No-Parking vs No-Stopping Zone: What's the Difference?

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Many people search for “no parking,” but they often actually mean a (restricted) no-stopping zone. That’s a problem because everyday language and legal language aren’t the same. This quickly creates wrong expectations, and in Berlin it often ends with stress or a parking ticket.

If you genuinely need space for a move or a delivery, this isn’t just theory. The key point is that the area has to remain clear. The fastest help is the overview page No-stopping zone Berlin.

No parking vs. no stopping, explained briefly

Legally, parking is clearly defined. You are parking if you leave the car or if you stop for longer than 3 minutes. That’s the most important threshold.

With the signs, there are two typical cases:

Restricted no-stopping zone (sign 286): Parking is prohibited. Brief stopping is usually possible, but it must be brief. There are exceptions, for example for getting in/out or for loading/unloading.
Absolute no-stopping zone (sign 283): Stopping is generally prohibited. “Just stopping for a moment” is not a valid reason if the stop is voluntary.

Stopping or parking — what actually counts?

Many people think: “I’m still in the car, so it’s stopping.” That sounds logical, but it’s not the legal standard.

Two things are decisive:

Time: If you stop for more than three minutes, it is legally parking, even if you stay seated in the car and wait.
Leaving the vehicle: If you get out and leave the car standing, it is parking immediately. That can be the case even after 30 seconds.

Two typical situations:

You stand there for eight minutes “just briefly” because someone is “coming down any second.” That is parking. You’re blocking the space, even if you’re sitting in the car.
You quickly go to ring the doorbell or pick up a parcel. You’re away from the car. That is parking because you’ve left the vehicle.

Which signs do people mean when they say “no parking”?

Most of the time, they mean these two signs:

Sign 286 (restricted no-stopping zone) looks like “no parking” to many people. It means: No parking. Brief stopping is often allowed, but not waiting for a long time.
Sign 283 (absolute no-stopping zone) is stricter. This is the sign where you really shouldn’t stop voluntarily at all.

You can often tell them apart like this:

286 has a single red diagonal line.
283 has a red X.

Arrows on the sign: start, end, continuation

Many mistakes don’t happen because of “283 or 286.” They happen because people misjudge the area.

The arrows on the sign matter:

One arrow can mean: The restriction starts here.
Another arrow can mean: It ends here.
Two arrows can mean: The restriction continues.

If you miss this, you can end up in the wrong section, and “I was only there for a moment” won’t help.

What do you need for a move, delivery, or trades people?

If you want an area to reliably stay clear, aiming for “no parking” isn’t enough. In practice, you need a clear, enforceable rule with a specific time window, usually a temporary no-stopping zone.

In Berlin that means you need to know how the application works, what it costs, and how the signs must be set up correctly. Otherwise, on moving day, someone will stop there “just briefly”, and that’s enough to block everything.

If you want to do it properly, start here: Apply for a no-stopping zone (Berlin).

Berlin: the quick links

If you’re trying to secure space right now, these three pages are enough:

Frequently asked questions

Is a no-stopping zone always also a no-parking zone?
Yes. If stopping is prohibited, parking is certainly prohibited.

Can I stop briefly in a restricted no-stopping zone?
Often yes, but only briefly. The 3-minute rule is the key guideline. There are exceptions for getting in/out and for loading/unloading.

Does the restriction apply only on my side of the street?
Yes. It applies on the side where the sign is posted.

Further link

If you want to look up the term: Wikipedia: Haltverbot

Last updated: 22. Dezember 2025