To parallel park, pull up beside the car in front of the space, reverse with the wheel turned fully toward the curb to about 45 degrees, then turn fully away from the curb as your car swings in, and stop within 12 in of the curb. This parallel parking trainer shows those steps for your car, checks whether a space is big enough, and lets you practice in a simulator.
Pick your car size, measure or pace off the gap, and follow the animated walkthrough. Everything runs privately in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored on a server.
Every section below uses this car's size and turning circle.
Typical values for this size class. Edit any field to enter your own car.
Type feet and inches like 16 ft 1 in, decimal feet like 16.1, or inches like 193 in.
Measure the gap between the two parked cars' bumpers, or estimate it in car lengths or steps. Rule of thumb: look for a space about 1.5 car lengths (24 ft 2 in for your car) when you are learning.
Like 20 ft or 19 ft 6 in.
Doable
Enough room with care, but shorter than one smooth reverse maneuver, so plan on a correction or two.
To scale. Parked cars are typical midsize sedans.
The reference-point method for your car, animated to scale. Every position comes from the same steering model as practice mode.
Step 1 of 7
Park your car between the two parked cars without touching them or the curb. Your car is drawn to scale and steers like the real thing.
Click or tap the parking area, then hold Up or W to drive forward and Down or S to reverse. Hold Left/Right or A/D to turn the wheel; it stays where you leave it. Press C or Space to straighten the wheel and Enter when you are done. On a phone, hold the buttons below.
Park, then press Done. You are graded on distance from the curb (target 12 in; most state driver manuals ask for 12 to 18 in), angle to the curb, room in front and behind, direction changes, and time.
A typical driving-test style setup for practicing in an empty lot; check your state's driver handbook for the exact test. Requirements vary by state. Many states test parallel parking between poles or cones roughly 20 to 25 ft apart, with a limited number of attempts and points lost for hitting the curb or cones.
Box length = car length (16 ft 1 in) + this. Default 6 ft.
From the curb line out. Default 8 ft.
Turn on your signal before you stop beside the front car so drivers behind you know you are parking.
Look in all three mirrors and over your shoulder before you reverse, and again before the front of your car swings out into the lane.
Creep at walking speed or slower. You can turn the wheel faster than the car moves, which keeps every move small and correctable.
Tilt the passenger mirror down so you can see the curb and your rear tire. When the curb sits low in the mirror, you are close.
If you are too far out or angled, pull forward with the wheel toward the curb, then back with it turned away. Two small corrections beat one bump.
Parking facing downhill, turn your front wheels toward the curb so the car rolls into it, not into traffic.
Facing uphill next to a curb, turn your wheels away from the curb and let the car roll back gently until a tire rests against it.
On a hill without a curb, uphill or downhill, turn your wheels toward the edge of the road so the car rolls away from traffic.
Signal, check your mirrors, and stop next to the car in front of the space, about 2 to 3 ft (0.6 to 0.9 m) away, with your rear bumper even with its rear bumper.
Back up slowly with the wheel straight until your rear axle passes the other car's rear bumper.
Stop and turn the steering wheel all the way toward the curb.
Back up slowly until your car points about 45 degrees to the curb.
Center the wheel and reverse straight back until your front bumper clears the other car's rear bumper.
Turn the wheel all the way away from the curb and keep reversing slowly as the front of your car swings into the space.
Straighten the wheel and pull forward to center the car, within 12 in (30 cm) of the curb and parallel to it.
Signal and pull up alongside the car in front of the space, about 2 to 3 ft away, with your rear bumpers lined up. Reverse until your rear axle passes its rear bumper, turn the wheel fully toward the curb, and back up to about a 45-degree angle. Straighten the wheel and reverse until your front bumper clears the other car, then turn fully away from the curb as the nose swings in. Straighten, pull forward to center, and stop within 12 in of the curb.
Look for a space about 1.5 car lengths long when you are learning, about 24 ft for a typical midsize sedan. Car length plus 6 ft (about 22 ft for a midsize sedan) is easy, and car length plus 3 ft (about 19 ft) is doable with a correction or two. Parking in one smooth reverse move takes roughly car length plus 5 to 6.5 ft, depending on the car's turning circle.
Aim for 12 in (30 cm) or less between your tires and the curb. Most state driver manuals ask for no more than 12 to 18 in, so check your state's driver handbook for the exact limit. Keep your car parallel to the curb and leave room in front and behind so the other cars can get out.
Requirements vary by state. Many states test parallel parking between poles or cones roughly 20 to 25 ft apart, with a limited number of attempts and points lost for hitting the curb or cones. Check your state's driver handbook for the exact test. For practice, a box about car length plus 6 ft long and 8 ft (2.4 m) wide is a typical driving-test style setup.
Set up cones, empty boxes, or trash cans in an empty parking lot to mark a space about car length plus 6 ft long and 8 ft wide, with a cone where the front car's rear bumper would be. Pull up beside that cone and follow the same steps. You can also learn the moves first in the practice simulator on this page, which uses your car's size and turning circle.
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