Who manages on-street parking?

Most parking on public streets is managed and maintained by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT). We're always here to answer any questions you have about our city streets. Send an email to PBOTParkingControl@portlandoregon.gov or give us a call at 503-823-7275.

Where can you park?

If you're coming Downtown (or near Downtown) you'll likely find yourself in one of the five meter districts. There are over 20,000 on-street parking stalls, along with five SmartPark garages available to the public. Parking on-street is regulated, so you need to check the signs where you park to make sure you are following the parking rules for that space. Almost everywhere (with some exceptions in the Central Eastside) you will need to pay to park. There are also a number of privately owned parking lots and garages that are not affiliated with the City.

Go to the map

Where can you NOT park?

Don't park anywhere with a No Parking sign.

Don't anywhere with yellow curb painting. No part of your vehicle should be in the yellow part.

Don't park within 10 feet of a fire hydrant.

Don't park blocking a driveway. No part of your vehicle should block any part of the driveway.

Unless you are a commercial vehicle in the process of loading/unloading, do not park at a Truck Loading Zone.

Don't park in the travel lane (no double parking).

Don't park in a bike lane.

Don't park outside marked lines

Don't park in a crosswalk. No part of your vehicle should be in the crosswalk.

Don't park blocking an ADA curb ramp. No part of your vehicle should block any part of a curb ramp.

This is not an exhaustive list. Always check the signs where you park!

How much does parking cost?

Downtown District - Includes the Central Business District, South Waterfront and the Pearl District - $2.00 per hour.

Event Meter District - Next to Providence Park currently in effect on Portland Timbers home game days - $3.50 per hour beginning 3 hours and after event start (view event district map)

Lloyd District - Roughly bounded by the Willamette River, N/NE Broadway, NE 16th and the I-84 freeway. The district includes the Oregon Convention Center, Lloyd Center, Rose Garden Arena, Memorial Coliseum and Lloyd Business District - $1 per hour.

Marquam Hill District - Located on top of Portland’s Marquam Hill, home to Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Shriners Hospital for Children, the Portland VA Medical Center and other healthcare organizations - $1.60 per hour.

Central Eastside District - Located on MLK Blvd. and Grand Ave. and the streets in between MLK and Grand from I-84 freeway to Clay Street - $1.20 per hour. Learn more about the Central Eastside.

Northwest District - Bounded generally by NW Vaughn (on the north), W. Burnside (on the south), NW Cornell and Westover Roads (on the west) and I-405 (on the east) - $1.60 per hour. Learn more about Northwest Portland.

How do you pay for parking?

With Mobile Pay

The most convenient way to pay for parking is through Parking Kitty, the City-owned mobile pay app. Park, pay, be on your way.

Download Parking Kitty (Android) Download Parking Kitty (iOS) Use Parking Kitty Web Version

Check out our Parking Kitty video below, it's pawsitively awesome.

Parking Kitty FAQs can be found here. A map of Parking Kitty zones can be found here.

Parking Kitty is available at Portland State University parking lots and garages. Learn more about parking at Portland State University here.

Parking Kitty is also available at Washington Park. Learn more about parking at Washington Park here.

At the Paystation

If you would rather pay at the paystation, the City is currently converting all of its pay-and-display meters to pay-by-plate meters. You will be asked to enter your license plate information at the paystation, and all information is stored digitally, meaning no paper receipt to put back in your car. You can look up your receipt here if you need.

Watch the video below to learn how to use a pay-by-plate paystation. Click here to see a map of current pay-by-plate locations.

Fun fact - converting to pay-by-plate meters will save 700 MILES of receipt paper annually.

Pay by Plate FAQs can be found here.

Report a broken paystation

When is parking free?

In all districts parking is free at meters (except at city parks) on the following nine (9) holidays, as specified on each meter: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Parking paystations are programmed not to accept payment on holidays and will display a message on the screen letting you know that it's a holiday.

How long can you park?

In meter districts

In the meter districts you will see signs like this. The number on the sign is the time limit, which tells you how long you can park there before you must move your car to another blockface. You have to pay for parking in these areas and you cannot feed the meter.

