The City of Boulder provides over 2,500 parking spaces in the downtown area alone and even more throughout our community centers and neighborhoods.
After 46 years of service it's time to retire the downtown garage gates and take a leap forward in technology and innovation.
On Oct. 1, 2023, the City of Boulder downtown garages are rolling out a fully gateless system which will allow seamless access without waiting in long lines. Once you've registered the first time you'll never need to stop to pay, simply drive in and drive out to start and end your parking session.
On-street pay stations are available throughout the downtown, University Hill and Boulder Junction areas. Most downtown, University Hill and Boulder Junction pay stations have a three-hour parking maximum.
Visiting Boulder for a quick stop errand? The City of Boulder offers 15 minutes free, once per day/per license plate) at our on-street pay stations. You will need to start a parking session by selecting 15 minutes free on the pay station and entering your license plate.
If you'd like to park longer than 15 minutes, you will need to return to the meter and add additional time at the standard hourly price of $1.50-$2.00.
15 minutes free is also available via the ParkMobile application.
Using ParkMobile allows you to pay for parking at ParkMobile enabled pay stations, or by phone, making it easier than ever to skip the meter and pay with your phone. When using ParkMobile you choose how long you want to park and pay for that amount of time. When the expiration time approaches, you can receive a text alert allowing you to extend your time (within the maximum time limit for that area). Advantages include:
Download the app and create an account with ParkMobile.
New lightweight mobile web experience lets you quickly pay for parking without downloading the full app.
Text “PARK” to 77223 and you will be able to quickly start a parking session.
Pay with ParkMobile right in the Google Pay app. Plus, quick links from Google Maps make it easy to navigate and start a parking session.
Parking close to high-demand areas of Boulder will cost 50 cents more per hour. This change is the result of an extensive and ongoing study of Boulder's growing parking needs, and a move toward performance-based pricing.
City of Boulder pricing changes parking map effective April 3, 2023
Parking at Chautauqua
In the summer months on weekends and holidays, pay parking on-street is in effect in and around popular Chautauqua Park from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. while the free Park to Park shuttle runs. Visit the Park to Park Shuttle webpage for more details.
Meter Feeding
Meter feeding is prohibited. Vehicles parked at a meter for longer than the maximum time posted on the meter—even if the meter still has time on it—will receive a ticket. This practice encourages turnover of parking spaces for customers, clients and visitors to downtown.
Note
No overtime parking tickets will be issued within five minutes of valid receipt expiration time.
You must pay or arrange to dispute your parking ticket within 14 calendar days from the violation date set forth on your ticket.
The payment site requires a citation number in order to match with a ticket. Please contact the court to have staff look up the citation number.
Our offices can be reached via phone at 303-441-1841. Our offices are open Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., and then reopen again from 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. We are also closed until 1 p.m. on the second Friday of each month.
The email address for questions is bouldermunicipalcourt@bouldercolorado.gov.
To pay your parking citation, please visit payments.metropolis.io and enter your citation number or license plate number into the “Pay my Parking Ticket” prompt.
Once the violation number or license plate number have been entered, the violation associated will generate on the next page.
The violation will allow for a view of the violation details, location, and images of the vehicle.
In order to pay the violation, please enter your credit card information into the “Payment Method” prompt and then click “pay violation.”
Once the payment is processed, an option for a receipt will be available on the next screen.
If additional support is needed, please contact payments@metropolis.io
Please note: If you received a handwritten ticket, it may not be in the database for up to three business days. If you cannot retrieve your ticket after waiting three business days, please contact the Violations Bureau at 303-441-4212.
You may submit a parking ticket appeal form (opens in a new window).
Proper documentation is essential to reviewing your appeal. Please be sure to include documentation for the following types of violations which require proof to be submitted with the appeal:
If you are appealing a No Valid Plate ticket, you must include a copy of your current registration or the appeal will not be reviewed.
If you are appealing a Permit violation of any type, you must include a copy of your valid permit or the appeal will not be reviewed.
If you are appealing a Handicap violation and have a valid and current handicap placard, you must include a copy of the placard with your appeal.
You can attach scanned documents or pictures with your online appeal.
If your parking appeal is denied, you have the right to request to set your case for trial.
When you register, you sign up to pay by credit card or PayPal using our secure site. Payments are usually posted the same day, so you can login to your Parkmobile account and see your parking transactions on your Parkmobile page.
