San Diego driving guide

Knowing about San Diego toll roads, parking restrictions and charges, changing speed limits and where to charge up your EV, will make navigating this southern Californian city a breeze.

It might also be worth familiarizing yourself with the California state driving rules  before you set off, if you’re planning on passing through any surrounding cities such as Los Angeles. Here’s everything you need to know about driving in San Diego.

At-a-glance info:

In this guide:

• Driving rules in San Diego
• Speed limits in San Diego
• Toll roads in and around San Diego
• San Diego’s driving license requirements
• Parking in San Diego
• Electric car charging in San Diego
• Quick driving tips for San Diego
• Frequently asked questions

Driving rules in San Diego

• The first vehicle that arrives at an intersection has right of way. Unless there’s a stop or yield sign, which all drivers must adhere to. If another driver, pedestrian, or cyclist arrives at the intersection at the same time, the vehicle, or person, on the right has right-of-way.
• Everyone, from babies to adults, must wear a seatbelt. Those aged 16 and above must wear approved seat belts. Children aged 8 and under, who are 4’9’’ or less, must ride in a booster seat or be secured with a seatbelt at a minimum.
• Unless your vehicle does it for you, turn your headlights on when it’s dark. You should also use them in any weather conditions which could limit visibility including fog, rain or (unlikely) snow.
• Unless you’re using a hands-free set-up, you can’t talk, text, read messages or use any other phone function while driving in San Diego. Avoid even holding your phone in your hand while behind the wheel or you can get a ticket. Drivers under 18 can’t use cellphones at all, even hands-free. Making emergency calls is an exception to this rule.
   

Speed limits in San Diego

To avoid penalties, it’s worth knowing the speed rules for different areas. Here is a run-down of different San Diego speed limits.

Toll roads in and around San Diego

California is home to many toll roads. But thankfully, there aren’t many in San Diego. There’s one major toll road to look out for, depending on where you’re traveling to or from. The city itself is relatively toll-free, and you can avoid paying tolls altogether if you miss out the express lanes.

South Bay Expressway

It’s pretty unlikely you’ll need to use this road for traveling around the city. It’s a 10-mile north-facing route providing fast access to and from Mexico. It also offers connections to East County and Downtown. The toll charges are different depending on whether you’re north or southbound and where you get on.

From: Otay Mesa Road near State Route 905

To: San Miguel Road in Bonita

Cost for car:

• 2-Axle vehicles – $2.75 with FasTrack, $3.50 with cash/AET.
• 3+-Axle vehicles – $5.50 with FasTrack, $7.00 with cash/AET.

Cost for truck: As above.

How to pay: You can pay by cash or card – but you’ll need to have the right amount as you won’t get change. You can also pay electronically with FasTrak.

There is also the option to Pay-by-Plate after your trip, or if you miss the toll payment at the time, but it’s $2 more than the original fee.

l-15 Express Lane

You can avoid paying a toll altogether if you don’t use the express lanes on this interstate. Even then, the express lanes are free in some cases – including carpools, motorcycles and clean air vehicles.

From: State Route 78 in Escondido

To: State Route 163 in San Diego

Cost for car: Costs for the I-15 Express Lane vary depending on how many miles you’ve traveled, and how busy the road is at the time. Prices can vary between $0.50 to $8.00.

Cost for truck: Same as above

How to pay: FasTrak tolls are automatically deducted from your account. You can also pay with cash, though no change is given, or card. If you miss paying, you can pay-by-plate online, but the toll is higher.

San Diego’s driving license requirements

The San Diego driving license requirements follow the state guidelines. To apply for a driver's license in California, all drivers must be 16 years old, and be a legal state resident. Drivers must carry their license with them any time they are behind the wheel. Check out our Californian State driving guide for more information.

Parking in San Diego

There’s plenty of parking in downtown San Diego especially – and the best news is that some of it is free. There are about 3,000 free spaces in the Port of San Diego, dotted around various locations along the bay and Imperial Beach waterfront.

