Car Lockout in Green Bay, WI

Where the car is parked matters

Green Bay's parking rules decide how long a locked car can stay where it is.

• Overnight on a city street. Section 40-29(I) of the municipal code bars parking on any city street from 3:00 to 5:00 a.m. If you are locked out late at night, say how close it is to that window.
• Packer home game days. Streets signed "No Parking Day of Packer Game" must be clear at least four hours before kickoff, so give the kickoff time along with the location.
• Game-day lawn parking. That day, drivers may park on grass anywhere in the city until midnight. A car on someone's yard has a house number instead of a cross street, so send that.
• Saved spaces. Section 34-11 bars holding on-street spaces with cones, chairs, grills, ladders or people, so leave nothing in the street to hold the spot while you wait.

This is general information, not legal advice.

Safety before the lock

If a child or a pet is locked in the car, call 911 first, in any season. A closed car can turn dangerously cold in a Wisconsin winter and dangerously hot on a sunny summer afternoon.

If the engine is running with the keys inside, check that snow is not packed around the tailpipe, since a blocked exhaust can send carbon monoxide into the cabin. Do not yank a frozen handle or pry at a door seal. Wait somewhere warm, such as a nearby shop, rather than standing beside the car.

What to send

• The street and nearest cross street, or the house address for lawn parking
• The time, if it is close to the overnight ban or a game-day deadline
• Make, model and year
• Whether the keys are visible inside and whether the engine is running
• Whether anyone is inside the car

Photo ID and the car's registration are the usual proof of ownership, so have them ready. If the keys are gone entirely, the job becomes car key replacement. More on car lockout service and the Green Bay page.