Last reviewed October 24, 2026
How to parallel park, step by step
Parallel parking is five moves: line up, reverse while turning toward the curb, straighten, swing the front in, and center the car. Each diagram below comes from the simulator’s guided park for a compact car.
Before you start in a real car: signal toward the curb, check your mirrors and blind spot, and wait for traffic to pass. Reverse slowly, and follow your state’s driver handbook.
1 Check your position
Start beside the front parked car, with room between the cars. Reverse straight until your rear axle clears its rear bumper.
2 Reverse while turning right
Turn the wheel fully right and reverse slowly. The rear moves toward the curb while the front swings left into the road. At about 45° to the curb, center the wheels. This angle is for this car and gap.
3 Straighten the wheels
Bring the steering wheel to center and continue reversing diagonally. Centering the wheels keeps the car’s angle; it does not make the body parallel. Watch your front-right corner clear the rear-left corner of the car in front. Prepare to countersteer before the rear gets too close to the curb.
4 Bring the front into the gap
Steer left while reversing to bring the front in. Watch the front corner and the front parked car while checking the rear corner near the curb.
5 Straighten and adjust
Center the wheels once parallel. Move a little to balance the space in front and behind, then release movement to stop.
In each diagram the car is shown at the end of the stage. The dashed line is the rear axle’s path during that stage, the orange line is the front corner nearest the road, and the faint line is where the car came from.
By the numbers
Measured in the simulator’s reference park: one compact car, 13.5 ft (4.1 m) long, in a gap of 25.6 ft (7.8 m) between two parked cars. Your car and space will differ, but the proportions explain why each step matters.
- 3.7 ft (1.1 m)
- How far the front corner swings out toward traffic while you turn in. Check the road behind you before you start.
- 8.8 ft (2.7 m)
- Sideways movement into the space, gained while the car is angled.
- 22.6 ft (6.9 m)
- Total distance reversed, most of it slowly with the wheels turned.
- About 45°
- The largest angle to the curb, where you center the wheel.
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Common questions
Can I practice parallel parking without a car?
Partly. A simulator such as Practice Parking, free in a browser, lets you learn the order of the moves and see how the car swings from above and from the driver’s seat. You still need practice in a real car with a licensed driver to judge real distances and control the speed.
When do I start turning the wheel?
Once your rear bumper lines up with the rear bumper of the car in front (the simulator uses the moment your rear axle passes it). Then turn the wheel fully toward the curb and reverse slowly until the car is at about 45° to the curb.
How big does the space need to be?
The California Driver’s Handbook says to look for a space at least three feet longer than your car. More room makes the first attempts easier.
How far from the car in front should I stop?
About two feet to the side of it, with your rear bumper lined up with its rear bumper or slightly past it. Both the California handbook and the New York driver’s manual use the two-foot side gap.
How close to the curb do I need to be?
It depends on the state: California asks for within 18 inches; New York and Massachusetts for no more than 12 inches. The simulator accepts 6 to 20 inches so you can finish a first park; aim for your own state’s number.
What if I end up too far out or at an angle?
Stop, pull forward a little while steering to straighten, then reverse again. Small corrections are normal, and the California handbook notes you may need to move forward and back. The simulator’s common-mistakes exercises show these corrections.
Is parallel parking on the driving test?
Not in every state. Several states have dropped it from the road test and check curb parking or backing instead. Check your state DMV’s road test page before your test.
Practice it yourself
Reading the steps is the easy part. In the simulator you steer the car yourself, see the move from above and from the driver’s seat, and get feedback on curb distance and alignment after every attempt.