Parking
The Office of Transportation is responsible for developing and implementing parking policies and programs that serve the needs of residents, employees, and visitors, while also supporting City transportation and environmental goals.
NEW! Share your experience parking in Downtown Palo Alto to help inform policy decisions, including evaluating additional parking permit types, exploring customer enhancements such as validation, mobile payment, and potential parking time limit extensions. Online survey deadline is August 4.
Looking to pay a parking citation?
All parking citations are paid through the Administrative Services Department. Find step by step instructions to pay online, by mail, or in-person.
Pay a Citation
Share Your Downtown Parking Experiences
Share input on your experiences parking in Downtown Palo Alto in a new online survey! The City offers thousands of Downtown parking spaces for visitors to work, shop, and dine in one of Palo Alto's largest business districts. Results will be used to evaluate additional parking permit types and explore customer enhancements such as validation, mobile payment, and potential parking time limit extensions. Survey closes on August 4.
Take the Survey
Parking Policies & Rules
Parking Action Plan
The Palo Alto Parking Action Plan presents comprehensive parking strategies for developing parking policy and implementation plans in the City of Palo Alto, coordinated by the Office of Transportation. More information coming soon.
General Parking and Curb Rules & Regulations
- Parking is prohibited within 15 feet on either side of a fire hydrant as per California vehicle code.
- Parking is prohibited in a wheelchair parking space and the access space next to it unless the parked vehicle displays the placard issued by the DMV.
- On a five feet wide bike lane, parking is prohibited at all times.
- On a seven to eight feet wide bike and parking lane, parking is prohibited from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- On a 12 feet wide bike and parking lane, parking is allowed at all times.
- Any vehicle parked on a public street must be moved every 72 hours. Submit an Abandoned Vehicle Complaint online or call the Abandoned Vehicle Hotline at (650) 329-2258.
- Palo Alto streets are swept bi-weekly.
- To reserve curb space for moving trucks in residential areas, please call the Police Department’s Parking Enforcement Division at (650) 329-2258 and leave a detailed voicemail requesting “no parking” signs for curbs. A Community Service Officer will respond to the request.
- To reserve curb space or no parking signs for moving trucks in commercial areas please call the City’s Development Services department at (650) 329-2496 and press option 1 to reach a Project Coordinator.
- Stationary or moving pods on the public right-of-way require an encroachment permit. If you have questions, email pwecips@CityofPaloAlto.org or call (650) 329-2496 and press option 8.
Additional Parking Information & Resources
Downtown Color Zone Parking
Valet Assist Program