Outside of a meter district:

Outside of the meter district or in parts of the Central Eastside you will see signs like this. The number on the sign is the time limit, which tells you how long you can park there before you must move your car to another blockface. You do not have to pay for parking in these areas.

In an Area Parking Permit zone:

If you find yourself in one of the Area Parking Permit Zones you will see signs like this. Signs are slightly different in each zone, but each one will give the timestay limit (usually in the top corner) and the hours of enforcement. Unless you have a residential, visitor, or business permit for that zone you must move your car out of the zone by the end of the posted timestay.

How do truck loading zones work?

Why does Portland have truck loading zones? These zones are only for commercial vehicles with signage to use for loading and unloading purposes only. Commercial vehicles are limited to 30 minutes. Each location is designed to meet the needs of the surrounding businesses.

What information is on the signs? Each sign will list the hours that is truck loading only. Sometimes this is a few hours, sometimes all day, sometimes it's a few days of the week, sometimes it's every day. PBOT has redesigned our signs (the new green signs) and will be replacing the older, red signs as needed.

What if you are a customer wanting to park here? If you park outside of the truck loading hours, you will be fine. If you park overnight in a truck loading stall, make sure you move your vehicle before the truck loading hours activate in the morning.

What are the parking regulations outside of the truck loading only hours? Outside of the posted hours, the stall will revert back to match the rest of the block (unless there is other signage posted). If you are in a meter district,you need to pay for parking,and you can only stay as long as the posted time limit (see section above). If the truck loading hours end after meter enforcement ends, parking is free (if you try to pay at a paystation or on mobile pay, it wont let you).

Parking for people with disabilities

There are a number of disability parking stalls throughout the City, both in meter districts and other areas. This stalls are signed, and only vehicle with valid Disability Placards can park there. Please note that some stalls are signed for Wheelchair Users Only. You must have a valid Disability Wheelchair User Placard to park here.

Go to the map

The rules of how long you can park and how much you have to pay vary by location and disability parking stall type.

If you have a Disability Parking Placard - you can park at a 2 Hour meter, pay for 2 hours, and stay for 3 hours. At any meter that's more than 2 hours, you can only stay for the length that you pay for. Outside of the meter districts, you can park for up to 24 hours before you need to move your car.

Get the Parking Kitty app to make paying easier!

If you have a Disability Wheelchair User Parking Placard - you can park at any metered location without having to pay, and can stay for up to 24 hours. Outside of the meter districts, you can park for up to 24 hours before you need to move your car.

Click here to learn more about disability parking in Portland.

Motorcycle and Scooter Parking

Portland has a number of dedicated on-street and SmartPark motorcycle/scooter parking locations. Please see the map below for more information.

Motocycle/Scooter map

Make sure you do not get a parking citation by doing one of the following:

Pay with Parking Kitty, Portland's mobile pay app

Pay at a pay-by-plate meter, these are being installed through out the City

At a pay-and-display meter, attach the meter receipt near the handlebars. We recommend taking a cell phone picture of your parking receipt on the motorcycle or scooter as proof of payment if you fear it will get stolen or lost. The picture of the receipt on the vehicle can serve as proof of payment.

In the event that a customer receives a parking citation, proof of payment can be validated by contacting paystation customer service at 503-278-5410 within 3 business days. Upon validation, the parking citation for non-payment of the meter will be cancelled immediately.

You got a parking citation

What did you get cited for?

Here is a list of the most common violations. If your violation is not on this list, feel free to call the Parking Enforcement main line at 503-823-5195 to get more information.

