To report a stolen vehicle, or for questions about the status of a stolen vehicle, contact the 24-hour communications center at 760-931-2197. The Police Department enters stolen vehicle information into state and national computer databases, which tells law enforcement the vehicle was stolen. In most cases, law enforcement agencies notify the owner of stolen vehicle by telephone within 48 hours of recovery of the vehicle.

If your vehicle has been towed, call 442-339-2100 to find out how to get it released. In some cases, you will need to obtain a vehicle impound release from the Police Department before the tow company can return your car. To obtain this release, the registered or legal owner of the vehicle must come to the Police Department with a valid drivers license or a picture identification and a licensed driver. Additionally, the vehicle must have current registration or a valid temporary operating permit. The Police Department charges a fee of $154 to offset costs of the release and will only accept exact cash or Visa/Mastercard. Impound release hours are Monday through Friday (excluding city holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

If a vehicle does not require a Police Department release, a vehicle may be picked up directly from the towing company.

Fix-it tickets can be signed off at the Police Department on weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. If you have received a citation in Carlsbad or are a resident of Carlsbad, sign off is as follows:

• Fix-It Ticket - moving violation, with proof of correction: $20
• Fix-It Ticket - parking/registration violation, with proof of correction: $13

Note: There is a court administrative fee which you will have to pay when you submit your corrected/signed citation to the court – this is explained on the back of the citation. If you have received a citation in another jurisdiction and are not a resident of Carlsbad, there is a $20 fee for sign off.

According to California Vehicle Code Section 22651(k), and City of Carlsbad Municipal Code 10.40.010(a), it is unlawful to park a vehicle on any street or public place in excess of 72 or more consecutive hours. Vehicles not driven more than one-tenth of a mile from its original position every 72 hours are subject to citation or towing at owner's expense. Recreational vehicles may park on public streets subject to the previously mentioned sections; trailers must remain attached to a vehicle. You can report a vehicle parked for more than 72 hours via an online reporting system.

Parking tickets

A person must pay or contest a parking ticket, within 21 days of the issue date. Two of the most common types of correctable citations dismissed are failing to display valid handicapped placard at the time of the citation, or getting a vehicle registration current.

Find, pay or appeal parking tickets

Recreational vehicles

The City of Carlsbad implemented an Oversized Vehicle Ordinance in March 2013. The city restricts overnight parking of recreational and oversized vehicles on city streets between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Every citation will be assessed a $50 penalty. The goal of the ordinance is to effectively manage the parking of RVs and oversized vehicles in the City of Carlsbad, and address the many complaints by residents, visitors and business owners associated with overnight parking of RVs on city streets.

The ordinance includes exceptions to accommodate the needs of city residents, their guests, and hotel or motel guests with RVs.

Residents and their guests can apply for an oversized vehicle permit, which must be displayed in the window when the vehicle is parked on a city street between hours of 2 to 5 a.m. The vehicle must be parked within 400 feet of the residence that was granted the permit. Following are the types of permits that will be granted:

• Yearly Residential Permit: City of Carlsbad residents who own an RV can apply for a yearly free permit to park their vehicle on a public street at their residence for up to 72 hours, four times within each month.

• Temporary 72 Hour Guest Permit: Carlsbad residents can apply for a temporary permit for their guest. This free permit would allow residents to have guests with an RV park at their residence for up to 72 hours, six times per year.

• Commercial Property Permit: Hotels or motels can allow guests to park RVs next to these inns on public streets if the RVs cannot be accommodated in the property’s parking lot. The city would issue each hotel and motel reusable permits that they can give to their guest.

• Oversized vehicle: The dimensions of an oversized vehicle are defined as either: 22 feet in length, or seven feet in height and seven feet in width.

The free permit can be obtained from the City of Carlsbad Police Department Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Police Department is located at 2560 Orion Way, 442-339-2119.

Oversized/Recreational Vehicle Permit Application

Ocean Street parking lot enforcement change

The city has received concerns from nearby residents/property owners regarding vehicles parking overnight in the Ocean Street public parking lot. As a result, the city will be adjusting the parking parameters to no longer allow overnight parking between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., all days of the week, in the Ocean Street public parking lot. Enforcement of the new parking restrictions began on February 1, 2020.

The same parking parameters are currently in place for other public parking lots owned or controlled by the City of Carlsbad. Signs notifying users of the pending change are posted at the Ocean Street public parking lot and a letter was mailed to nearby residents and property owners.

To file a specific request for parking regulation enforcement, please contact the Police Department's non-emergency dispatch at 760-931-2197. 

If there is an illegal parking issue that needs to be resolved immediately, please call the 24-hour non-emergency dispatch line at 442-339-2197.

If a resident wants to report a vehicle abandoned on city streets, please call the Abandoned Vehicle Hotline at 442-339-2289 and leave a message with the location, license number, description and any other observations. Or submit a report online at the link below.

You should not submit an online report if the issue involves and emergency vehicle or government owned trailer.

Example:

You see a car parked on a public street for over 3 consecutive days, it may have a layer of dirt covering the windows and debris has begun gathering around the tires.

Start an Abandoned Vehicle Report

The City of Carlsbad Police Department documents all traffic collisions occurring on public roadways except for minor “fender benders.” The Police Department need not respond if all involved parties agree on the minor nature of the collision, have exchanged driver and insurance information, and all vehicles can be driven from the scene under their own power.

The traffic division is responsible for investigating serious and fatal injury collisions. The traffic division also reviews all hit and run collisions and provides follow-up when suspect information is available.