WHERE CAN I PARK in Providence?
Where to park in Providence depends on where you are in the city. Most options are described below:
Metered Spaces
There are over 2,300 metered parking spots in Providence. Metered spaces are found throughout Downtown, College Hill, Federal Hill, the Jewelry District, near the State House & Train Station, and in Wayland Square.
Parking Lots
If you can’t find a metered space, there are many private parking garages and parking lots to park at in and around Downtown.
Neighborhood Spaces
Providence’s neighborhoods hold thousands of parking spaces. While you might not always get to park right next to your house, more often than not you’ll find a space close to where you’re going!
Handicap Accessible Parking Spaces
There are signed handicapped parking spaces throughout the metered areas of Providence. A valid handicap placard holder (or valid HAC license plate holder, depending on the state) can park at ANY legal parking space in Providence without paying for the parking meter. This includes all the spaces that are not signed specifically for handicap use.
Some tips for being a parking pro IN PROVIDENCE
Comply With All Posted Parking Signs
Parking in a posted no parking zone, bus stop, handicapped parking, loading zone, or posted tow zone will leave you subject to ticketing and towing.
Do Not Park on The Sidewalks: Why is it illegal to park on Providence sidewalks?
First, it is important to maintain clear and accessible sidewalks for pedestrians, especially those who may be using mobility aids. This includes but is not limited to those pedestrians’ using canes, walkers, service dogs, strollers, etc. Second, Providence has many sidewalks that are hollow with vaults below them from earlier uses of the adjacent historic buildings. In parts of Downtown, you will see sidewalks with bollards and signs that read “No Parking Hollow Sidewalk”. However, there are other hollow sidewalks that are not posted. These hollow sidewalks are likely to collapse from the weight of a car.
Parking within 25 feet of an intersection is illegal
Even without a posted sign city ordinance prohibits parking within 25 feet of any intersection (not just intersections controlled by a traffic light). Keeping the 25 feet closest to an intersection free of parked cars allows drivers turning to clearly view the cross-street traffic preventing accidents that can occur when drivers must pull their cars forward into the intersection to see if the road is clear. Keeping the 25 feet closest to corners free of parked cars also makes it easier for emergency vehicles and garbage trucks to turn onto Providence’s narrow streets.
Parking Within 8 Feet of A Fire Hydrant is Illegal
Parking within eight feet of a fire hydrant prevents the fire department from having easy access to the hydrant during a fire and can result in ticketing and towing.
Do Not Park in Or Immediately Adjacent to A Crosswalk
Parking is forbidden within 20 feet of a crosswalk to ensure that pedestrians can see if there are vehicles approaching and for drivers to clearly see if a is pedestrian using or about to use the crosswalk.
Do Not Block Handicap Access Ramps or Curb Cuts
Blocking handicap access ramps and other curb cuts with your vehicle will result in ticketing and towing.
Do Not Park Across or Within 2 Feet of a Driveway
Parking across a driveway or closer than 2 feet to the driveway curb cut can prevent users of the driveway from safely entering and exiting the driveway by limiting sight lines and turning radii. This is especially important when a vehicle is parked opposite the driveway on the other side of the street.
FAQs ABOUT METERED PARKING IN PROVIDENCE
HOW MUCH DOES it cost to park at a meter?
The Providence meter rate is $1.25 per hour (25 cents /12 minutes). There are a few spaces that are 75 cents for 30 minutes (25 cents /10 minutes).
WHEN DO I HAVE TO PAY THE PARKING METERS?
Time limits on metered spaces are enforced 8:00am-9:00pm Monday through Saturday. PLEASE BEAR WITH US AS WE WORK TO UPDATE THE PARKING SIGNS THROUGHOUT THE METERED AREAS OF THE CITY!
Meters are always FREE on Sundays and Holidays!
HOW DO I PAY AT the parking meter?
Providence installed all new parking meters in 2024. Before the parking meters were replaced, there were two ways to pay for your metered space: coins at the meter or through the Passport Parking mobile parking app. With the city’s new parking meters there are now a multitude of ways to pay for your metered parking spot! A resident or visitor can pay for their metered parking space using one of the following:
- Go old school and pay with coins at the meter: Pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar coins are accepted, no bills please.
- Text to pay by texting the word “Park” to 77447
- Pay at the parking meter by using tap to pay on your smart phone.
- Pay online or download one of Providence’s three mobile parking applications:
https://www.parkmobile.io
https://www.parksmarter.com
https://www.passportparking.com/
MOBILE PARKING PAYMENT APPS
Prior to 2025, Providence had one mobile parking application available for residents and visitors to use. To stop residents and visitors from having to download yet another app if they don’t already have the Passport app, parkers in Providence now have the choice of using one of three mobile payment apps or the associated website for their parking spot: ParkMobile, ParkSmarter, and Passport. These apps can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google App Store. You can also pay for parking directly through the company’s websites listed above.
WHAT IS THE ZONE NUMBER where I’ve Parked?
In conjunction with the installation of new parking meters, the city undertook a mobile payment zone number update. There are now more zones across the city, allowing for a better understanding of where people are parking. THE ZONE NUMBERS ARE THE SAME ACROSS ALL THREE MOBILE PAYMENT OPTIONS.
Parking Zone Finder