Violation Amount Overtime meter. When parked at a meter you must pay for the amount of time you plan to park there. If you stay beyond the amount of prepaid time you may be subject to a citation. With the Parking Kitty mobile app you can easily check your remaining time right on your phone. Learn more about Meter Enforcement. $44 - $70 No meter receipt. When you parking in a metered space you must pay for parking. If you do not have a meter receipt displayed, or have not paid via the mobile app or the pay-by-plate machine, you may be subject to a citation. $65 Failure to display current registration. Vehicles parked on the public right-of-way must have current registration or current permit. Contact Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services for registration renewal. $70 - $140 Truck Loading zone. Truck loading zones were created to help local businesses with the loading and unloading of goods. During the posted time of the loading zone, only box trucks, pick-up trucks, or a vehicle registered with the DMV as a van. These vehicles must have company signage displayed on both sides, and may only park in the loading zone for 30 minutes while actively loading and unloading. $95 Improper display of parking meter receipt. To ensure the safety of Parking Enforcement Officers, meter receipts must be properly displayed on your vehicle (see your meter receipt for proper display instructions). Officers will not enter the traffic lane to verify if you have a parking receipt. If you are parking in multiple locations within a meter district, please check to make sure that your meter receipt is in the correct location before leaving your vehicle. $44 No front or rear plate. Vehicle does not have the state supplied front and rear plates mounted. $85 Area permit required. Area Parking Permit Zones were designed to prevent commuters from parking in residential areas, and every vehicle must have a permit or adhere to the posted visitor limits. If your vehicle is parked without a permit for longer than the posted visitor limits you may be subject to citation. $85 No parking anytime. You are not allowed to park anywhere with yellow curb markings or where parking signs say "no parking". $85 Blocked driveway. You cannot block a paved or unpaved driveway including the curb returns or wings, even if the driveway has gates, chains, posts, or other barriers. $95 Prohibited time. Certain commercial corridors have times of the day where parking is prohibited, and the parking lane is converted to a travel lane to help with traffic. These are often called "pro time" areas. If you are parked during a prohibited time you may be subject to citation and tow. $95 Meter feeding. At any short-term meter (4 hours or less) you can only park for the maximum time on the posted time limit. If you purchase additional meter receipts above and beyond the the maximum stay allowed, this is meter feeding and you may be subject to a citation. Meter feeding is only allowed at long-term meters (5 hours or more). To avoid a citation, you must move your vehicle to a different blockface and pay for more parking time there. $44 Abandoned auto. On-street parking is intended for the short-term parking of vehicles, and long-term storage of personal property is not allowed. Any type of vehicle abandoned and/or stored on the public right-of-way in excess of 24 hours will be subject to CITATION and TOW AWAY. This includes boats, campers, trailers, etc. $285 Fire hydrant. You cannot park within 10 feet of a fire hydrant in any location. The fire hydrant does not have to be posted by signs or a yellow curb. $155 Wrong way. You must park in the direction of traffic at parallel and angle spaces. Motorcycles may angle park in a parallel space. $55 Reserved zone. On-street parking can be reserved for a variety of reasons, and during the reserved time only authorized vehicles are allowed to park there. Reserved parking spaces will be clearly marked with specific dates, days, and/or times. Parking in a reserved space may be subject to citation and tow. $85 Disabled/wheelchair zone. Only vehicles with a DMV authorized disability plate/placard may use disability zones, whether on a public street or in parking lot open to the public. $165 Handicapped Ramp. You cannot park your vehicle parked in front of a ADA access ramp. The City is currently installed ADA ramps across the City, please ensure that you are not blocking an ADA ramp while you park or you may be subject to citation. $215

You understand why you got that citation and do not wish to contest it

It happens to the best of us. You must do one of the following within 30 days of the date on the citation, or the citation will be delinquent. If the citation becomes delinquent, the court may double the citation amount, issue a warrant for impoundment (tow) of the vehicle, enter a judgment, and impose a fine up to the maximum amount allowed by law and assign the citation to the Department of Revenue for collection.

Option 1: PAY YOUR CITATION Insert in the yellow citation envelope a check or money order for the citation amount. Make your check or money order payable to State of Oregon. Write your citation number and auto license plate number on the check or money order. You may pay the citation in full with Visa or Mastercard by calling 503-988-3235, listen to the message and press the number 2 on your phone. Do not mail cash.

Pay your citation online

Option 2: SEND THE BAIL AND A WRITTEN EXPLANATION Insert in the yellow citation envelope a check or money order for the citation amount along with a separate written explanation as to why you are contesting the citation. Your written explanation is a waiver of your right to a court hearing and consent to any judgment rendered. The court will consider your written explanation and either refund your money or forfeit all or part of it. For more information on contesting your citation, please visit the court's web page Click here for the Circuit Court web page.

