Parking for Employees & Employers

July 1, 2024: The new daily parking rate is $15 per day in both California Avenue and University Avenue parking districts.

Off-street parking for employees

Convenient Parking at California Avenue and University Avenue Garages & Lots

Convenient parking is offered to employees and employers throughout the California Avenue and University Avenue Business Districts.

  • Various permits types (3-month, 6-month, and annual) are available for purchase at specific periods of the year.
  • Permits in California Avenue are valid anywhere in the district's surface lots and garages.
  • Permits in University Avenue are location specific. Select garages in University Avenue are only available to Downtown Parking Assessment District businesses, while all other Downtown lots and garages are available to any businesses within the Downtown. To see if your business or employer is within the district boundaries, please view the Downtown Parking Assessment District map(PDF, 193KB).
  • Parking permits are $650.00/year for California Avenue permits and $900.00/year for University Avenue permits, or $15.00/day in either district.

Reduced Price Permits are also available in select locations and require proof of income (two recent paystubs or W2).

For University Ave permits, visit Revenue Collections on the ground floor of City Hall or call (650) 329-2317 for more information including hours of operation and to purchase a permit.

For California Ave permits, visit the Duncan Solutions Permit Portal and create or sign into your account. California Ave Permits are processed and shipped by USPS, and we recommend ordering your permits in advance to avoid shipping delays.

On-street parking for employees

Downtown, Evergreen Park-Mayfield, and Southgate RPP Parking Districts

Select Palo Alto Residential Preferential Parking (RPP) Program requires all passenger vehicles to have a permit to park on the street for more than 2 hours between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5/6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

If you are employed in one of the following districts, and interested in an on-street employee RPP permit, purchase via the Duncan Solutions Permit Portal:

  • Downtown
  • Evergreen Park-Mayfield
  • Southgate

Duncan Solutions Permit Portal

Maps

The RPP program spans over multiple neighborhoods in Palo Alto including Downtown, Evergreen Park-Mayfield, Southgate, and Old Palo Alto.

RPP Permit Pricing, Account Limits, and Other Details

Acronyms

  • Downtown RPP – DT
  • Evergreen Park-Mayfield RPP – EPM
  • Southgate RPP – SG
  • Old Palo Alto RPP – OPA
Permit Pricing and Terms
Permit Type Term Rate / Permit
DT Employee / Employer Digital Jan. - June & July - Dec. $525
DT Employee / Employer (reduced) Digital Jan. - June & July - Dec. $131.25
EPM Employee / Employer Digital Jan. - June & July - Dec. $375
EPM Employee / Employer (reduced) Digital Jan. - June & July - Dec. $93.75
SG Employee / Employer Digital Jan. - June & July - Dec. $375
SG Employee / Employer (reduced) Digital Jan. - June & July - Dec. $93.75
Permit Limits
Permit Type Permits Per Account
DT Employee / Employer Digital 1 or 10/business
DT Employee / Employer (reduced) Digital 1
EPM Employee / Employer Digital 1 or 10/business
EPM Employee / Employer (reduced) Digital 1
SG Employee / Employer Digital 1 or 10/business
SG Employee / Employer (reduced) Digital 1

 

District / Zone Limits
District / Zone Permits / Zone
DT Zone 1 60
DT Zone 2 90
DT Zone 3 50
DT Zone 4 50
DT Zone 5 100
DT Zone 6 80
DT Zone 7 100
DT Zone 8 50
EPM Zone G 40
SG Zone S 10
SG Zone S1 20

Learn more about the RPP program

Duncan Permit Portal Help

If you need additional help on the Duncan Solutions permit portal, consult this Step by Step Duncan Permit Purchasing Guide. Or check out the FAQ. On occasion, permit emails will be directed to your spam/junk folder. Please check this folder if you do not receive a message in your inbox. For technical or fulfillment issues, please contact our permit vendor for assistance. You can reach Duncan Solutions by emailing Onlineissues@DuncanSolutions.com.

To fully utilize the online system, we ask RPP participants to review the instructions to apply for a permits. Visit the Permit Portal and create an account with the required information:

  1. Secure your login credentials by email (permit emails may be directed to your spam/junk folder)
  2. Enter vehicle information
  3. Order your permits - Online permit renewal for residents will begin the following year
  4. Customer will be charged a service fee for each permit
  5. Submit program eligibility documentation
  6. If applicable, pay for permits
  7. Monitor inbox for order confirmation 

Employee/Employers creating new accounts will be required to upload proof of employment (i.e., business permit, W2, wage statements, etc.). For more information, please review RPP Administrative Guidelines.

Once your purchase is complete, the payment receipt (email) will serve as a temporary permit, valid 30 days after purchase. Please print and fully display, face-up until your order arrives by mail. Digital RPP permits will be activated on the following business day after purchase.   

Contact Us

If you have general questions on the RPP program, please contact the Office of Transportation by calling (650) 329-2520 or email Transportation@CityofPaloAlto.org.

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