Photo: StuckInLagToad, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Parallel parking is one of the graded maneuvers on the Texas DPS driving test. To pass it, stop 2 to 3 feet beside the car (or marker) in front, back in slowly while steering sharply, then straighten up and finish centered with your wheels close to the curb. This guide gives the step-by-step method from TDLR’s official practice guide, the Texas legal limit for distance from the curb, and a practice plan for Texas learners.
Key facts
- DPS’s drive test sheet (DL-60) lists parallel parking as a graded skill.
- TDLR’s practice guide aims for wheels 6 to 12 inches from the curb.
- Texas law requires parked wheels to be within 18 inches of the curb or road edge.
- Ask at your test site about the space size, marker setup and scoring for this maneuver.
How to parallel park: the TDLR steps
- Signal that you are stopping and turning.
- Stop 2 to 3 feet out, parallel to the car in front of the space.
- Shift to reverse. Check traffic and your path, then back slowly while steering sharply toward the curb. Stop when your steering wheel lines up with the other car’s rear bumper.
- Keep backing slowly while steering quickly the other way. Glance to the front and rear until the vehicle is straight.
- Center the car in the space.
- Check the curb gap: 6 to 12 inches is the target.
Leaving the space
- Brake, shift to reverse and back as close as you safely can to the vehicle behind.
- Check traffic, signal and shift to drive.
- Move forward slowly while steering quickly out of the space.
- Start straightening when your front seat is level with the back bumper of the car in front, then look to the center of your path.
What the examiner is watching
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Signal before you stop and before you pull out | Forgetting the signal on the way out |
| Look over your shoulder and check mirrors while reversing | Letting an automated parking function do the work (not allowed) |
| Creep at a walking pace | Rushing, then braking hard |
| Finish close to the curb and straight | Hitting or climbing the curb, or ending far from it |
| Correct calmly if you are too far out | Touching a marker or the car in front or behind |
A dangerous move during any maneuver, such as reversing into the path of traffic, can end the test. See Texas road test maneuvers.
How far from the curb is legal in Texas?
Under Transportation Code section 545.303, on a two-way road you must park with your right-hand wheels parallel to and within 18 inches of the right-hand curb or road edge. On a one-way road you can park on either side, within 18 inches of that curb. Aim for 6 to 12 inches so you have margin.
A practice plan that works
- Empty parking lot. Use two cones, trash cans or boxes to mark a space. Practice the steps at walking pace until the reference points feel automatic.
- Quiet residential street with one parked car, then two.
- Both sides. Practice on a one-way street if you can, so a left-side park does not throw you.
- Log it. The TDLR 30-hour log includes a parking lesson covering angle, perpendicular, parallel, curb and hill parking. See the Texas 30-hour log.
Parking on a hill (often asked on the test)
TDLR’s guide says to set the parking brake, put the car in park (reverse or first gear in a manual) and turn the front wheels:
- toward the curb when parking downhill
- toward the curb (road edge) when parking uphill with no curb
- away from the curb when parking uphill with a curb
More on curbs, hydrants and no-parking zones in US parking rules for new drivers.
Common questions
Does Texas use poles or cones for parallel parking?
The setup varies, so ask the DPS office or driving school where you test.
How many tries do I get at parallel parking on the test?
Ask the examiner how many corrections are allowed. Practice until you can do it in one smooth attempt with at most one small correction.
Do I lose points for touching the curb?
The DL-7 says more than 30 points deducted fails the driving exam, but it does not give the points per item, so ask DPS. Treat any contact with the curb or a marker as a likely deduction, and climbing the curb as a likely fail.
Can I use my backup camera?
Yes. The DL-7 (January 2026) allows a back-up camera for parallel parking and backing, but not an automated vehicle parking function. Keep checking your mirrors and around the car as well.
What if a car pulls up behind me while I am parking?
Stop, wait for it to pass or back off, then carry on. Patience is safe driving, and the examiner will see it that way.
Related guides
- How to get a driver’s license in Texas
- Taking the Texas road test at a driving school
- Which states require parallel parking
Sources
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Texas Driver Handbook” (DL-7, revised January 2026), chapter 1, Description of the Driving Exam, and chapter 7 (dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Texas 30-Hour Behind-the-Wheel Instruction Guide” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Driver Education 30 Hour Behind the Wheel Log (DES150N)” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Legislature, “Transportation Code Chapter 545, Operation and Movement of Vehicles”, section 545.303 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “How to Prepare for a Drive Test: Safety Tips (DL-60)” (dps.texas.gov)