Insert in the yellow citation envelope a check or money order for the citation amount along with a separate written explanation as to why you are contesting the citation. Your written explanation is a waiver of your right to a court hearing and consent to any judgment rendered. The court will consider your written explanation and either refund your money or forfeit all or part of it. For more information on contesting your citation, please visit the court's web page Option 3: SCHEDULE A COURT HEARING There are 2 different ways to schedule a court hearing. First option is to insert in the yellow citation envelope a check or money order for the citation amount along with a separate written request for a hearing. The second option is to appear in person at the Circuit Court Parking Tag Office, Room 131B, Multnomah County Courthouse, 1021 S.W. Fourth Avenue, Portland, Oregon to request a hearing and to pay the citation.

You wish to contest your citation

First thing to do is check your citation photos. You will need your citation number (near the top, starts with HA), the citation date, and your license plate. You can view your citation photos here, but it can take up to 3 days for the photos to appear.

After viewing the photos you must do one of the following within 30 days of the date on the citation, or the citation will be delinquent. If the citation becomes delinquent, the court may double the citation amount, issue a warrant for impoundment (tow) of the vehicle, enter a judgment, and impose a fine up to the maximum amount allowed by law and assign the citation to the Department of Revenue for collection.

Option 1: PAY YOUR CITATION Insert in the yellow citation envelope a check or money order for the citation amount. Make your check or money order payable to State of Oregon. Write your citation number and auto license plate number on the check or money order. You may pay the citation in full with Visa or Mastercard by calling 503-988-3235, listen to the message and press the number 2 on your phone. Do not mail cash.

Pay your citation online

Option 2: SEND THE BAIL AND A WRITTEN EXPLANATION Insert in the yellow citation envelope a check or money order for the citation amount along with a separate written explanation as to why you are contesting the citation. Your written explanation is a waiver of your right to a court hearing and consent to any judgment rendered. The court will consider your written explanation and either refund your money or forfeit all or part of it. For more information on contesting your citation, please visit the court's web page Click here for the Circuit Court web page.

Insert in the yellow citation envelope a check or money order for the citation amount along with a separate written explanation as to why you are contesting the citation. Your written explanation is a waiver of your right to a court hearing and consent to any judgment rendered. The court will consider your written explanation and either refund your money or forfeit all or part of it. For more information on contesting your citation, please visit the court's web page Option 3: SCHEDULE A COURT HEARING There are 2 different ways to schedule a court hearing. First option is to insert in the yellow citation envelope a check or money order for the citation amount along with a separate written request for a hearing. The second option is to appear in person at the Circuit Court Parking Tag Office, Room 131B, Multnomah County Courthouse, 1021 S.W. Fourth Avenue, Portland, Oregon to request a hearing and to pay the citation.

You got towed

Towing on public property typically happens because a vehicle received a citation that resulted in a tow (think, parking in front of a driveway or fire hydrant; parking in a time limit for much passed the posted limit; other reasons). First thing you should do is contact Parking Enforcement at 503-823-5195 where a staff member can tell you what your vehicle was cited for, and where the vehicle is being stored. If Parking Enforcement does not have a record of your vehicle, it may have been towed by the Police, you can contact the Police Auto Records at 503-823-0044 for more information.

Please click here for more information about towing and private property impounds, including information on City Code, Impound Rates, and Complaints & Appeals.

You got booted

The Multnomah County Court generates a “tow list” of vehicles with orders to tow issued by the court. Vehicles that have unpaid parking citations and fees totaling more than $500 and/or six delinquent citations are put on the tow list by the Multnomah County Court. The list is sent to PBOT Parking Enforcement and if they come across a vehicle that is on the list, PBOT contacts the contracted tow company and the vehicle is booted for 36 hours before it is towed. If you find that your vehicle has been booted, the first thing you should do is contact the Multnomah County Courthouse at 503-988-3235. Multnomah County Courthouse staff will work with you to coordinate payment for your parking citations, which will then result in removal of the boot.

There is an abandoned vehicle or derelict RV on your street

The task of the Abandoned Autos team is to respond to reports of vehicles being illegally stored on the public streets. When a vehicle is found in violation, a tow warning notice is placed on it, so that the vehicle owner has the opportunity to correct the violation. Our goal is to achieve voluntary compliance, but vehicles remaining in violation after being warned can be towed and impounded by City order.

