How to use Meters
Parking Services
Parking Meters
Currently, the City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department operates approximately 2,000 parking meters in the downtown, uptown, capitol, and Phoenix college areas.
Enforcement
All meters and pay stations are enforced 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, including weekends and holidays.
Hourly Rates
Meters cost $1.50 per hour.
Payment Methods
Most meters accept credit/debit cards and coins and others only accept coins.
To pay-by-phone for on-street parking meters and stations throughout the city use the Parkmobile app.
Time Limits
Time limits generally vary by location. Time limits at metered locations can range from 15 minutes to as long as 8 hours. In most areas, the maximum duration is 2 hours; however, some areas may have longer maximum durations during the evenings and weekends. The parking time limits are posted on each meter.
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Accessible Meters
Phoenix has several on-street accessible parking spaces throughout the downtown area. Each space is clearly marked with a special sign with the international symbol of access.
Vehicles displaying a valid ADA License Plate and/or Placard receive one hour of free parking once their parking meter has expired. Vehicles displaying a valid Purple Heart Recipient license plate also receive one free additional hour. This applies to all parking meters, not just the designated ADA Accessible parking meters.
Your feedback on the city's parking meters is important. For questions or comments on how we can improve, call 602-261-8090 or email parking.meters@phoenix.gov.
Enforcement And Hours Of Operation
Enforcement Hours Effective August 18, 2014:
Every Day (Including Holidays) - 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Violations
For all parking spaces, make sure you are aware of the space time limit as shown on the parking meter or pay station sign. Most spaces allow parking for one to two hours. Parking longer than the allowable limit may result in a fine per Phoenix City Code 36-154. Also, please keep in mind that parking at an inoperable meter may result in a ticket. Parking meter citations are issued to improve compliance. Without parking meter citations, these restrictions would frequently be ignored. Please note that if your citation is delinquent, you may owe additional penalties and interest that are not included in the amount due.
Frequently Asked Questions
All meters and pay stations are enforced from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, including weekends and holidays. Meters cost $1.50 per hour.
The only coins accepted for payment in City of Phoenix meters and paystations are nickels, dimes, and quarters.
Yes. Credit card transactions at metered locations are secure because they are PCI compliant. PCI is the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standard for protecting data. This requirement is designed to ensure that companies that process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment.
Please check to ensure that you are inserting your credit card into the meter correctly. To report a problem with a parking meter/paystation, please call 602-261-8090 or email parking.meters@phoenix.gov.
Please call 602-261-8090 between 6am - 3pm M-F or email parking.meters@phoenix.gov and report it as a broken or malfunctioning meter/paystation. Be sure to move your vehicle to an operational metered location to avoid a parking ticket. Please remember that by reporting a malfunctioning meter or paystation, you are helping us keep the system operational, helping your fellow motorists and preventing yourself from being issued a parking ticket.
Meters are "hooded" for various reasons in the City of Phoenix. Meters may be taken out of service for construction to allow workers to get materials in and out of a project area, to prevent vehicles from parking in a project or special event area, or for special permitted loading/unloading. The City makes every effort to minimize meter hooding downtown; however, this is often necessary for public safety or completion of important maintenance and construction projects.
Need a meter hooded for a special event or construction work? Please call 602-262-6235 with your request.
Yes, but pay close attention to the signs. In most cases, you may park at a yellow commercial loading zones after 5 pm. If a meter is present, you must pay from 5 pm to 10 pm in loading zones. You may not park in a loading zone between 7 am and 5 pm unless you have commercial plates and are engaged in legitimate loading activity.
If it is a valid violation, please pay it by following the directions on the ticket or envelope. If you believe it was issued in error, you may contest the ticket. Instructions for challenging a ticket can be found on the ticket, or visit the City of Phoenix website for more information.
Yes. Pay by cell for parking meters is available via the ParkMobile mobile app.
Yes. Phoenix has several on-street accessible parking spaces throughout the downtown area. Each space is clearly marked with a special sign with the international symbol of access. Parking at an accessible space is governed by Phoenix City Code 36-149 and Arizona Revised Statute 28-884.
You can prepay at single-space credit card meters and paystations for the time you need even if you arrive before the start of enforcement – you will not be charged until the meter begins operation at 8 am. Prepayment begins at 7:00 am at all credit card meters including paystations every day.
On-street metered parking is free overnight from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. every day. The city also currently has several hundred free on-street parking spaces (no parking meters) in the downtown area and in close proximity to major destinations.
Businesses can contact Parking Meter staff at 602-495-6769 to request changes to parking durations that may improve parking supply or convenience for their customers. Staff will evaluate their requests which may include surveys of nearby business parking needs.
All revenues collected go to the City’s General Fund to help pay for various services including new meter technology that allow customers to use credit cards. Revenues also help pay for essential City services such as police, fire, parks, streets, community and senior centers and graffiti removal throughout the city.
Time limits generally vary by location. Time limits at metered locations can range from 15 minutes to as long as 8 hours, depending on nearby business needs. In most areas, the maximum duration is 2 hours; however, some areas may have longer maximum durations during the evenings to accommodate business activity.