Pay for Parking

About Metered Parking

Know your license plate number when parking in downtown Raleigh.
It is in effect Monday through Friday (except on City-observed holidays).
Pay stations accept all major credit cards, coins, or the Passport parking mobile app.
Metered parking is located throughout the Core Downtown Business District, Glenwood South and Hillsborough Street near North Carolina State University
Parking is enforced by a combination of Raleigh Parking staff and the Raleigh Police Department.
Stations have accessibility features such as large backlit color screen and multi-lingual interface.
Pay stations are solar powered providing fewer environmental impacts.

Follow the steps below on how to properly proceed when using metered parking.

Pay-By-Plate Parking Video

How to Pay for Parking

If using coins or a credit card to pay for parking, it is recommended that you pay at the nearest pay station to avoid getting an “expired meter” citation but for convenience you can also pay at any other machine on the same block, or using the Passport Mobile Pay App. You will usually find two pay stations on each block.

Pay Using Passport App

The Passport parking app is free to download from the iPhone App Store and Android Google Play. Users can also manage their parking online on the Passport Parking website.

Paying with Credit Card

After entering your license plate number - press OK.
Select your desired time by using the plus or minus symbols on the keypad.
Once you have selected your desired time, hit the ok (green check mark), wait for the pay station to instruct you to insert your card (insert card with mag stripe face down and to the right). DO NOT pull the card out until prompted to do so by the display. This has been found to be one of the most common reason customers complain the machines are not working properly.

If your transaction is successful, the pay station will advise you and provide you the option of receiving or not receiving a printed receipt. This receipt is for your records and there is no requirement to place it on your dash or windshield.

Paying with Coins

Using the key pad, begin by entering your license plate number. You can pay for as little or as much time as you need, up to the maximum allowed.
As you deposit your coins, you will see the purchase time increase in increments on the display.
Continue depositing coins until your desired time has been reached. You will be unable to purchase more time than the time zone allows.

Instructions for ADA Parking

The pay stations have been programmed to enable those with valid placards or license plates to purchase as much time as they may need exceeding the designated time limit in one payment to avoid making return visits.

Once you have entered your license plate in the pay station, chose Option 2 for Accessible Parking. This will give the customer the ability to pay for an extended time.

Accessible Parking Space Map - Downtown

Accessible Parking Space Map - Hillsborough St.

Parking Before 8 a.m.

If you arrive for an early morning appointment the meters will allow you to pay in advance for the time you think you will need. The meters will not begin counting down time until 8 a.m. If you think there is any danger of exceeding the time limit it is recommended that you park in a deck where there is no limit. Please be advised that repeat metering is not permitted.

Metered Parking Time Limits

Metered parking areas are identified by distinctive blue-colored signs posted along each block which indicate the enforcement day and times and maximum time limits.
Metered zones consist of 30-min, one-hour, and two-hour time limits.
Parking meters can be re-fed, as long as the posted time limit is not exceeded.

On-Street Parking Meter Rates and Hours of Enforcement
Corridors	Hours
Hillsborough Street Corridor	8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon - Fri $1.50 per hour
Fayetteville Street Corridor	8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon - Fri $1.50 per hour
Glenwood South Corridor and all remaining Downtown Central Business District	8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon - Fri $1.25 per hour