An abandoned vehicle is defined by City Code (section 16.90.005 ) as one that is:

illegally stored, in excess of 24 hours, on the street AND

does not display valid license plates OR appears inoperative, disabled, wrecked, or dismantled.

We also put tow warnings on trucks, buses, trailers and RVs, which are prohibited from parking on the street except for the purpose of loading or unloading for a limited time (16.20.120).

Report an Abandoned Auto

You will need:

Location of the vehicle Make, color & style License number (is any)

Report Online Report by Phone: 503-823-7309 Report by Fax: 503-823-6138

Abandoned Auto Office Line

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday

Phone: 503-823-6814

Frequently Asked Questions

General On-Street Parking Questions

When are parking time limit signs, such as for 2 hour and 30 minute spaces, in effect and enforced?

In Metered Areas

Time limit signs tell drivers how long they are allowed to park in a space, such as for 1 hour or 30 minutes. These signs are in effect and enforceable based on the details of each meter district:

Downtown District - 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, unless otherwise posted

Event Meter District (Next to Providence Park currently in effect on Portland Timbers home game days) - Enforcement hours vary based on game time and may extend past normal enforcement hours

Lloyd District Meters east of NE Grand Avenue operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, unless otherwise posted Meters on and west of NE Grand Avenue operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday, unless otherwise posted

Marquam Hill District - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless otherwise posted

Central Eastside District - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless otherwise posted

Northwest District - 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday unless otherwise posted

Metered parking is not in effect and not enforceable on city-recognized holidays.

In Non-Metered Areas

Non-metered time limit signs tell drivers how long they are allowed to park in a space, such as for 1 hour or 30 minutes. These signs are in effect and enforceable from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, unless the regulating sign shows other restrictions for days or hours. These signs are not in effect and not enforceable on city-recognized holidays.

In Area Parking Permit Zones

Each zone limits visitor parking, usually to 2 hours or 4 hours. Each zone has different enforcement hours. You need to check the posted sign for the enforcement hours.

Can I park my car on the street for longer than 24 hours at a time?

No. All vehicles must be driven off the block face daily. Private, legal parking must be obtained if a vehicle is not driven daily.

Is it legal to park large vehicles, such as mobile homes, trailers, or trucks on the street?

Oversized vehicles of this nature can only be parked for short periods of time on the street, and then only for the specific purpose of loading/unloading. In commercial areas, the time limit is 4 hours from 7 am to 4 pm, and 2 hours from 4 pm to 7 am; in residential areas, the time limit is 8 hours. If you are having issues with illegally parked oversized vehicles, please fill out the Abandoned Auto form here.

Why do some people get to reserve parking spaces?

Temporary Street Use Permits can be issued for a variety of reasons. Contractors who have purchased construction permits from the Bureau of Development Services are allowed by City code (Title 24) to reserve the parking spaces around the project area. Typically at any time about 500 downtown parking spaces are in use for construction activities or other reserved uses. Sometimes spaces are reserved for loading and unloading of tour buses that bring convention-goers to shop in downtown. Click here for Temporary Street Use Permit information.

Metered Parking Questions

Do you have a map of the parking districts?

Yes, the map provides information on a variety of parking types within the city, including metered parking, Timbers parking, disability parking, and more.

Go to Parking Maps

How much does it cost to park at a meter?

Parking meter rates vary depending on the meter district. Information for each meter district can be found here.

It is important to understand that charging parking rates helps us to encourage vehicle turnover, as well as access to busy areas by walking, biking, transit, carpooling, and other shared mobility options. For shoppers and visitors, the City has provided its own SmartPark garages at a rate of $1.80 for the first two hours which, coupled with the purchase validation program, makes downtown parking competitive with outlying malls.

What days and hours are the parking meters enforced?

