Parking in Boston

It can be tricky to find parking in Boston, but not if you use Parkopedia! Below you will find information on parking in the city, including: on-street, public and private parking.

There are many parking lots and garages in downtown Boston. To narrow down your search, try looking for a specific area: Chinatown, Back Bay, West End or just type the address you’re looking for into the search box.

Depending on the area, additional services offered at the location can include:

• Valet parking;
• CCTV monitoring;
• An attendant present or on-site security;
• Other convenient services.

Parking meters are in operation Monday through Saturday, 8am - 8pm. The maximum parking time is 2 hours. The price for metered parking in Boston is $1.25 per hour. City of Boston parking meters are free on Sundays and legal holidays with no time limit being enforced. 

The three types of meters are single-space, IPS credit card and pay-and-display.

Parking at single-space meters is paid using quarters and/or Boston Meter Cards.

IPS Credit Card Meters accept quarters, as well as MasterCard and VISA Debit/Credit cards.

Pay-and-display meters accept dollar bills, quarters, MasterCard and Visa debit/credit cards.

The city’s authorities have recognized the growing number of motorcycle and scooter drivers, which is why the Boston Transportation Department has divided six standard car spots in order to create space for 39 scooters or motorcycles. The meter rate is 25 cents per hour, with no time limit; meaning that, scooters and motorcycles are free to park the entire day.

There are over 2,750 bike racks located throughout the city, with hundreds of new racks being installed every year.

Please note that during declared snow emergencies parking is prohibited on major roads and/or intersections so that the streets are accessible for snow plows and emergency vehicles. You have the option of looking up which streets are designated as snow emergency arteries and finding alternative parking options in your neighborhood.