If you know where to look, there are also limited free overnight street parking spots in downtown San Diego. Try Second Avenue, Broadway, E and F streets, and other surrounding locations. Always check any signs to ensure unrestricted parking is allowed at your chosen location and that there are no temporary restrictions.

Evan V. Jones Parkade

There are 110 spaces here, and the lot is open 24/7. You can find the multi-story in the Civic area near the San Diego Civic Theatre (you can buy advance parking for most shows). It’s also easy to walk to the waterfront from here and it’s not far from Little Italy.

Location: 1265 1st Avenue, Downtown Core District, San Diego, CA 92101.

Cos: $2.00 for 20 minutes. $12 for two hours.

How to pay: Pay in person by card.

6^TH & K Parkade

This central parking location is around a three-minute walk to the lively Gaslamp Quarter, so is an ideal spot for days out. It has 1,230 spaces, including disabled spots, and a height restriction of 2.13m.

Location: 289 6th Avenue, East Village, San Diego, CA 92101.

Cost: $1 per hour (max $15)

How to pay: Pay in person by cash or card.

Horton Plaza Parking Garage

Horton Plaza is a spacious multi-story garage with 2,000 spaces, so you’re likely to find room. It’s in a great location among many of the city’s museums and is positioned not far from the bayfront.

Location: 801 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101.

Cost: $2.00 for 15 minutes. $8.44 for 2 hours. Max $48.00.

How to pay: Pay when you exit by card.

San Diego parking app

You can download the ParkMobile App for free from the App Store and Google Play Store. Enter the zone number listed on parking meter signs into the app to quickly pay for parking.

Electric car charging in San Diego

There are plenty of places to charge your EV in San Diego. There are 1,581 charging stations across the city. 109 of these are free-to-use, while 366 are DC Fast Chargers. We’d recommend taking a look at your planned route to see if there are any handy charging locations along the way.

Quick driving tips for San Diego

• Tourist traffic adds to the general rush in San Diego. Roads can be busy in popular spots, such as the bayfront, so try and avoid rush hour if you can.
• In San Diego, most freeways have four lanes. The far-left lane is lane 1, which faster-moving cars should use. Slower vehicles, such as trucks and trailers, must use lane 4.
  
• If you’re looking for a smooth ride, the California Highway Patrol has designated lane 3 as being the safest to drive on in most cases.
  
• The I-5 freeway is a shipping corridor for freight trucks. They usually travel in lane 3, so leave lots of room when they are in front of, and behind, you.
  
• Street parking rules in San Diego are strictly enforced. Careless and illegal parking can result in instant and hefty fines. If you can, try and find a metered parking lot, or just make sure to check and double-check street parking signage.
   

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time of day to drive in San Diego?

You should aim to avoid rush-hour, which is roughly between 6.30pm to 8:30pm. If a major event is on, the evening rush can run from 4pm to 7pm, depending on the day. In the morning, the roads tend to be the busiest between 7am and 9am.

Is it difficult driving in San Diego?

Although the busiest times on the roads aren’t as bad as in LA, the city can get pretty congested. It’s widely visited, and people come from other states who may not always know the rules. So, be vigilant and try to stick to the ‘safer’ lane on the freeway – lane 3.

How much is a speeding ticket in San Diego?

Fines depend how many miles per hour you are over the speed limit. So,

1-15mph over the limit would put you in the lowest fine bracket – a fine of $239. If you are more than 25mph over, the fine is $490.

Speeding Over 100mph incurs a fine of $1,310, two points on your driving record, a 30-day license suspension and, possibly, 16 hours in traffic school. You can find out more about state speeding penalties in our comprehensive California driving guide.

​If you’ve already spent some time driving in California, you should know a lot of the state rules. The main thing is to stay safe and observe the laws. Park up safely and enjoy your time in this vibrant city when you hire a car with Hertz.

Get ready for your trip to San Diego

It pays to know the driving rules in any city but, once you’ve familiarized yourself with any dos and don’ts, you’ll want to get on with planning your visit. Take a look at more of our guides to get the most out of your trip to ‘America’s Finest City’.

• Best things to do in San Diego
• Best hotels in San Diego
• Best restaurants in San Diego
• San Diego’s neighborhoods