Downtown District - 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, unless otherwise posted

Event Meter District (Next to Providence Park currently in effect on Portland Timbers home game days) - Enforcement hours vary based on game time and may extend past normal enforcement hours

Lloyd District Meters east of NE Grand Avenue operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, unless otherwise posted Meters on and west of NE Grand Avenue operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday, unless otherwise posted

Marquam Hill District - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless otherwise posted

Central Eastside District - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless otherwise posted

Northwest District - 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday unless otherwise posted

Metered parking is not in effect and not enforceable on city-recognized holidays.

What are the parking meter holidays for this year?

In all districts parking is free at meters on the following nine (9) holidays, as specified on each meter: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Parking Paystations are programmed not to accept payment on holidays and will display a message on the screen letting you know that it's a holiday.

May I feed the parking meter after my time expires?

Parking meters with time limits of more than 4 hours allow users to purchase additional time without moving the vehicle. For short-term meters (4 hours or less), the vehicle is subject to citation if it remains on the same side of the block beyond the maximum time allowed, regardless of additional payments.

Disability Parking Questions

Does the City provide disability and wheelchair user parking on-street?

Yes. The City has over 750 on-street parking stalls for vehicles with valid disability and wheelchair user placards. You can find a map of current locations here.

Can I use a Disability Placard at meters or in timed parking zones?

If you have a standard Disability Placard you must pay to park at any metered space, but may be allowed to stay past the posted time limit. For spaces marked at 2 hours, you can stay an extra hour without paying. For all other time limits, you must pay for the time you purchase and the vehicle at the end of the maximum time allowed. If you have a Wheelchair User Disability Placard you can park for up to the posted time limit without paying, except in 30 minute or less zones, where you are required to pay.

For non-metered areas with time limits, you can park up to 24 hours without moving your vehicle.

What if I live or work in a metered area?

The City does offer ADA permits for on-street parking to help those who live or work in metered areas. To learn more, or apply for a permit, please click here.

What if I cannot operate a paystation, or getting to the paystation from my vehicle is difficult?

If you are a Wheelchair User Disability Placard holder, you do not have to pay for parking.

If you have a standard Disability Placard, you can either pay through Parking Kitty (the City's mobile pay parking app) or you can apply for single-use scratch offs which can be hung from your rear view mirror.

Parking Enforcement Questions

What gives Parking Enforcement Deputies the authority to write expired license plate citations?

They were given the authority in the July 1992 changes in City Code Title 16. They are responsible for enforcing this code. The purpose for this change was to help air quality by more effectively enforcing expired license violations.

Why do you patrol/enforce some commercial and industrial areas differently than others?

Some areas in lower Southeast Portland and Industrial Northwest were originally designed and built to allow trucks to block streets and double-park while loading and unloading.



Due to higher use and congestion in these areas, we recognize this type of loading can no longer occur or must be modified. We also recognize that to change it without making some type of affordable accommodations would severely hurt some businesses. We have successfully taken care of the problem on N.W. 13th. We are using this as an example to change the other areas. The new angle loading permit change in City Code Title 16 has alleviated many of the problems.

Why does it make a difference what type of vehicle I'm using to load and unload from a truck loading zone?

The number of loading zones available in the City are limited. The original intent of these zones was for loading and unloading of large parcels from large vehicles. We have tried to accommodate other needs by allowing properly marked vehicles registered as vans, trucks, and pickups to use truck loading zones. Permits for special circumstances may be obtained from the Permit Center to use truck loading zones. The decision to allow only these types of vehicles was made by a committee of area residents who represented small and large businesses.

Why can't we get enforcement every day around schools when parents are picking up their children?

Parents are parking in the NO PARKING zones and making it hazardous for our children. Unfortunately, we do not have enough staff to give daily enforcement. We have worked individually with schools that have this problem and have provided periods of saturated enforcement. We have also worked with the schools to get information on parking rules out to parents via parent-teacher organization meetings and mailings. We recently worked with the Police Bureau to provide traffic and parking enforcement at several targeted schools during the first three weeks school was in session. For more information, please contact our Safe Routes to Schools Program.

I believe I might have several unpaid parking tickets. How do I resolve them?

To inquire about the status of unpaid parking tickets, call the Multnomah County Circuit Court Parking Tag Office at 503-988-3235. You may pay parking citations online.

Can I talk with the parking enforcement officer who issued me a citation and explain why I didn't deserve a ticket?

