How to Stop Neighbors From Parking in My Driveway (Do This!)

Parking space is a common issue among homeowners and there’s nothing more annoying than having a neighbor park in your driveway. What do you do if this is happening to you, and what’s the best way to stop neighbors from parking in your driveway?

You can stop neighbors from parking in your driveway by politely speaking with them about the matter. If this doesn’t work, try putting up signs or objects to deter them from parking there. If the problem persists, you can have their vehicle towed call or call the police to report the issue.

If you’re constantly late for work or just have to do some quick errands but can’t because someone has blocked your driveway again, then this article is for you. We will be giving you tips on how to effectively stop someone from using your driveway.

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How to Keep Neighbors off Your Driveway

Having a blocked driveway can ruin your day easily. And there’s also the fact that you could be spending a lot of time and effort just to clear out that path for you to get out. The unpleasant thing about this whole thing is that your neighbor is giving you all that trouble.

It can easily cause a rift between you and your neighbor, and you’ll pretty much have a sour relationship that has the potential to become worse. But before you go through all that drama, know that there are things you can do to keep your neighbors off your driveway.

It’s all about being creative in your ways. And if you don’t have the slightest idea how to go about that, check out below for some ideas and suggestions.

Creative Ways to Block a Driveway

Before we discuss the most common acceptable ways of dealing with a blocked driveway, we’re here to share some of the most creative ways to do it, specifically signs.

Signs can be an effective way to get your message across. Of course, it’s boring if you just have the usual “No Parking” sign put up in the driveway. Use some clever phrases that might actually get your neighbor or other guests to think twice about parking.

You might find some of these suggestions hilarious; some absurd, but you can’t deny that they are good. While these are great ideas, keep in mind to use them at your own discretion.

• No Trespassing We’re Tired of Hiding The Bodies
• Warning: Prayer Is the Best Way to Meet God. Trespassing Is the Fastest
• No Parking. Min. Fine: Keyed Doors
• Don’t Think About Parking Here

Here are some more signs that you will love! (over at Amazon)

You might also enjoy our post on How to Keep Neighbors From Parking in Front of My House

Ways to Block off Driveway

If you don’t want to use clever puns to stop unwanted parking, there are other methods that may work just as effectively. This doesn’t only apply to people who might park and block your driveway.

A neighbor using my driveway for access to their home can also be irritating. If this has happened to you before then you would surely find ways to block off your driveway to deter them from using it.

Check out below for common ways to block your driveway that will not get you in trouble with the law.

1. Confront your neighbor: If your neighbor or his/her guests keep blocking your driveway, you can always go up to them directly. Explain to them that you need access to your driveway at all times. Make sure to let them know your reason.
   
   For instance, if you happen to be always late for work let them know. Also, make them understand that it would be hard to get out especially if it involves an emergency.
   
   If you don’t know the owner of the vehicle, for instance, you can just write a note and place it on their windshield.

2. Put up traffic cones in your driveway: This works pretty well but may be considered against the law in some areas (check your local laws regarding traffic cone use). We recommend the Sunnyglade Collapsible Traffic Cones on Amazon.
   
   Just keep in mind that putting traffic cones in the entrance of your driveway means it’s placed on the road – which is a public property. It may hinder work from utility companies.
3. Call the towing company: This will be your best bet if you really need to get the car out of the way and if your neighbor is stubborn. Chances are high that you will have a neighbor who won’t listen to you. If this happens, call the towing company and they will immediately take care of the car for you.
4. Call the police: This may need to be the last thing you want to do after you exhausted all options. Having someone park in your driveway is already considered trespassing and that could be a cause for a civil lawsuit. 

If the person parks at the entrance of your driveway, you can call the police as well so they can help you with the problem.

Just set your expectations: depending on where you live you may or may not get a good response from the authorities.

Can I Park Blocking My Own Driveway?

So after fighting for your right of way on the driveway, you might easily think that you can take the entrance of your driveway. This applies to people who have multiple vehicles. If you’re one of them, maybe you want to park on that spot to prevent people from getting it in the first place.

Doing so would be a bad idea because you don’t own the street in front of your home. It is considered a public street so no one can claim it as their own.

In California, for instance, you can be ticketed just by parking on the street and blocking your own driveway. This happens because the police won’t know if you are the owner. 

In some cases, the police can let it slide, especially if they know that you own the vehicle that’s blocking the driveway. Otherwise, they will only see a car that’s not supposed to be on there and deserves to be ticketed.

You might also enjoy our post on How to Get a Car Towed From Your Driveway Legally

Can You Call the Police if Someone Parks in Your Driveway?

As mentioned above, yes you can call the police if you see someone always parking in your driveway.

While calling the towing truck is also acceptable, there’s a possibility that it might backfire on you if your neighbor’s car gets damaged in the process. They could sue you for property damages in that case.

It’s safe to say that calling the police is a better alternative since they can issue a ticket to the vehicle owner. Remember, the street outside your home is public; this means that the entrance to your driveway should be kept clear of vehicles. 

What Can I Do if Someone Blocks My Driveway?

If someone blocks your driveway, you can choose to confront the vehicle owner but if that doesn’t work, call the police to help out. If you do call the police, call the non-emergency hotline. Report that a car is blocking a driveway and they should show up in your home.

But with all that, you have to consider that the vehicle could leave even before the police could show up. So that’s another thing to think about. If the police didn’t catch the vehicle owner in time, it is suggested that you install a security camera on your property.

By having a surveillance camera, you can record vehicle owners who are always blocking your driveway. The footage can be used as evidence should there be an investigation into your case. If you have a security camera, it’s also a good idea to put a sticker stating a camera is recording everything 24/7.

This works not only to keep your vehicles safe from being stolen but could also deter other people from stepping foot on your property.

Can My Neighbor Use My Driveway?

Now, you may have wondered what to do about a shared driveway. A shared driveway is easily one reason for neighboring disputes. Do you see your neighbor reversing their car over your driveway every morning?

You may have a shared driveway with your neighbor and it’s starting to bother you. Before you go ballistic, you have to understand that your neighbor might have the right to reverse over your driveway.

To make sure of this, you need to check your title deeds and confirm that your neighbor indeed doesn’t have the right to cross over your driveway. 

If it’s stated that your neighbor doesn’t have the right, they may still use a part of your driveway to get out of their own. They will, however, need to prove that they’ve been doing the same thing without problems for the past two decades or so.

This is all a matter of being understanding of each other. If you and your neighbor have a good relationship, of course, such trivial things won’t matter.

The same thing cannot be said if you don’t like your neighbor. If the issue persists and you can’t let it go, you can just have a fence erected along the boundary.

You might also enjoy our post on Can I Put Spike Strips in My Driveway?

Final Thoughts

To recap, if you have a neighbor who keeps parking in your driveway, the first thing to do is to always let them know that it’s bothering you or causing you inconveniences. 

If confrontation doesn’t work, you can start putting signs so you can try getting your point across. If none of those work, either call the police on them or call the towing company. If the police arrive in time to catch the vehicle parked blocking the driveway, they can issue a ticket. 

On the other hand, choosing the towing option has proven to be successful in some cases but be prepared if the neighbor retaliates, for example, if damage has been done to their car in the towing process.