Parallel Parking Step by Step
By Vikas Dulgunde. Updated 2026-08-27.
What the examiner is actually looking for
Parallel parking looks like one smooth move from the driving lane into a space, but examiners are grading a series of small decisions inside it: how you judge distance, how you use your mirrors, and whether you can put the car exactly where it needs to be without guessing. It rewards control more than speed, so slow and precise beats fast and sloppy almost every time.
The maneuver also tests something road tests care about beyond parking itself, which is spatial awareness in tight quarters. If you can judge where your bumpers are relative to another car without seeing them directly, you can probably handle most low speed situations that come up in everyday driving, from tight driveways to crowded lots.
The reference points that make it repeatable
Parallel parking gets easier once you stop guessing and start using fixed points on your own car as landmarks. Most drivers line up alongside the car ahead of the open space, leaving a small gap, then watch for their rear bumper to pass the back bumper of that car before they start turning the wheel.
From there, a second reference point, often where the other car's rear bumper appears to sit relative to your rear side window or door frame, tells you when to straighten the wheel and continue back. These points shift slightly depending on the vehicle and your seating position, so the real skill is calibrating them to your own car during practice rather than memorizing someone else's diagram.
The S shaped path, step by step
The maneuver earns its nickname because the car traces a rough S as it settles into the space. Every version of it follows the same underlying logic, even if instructors describe the details slightly differently.
- Pull up parallel to the car in front of the space, about two to three feet away, and stop when your rear bumpers are roughly aligned.
- Check your mirrors and blind spot, then reverse slowly while turning the wheel toward the curb, aiming the back of the car into the space.
- Once the car is angled in and your front bumper is clearing the rear bumper of the car ahead, straighten the wheel and continue reversing.
- As the car starts to align with the curb, turn the wheel the other way to bring the front end in, then straighten out once you are parallel.
- Pull forward slightly if needed to center the car in the space, leaving even room in front and behind.
Mistakes that quietly cost points
Most failed attempts do not come from one dramatic error. They come from small habits that add up, like starting the turn too early, correcting the wheel too late, or creeping forward and back so many times that the examiner starts scoring hesitation instead of skill.
- Parking too far from the curb, which most scoring sheets count against you even if the car is straight.
- Hitting or riding up on the curb while adjusting.
- Skipping mirror and blind spot checks before reversing.
- Turning the wheel too early and running out of room to straighten the back end.
- Making so many pull forward and reverse corrections that it reads as lost control rather than careful adjustment.
How the maneuver is actually scored
Scoring criteria vary by state, but examiners are generally weighing the same things: did you check your surroundings, did you keep the car under control, did you end up legally and safely positioned, and did you avoid contact with anything around you.
Some errors are treated as more serious than others. In California, for example, striking the curb hard during the maneuver is an automatic fail under the state's published Driving Performance Evaluation criteria (verified 2026-08-27). That is a useful reminder that a gentle touch and steady wheel control matter more than finishing quickly.
Why some states have dropped it from the test
If you are studying for your test and cannot find much about parallel parking in your state's materials, you are not missing something. As of 2026-08-27, 17 US states have removed parallel parking from their standard road test, favoring maneuvers examiners consider more representative of everyday driving, such as backing safely or navigating turns and intersections.
That does not mean it is safe to skip learning it. Plenty of parking situations on real streets are tighter than a driveway or a lot, and the underlying skills, judging distance, using mirrors instead of guessing, and controlling the car at low speed, come up constantly whether or not your state tests them directly. Check your own state's current road test outline before you assume the maneuver is or is not included.
Frequently asked
Do all states still test parallel parking on the road test?
No. As of 2026-08-27, 17 US states have dropped parallel parking from their standard road test, though many others still include it, so check your own state's current test outline before your appointment.
What happens if I hit the curb during parallel parking?
It depends on how hard the contact is and which state you are testing in. In California, striking the curb hard during the maneuver is an automatic fail under the state's published scoring criteria (verified 2026-08-27). A light touch is generally treated less harshly than a hard hit, but avoiding the curb entirely is always the safer goal.
How many pull ups or corrections are allowed during parallel parking?
Most examiners allow at least one or two adjustments without penalty, since real world parking often needs a small correction. What tends to hurt your score is a long string of back and forth movements that suggests you are guessing rather than adjusting deliberately.
What is the fastest way to get better at parallel parking before a test?
Practice in an empty lot with cones or markers set to the width and length of a real parking space, and use the same reference points every time so they become automatic. Consistency in where you look and when you turn the wheel matters more than the number of times you repeat it.