No. Once a City parking officer issues a citation, it becomes the property of Multnomah County Circuit Court. Please follow directions on the ticket to resolve or contest it with the Court. If you want to make your case to reduce bail or void the citation the officer who issued the citation will be available at your hearing, if you request a hearing. See How to Pay & Contest a Parking Ticket.

My car was towed - who do I call?

If your car has been towed from a parking place, call Police Records at (503) 823-0044 to find out where it has been stored.

Area Parking Permit Questions

Is there a way to keep commuters from parking on my street and then walking or taking transit to downtown?

Yes. We have had the Area Parking Permit Programs for many years. Click here to learn more.

How does the Area Parking Permit Program work?

This program was developed to allow on-street parking by residents and businesses rather than by commuters. Click here to learn more. Currently, vehicle parking permits are issued to residents and businesses in several different areas. Click here for a map of the current APPP areas.



Applicants must provide proof of residency and a current vehicle registration in the resident’s name (or a notarized letter from the legal owner stating permission for the applicant to use the vehicle) to obtain a resident vehicle and a guest vehicle parking permit. Permits are issued by mail only; business owners should call 503-823-2777 for specific application requirements.

How do I start a new Area Parking Permit Program?

To set up a new area under the program, certain requirements must be met as explained in Title 16 of the City Code. For more information on the requirements of starting a new Area Parking Permit Program please read this program guide.

Why doesn't the City have a downtown residential parking permit program like neighborhoods adjacent to downtown?

The complexity of downtown is quite different from the adjacent neighborhoods (Goose Hollow, Lair Hill/Corbett/Terwilliger) the latter being predominately residential. In downtown, the scarce on-street resource must be managed to have high turnover and serve multiple businesses rather than warehousing a car all day.

City Council has identified the following as priorities in City-owned parking, short-term (4 hours or less), carpooling, and long-term. In 2017 most meters in the downtown core were converted to 2-hour or 4-hour, and some quick stop 15-minute meters. Only the furthest edges of the Central Business District have 5-hour meters.

The City has continued working with the Downtown Community Association to find an off-street parking solution for older residential buildings, and additional demonstration programs will be undertaken as part of the Central City Transportation Management Plan implementation.

Can I get a new Area Parking Permit in Zone N?

Zone N permits may only be renewed for residents and businesses that bought permits the previous year. No new permits will be issued in Zone N. If a Zone N permit was not renewed, the applicant may not apply for the permit at a later time. Zone N permits are nontransferable because the permit is issued to the tenants and not the building owner, the sale of a building will not impact the building tenant from receiving their Zone N grandfathered permits as long as the tenant remains at the same address. This decision was made by the Central Eastside Industrial Council's Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee. Questions regarding this decision can be addressed to Rina Jimmerson at rina@ceic.cc. Learn more about parking in the Central Eastside here.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

How can I get a Special Parking Permit to park at meters?

Special Parking Permits for people with disabilities or for certain businesses. If you are interested in permits for people with disabilities, please click here. If you are interested in permits for your business or non-profit, please click here. If you need more help please contact the PBOT Parking Permit team via email at PBOTParkingPermits@portlandoregon.gov or call 503-823-2777.

Where is more information about bicycle parking?

Bicycle Parking, including requests for bike corrals and bike racks, can be found on the Bureau of Transportation's website by clicking here.

Who do I contact about bus stops and bus zones?

Contact TriMet at www.trimet.org about bus stops and bus zones.

How do I get a carpool/vanpool permit and where are carpool/vanpool parking spots?

For more information on how the current Carpool program is structured, as well as information on vanpooling, please click here.

Can I have the clearance, no parking area around my driveway painted?

Click here for driveway clearance information.

Can I have the clearance, no parking area around my mailbox signed no parking?

Please contact the Parking Control Section at 503-823-7275 for more information.

How do I get a disability parking zone, truck loading zone, taxi zone, ‘kiss-and-ride’ zone, rush hour restricted parking zone or valet parking zone?

To request a special parking zone at your home, business or property, call the parking engineer who manages on-street parking for that part of Portland as seen on this map. Please contact the Parking Control Section at 503-823-7275 for more information.