50 fine and seizure).

Other parking violations and fines:

• Blocking a fire hydrant ($40 fine)
• Parking in a fire lane ($40 fine)
• Parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant on either side ($40 fine)
• Parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection, or stop sign ($40 fine)
• Parking on a sidewalk ($40 fine)
• Parking on a traveled portion of the roadway ($40 fine)
• Parking within 3 feet of a driveway on either side ($40 fine)
• Parking on the neutral ground and subject to seizure ($75 fine)
• Parking adjacent to the neutral ground ($40 fine)
• Parking in freight/loading zone ($40 fine)
• Parking in a handicapped zone without proper permit displayed ($500 fine)
• Parking at an expired meter ($40 fine)
• Parking in a Residential Permit Parking zone without a permit displayed ($40 fine)
• Parking in the wrong direction (vehicles must park in the direction of travel on one way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two way streets) ($40 fine)
• Vehicles that have unpaid parking tickets will be booted and/or towed.

• February 17 - 19: Mardi Gras parades mapped [Curbed NOLA]