If your leisurely lunch goes a little long or you're having too much fun shopping and you're about to exceed your two hours of free parking in uptown Waterloo lots, soon there will be no need to fret.

Waterloo has partnered with Honk Mobile to allow people to pay for extra parking time using an app on their phone.

Starting Sept. 1, visitors to uptown Waterloo can pay $2.75 an hour through the app after their free two hours expires.

Christine Tettman, parking program manager for the city, said council and the business improvement area both asked staff to think of ways to make it easier for people to stay in uptown longer.

Honk Mobile can be used to pay for parking in uptown Waterloo lots starting Sept. 1. (honkmobile.com) "They were looking for something that would allow patrons to extend their time by a little and enjoy a little bit more of what uptown Waterloo has to offer," Tettman said.

How it works

After you download the app, you create a free account with your email, cellphone number, license plate number and payment details.

After you've parked, you can add money by entering the zone you're in. You can pay for parking right away if you know you're going to be longer than two hours, or you can wait until your time is just about to expire to pay the $2.75 an hour.

Once the payment is processed, parking enforcement officers receive a notice to tell them you've paid.

The app will be used for parking in: Waterloo Town Square, Station Lot, City Centre Lot, the museum lot and temporary lots A and B.