Meter Rates and Hours of Operation

There are some important changes in the District’s Parking Meter Operations that residents and motorists should be aware. As of January 2010, all meters in the city will be enforced on Saturdays, as well as evening hours Monday through Friday. Saturday and evening hour enforcement is effective once the signage is changed. Motorists should carefully check the days and hours of enforcement posted on the parking meters and curbside signs.

In addition to the Saturday enforcement, DDOT has also simplifying the District’s parking meter rates. To comply with new legislation, there are now only two types of parking meter pricing zones: premium demand zones and normal demand zones.

• • It costs $2.00/hour to park in premium demand zones, which include the busiest commercial districts.
  • It costs $0.75/hour to park in normal demand zones.

The District’s premium demand zone rate is comparable or lower than the premium rates in other major cities across the nation including New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia where rates are $3 an hour or more.

DDOT has also changed the hours of enforcement for parking meters in the city’s busiest commercial districts where on-street parking is often scarce. Nighttime parking enforcement hours was extended to 10 pm in the following “premium demand zones:”

• • Adams Morgan
  • Georgetown Historic District
  • Penn Quarter/Chinatown
  • U Street, NW Corridor
  • Downtown Central Business District
  • Maine Avenue and Water Streets, SW
  • The National Mall
  • Wisconsin Avenue, NW (from Van Ness Street to Western Avenue)

The hours of enforcement for parking meters outside of the above premium demand zones will continue to be 7 am to 6:30 pm.

IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT THE HOURS OF OPERATION, EACH METER OR MULTI-SPACE METER IS DECALED WITH THE HOURS OF OPERATION, TIME LIMIT AND RATE FOR THAT LOCATION.

If you have any questions concerning the adequacy of the hours of operation, rate, or time limit for a specific location, please contact the Department at (202) 671-2700.

Related Documents:

• DC Meter Rates and Hours of Operations Map [PDF]

Improvements

The changes in rates and enforcement are part of a comprehensive overhaul of the District’s aging parking meter system. DDOT has already installed multi-space meters throughout commercial corridors in the District replacing many old and non-functioning single space meters. In 2011 DDOT is rolling out a number of parking meter pilot programs including pay-by-phone, and solar-powered single space meters that take credit card payment.

Each of the programs explored the latest in parking meter strategies and technologies. DDOT is confident many of these new parking meter solutions will provide 1) better return on tax payer’s investment, 2) a variety of options, 3) reduced maintenance, 4) a variety of easy payment options, and 5) increased reliability.

Holidays

The District of Columbia does not require that meter fees be paid on District holidays. The official holiday schedule for 2012 is as follows:

• • New Year's Day Observed – Monday, January 2*
  • MLK Day – Monday, January 16, 2012
  • President's Day Observed – Monday, February 20**
  • DC Emancipation Day – Monday, April 16
  • Memorial Day – Monday, May 28
  • Independence Day – Wednesday, July 4
  • Labor Day – Monday, September 3
  • Columbus Day – Monday, October 8
  • Veterans Day Observed – Monday, November 12***
  • Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 22
  • Christmas Day – Tuesday, December 25

* January 1, 2012 (the legal public holiday for New Year's Day), falls on a Sunday.

** This holiday is designated as "Washington's Birthday" in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names.

*** November 11, 2012 (the legal public holiday for Veterans Day), falls on a Sunday.