It depends on where you are parking. A toll-free number is posted at every site, or download the app and it will save you time.
It depends on the parking restrictions in the area in which you've parked. Your parking transaction will continue until you deactivate it or until the maximum time runs out.
Contact Parkmobile right away. Give them the details and they’ll help you sort it out.
When you use the mobile app or call to start the parking session, you key in a zone number. Parkmobile’s system recognizes your cell phone number, connects it to your license plate number and activates your parking in that zone. The parking officer verifies your parking session by matching the license plate to the zone number.
Parkmobile cannot stop parkers from parking in the wrong place or taking up two spaces or any other violations that may apply. Avoid tickets and towing by activating your parking session, and don’t overstay the posted time limit. Please read the posted signage in each area to be certain the Parkmobile is in effect at the time you are parking.
Our new on-street parking pay stations no longer require you to display a paper receipt. All you need is your license plate number. Paying by phone means you don't need to walk to a pay station to pay or enter your license plate. As long as you use the pay by phone system correctly, you should not be fined. See the question above regarding parking officers.
The Parkmobile system is PCI DSS level 1 compliant and your Parkmobile personal page is SSl 256 encrypted.
Normal hourly parking charges apply plus a $.45 convenience charge per every transaction you make.
No additional charge for the service. (Check your cell phone plan. Some cell phone providers may charge you to receive text messages.)
You can go online to your Parkmobile personal page anytime to make changes to your account, review parking charges, print parking transactions or export data to another format.
Look for the green Parkmobile signs!
If you plan to park for more than 1 hour, your best bet is to head to one of the City's public parking garages.
Longer-term on-street pay stations (4 and 10 hours) are located at 8th and Pearl streets, and on 13th and 14th streets between Canyon *Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue.
Reserved accessible parking is provided in designated street spaces as well as downtown Central Area General Improvement District (CAGID) parking structures. These spaces are signed and marked, limiting use to vehicles displaying a valid disabled placard/license plate.
Please Note:
City of Boulder parking enforcement officers patrol Boulder's downtown streets, University Hill, Boulder Junction and in Boulder neighborhoods from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. In and around popular Chautauqua Park, officers enforce parking ordinances during the summer months on weekends and holidays, as part of the Chautauqua Access Management Plan and free Park to Park shuttle operating schedule.
Illegal parking complaints are enforced citywide.
Common violations:
If you are reporting an illegally parked vehicle please provide the location, violation, vehicle description, license plate number, and a good contact number to reach you at.
The maintenance and meter technician staff on-duty schedule is Monday – Sunday from 6 a.m. to 9. p.m.
Purchase, refill, or renew the following types of permits:
Take a look at our breakdown of permit options to determine which might work best for your parking needs: Parking Permit Options.
Downtown garage permits can be purchased from the City of Boulder until Sept. 15, 2023. Starting Oct. 1, 2023, downtown garage permits can be purchased through Metropolis. After Oct. 1, to purchase a permit for the 15th and Pearl, 10th and Walnut (St. Julien), 11th and Walnut (Randolph), 11th and Spruce, or 14th and Walnut (RTD) garages, you can register with Metropolis and then look for 'subscriptions'.
Allows long-term parking for district employees, paid quarterly, at an assigned location. There are 3 downtown surface lots. Permits are only available for employees of CAGID (Downtown). Lot Permits are currently $278 per quarter. Currently all surface lots are waitlisted.
Downtown & Surface Lots application forms:
Online
The easiest way to manage your permits is through the City of Boulder online parking portal
Email or phone
If you are looking for a permit for one of our sold-out surface lots, you can apply to be added to one of our waitlists.
The Wait List Application can be submitted via our City of Boulder Online Parking Portal.
The Neighborhood Parking Program has a separate process to purchase and renew resident, business employee, and commuter permits.
We strongly encourage customers to schedule an appointment. Appointments cut down on your wait time, help avoid repeat trips, and facilitate a more efficient process. Additionally, most services can be completed via phone, email or through the City of Boulder online parking portal.
In-person services are necessary for EcoPass pickup, Special Activity Permits, Alpine-Broadway booklets, No Parking signs, and services where staff signatures are required.
Before beginning the process, you will need to add both Ticket_Response@bouldercolorado.gov and Ticket_Receipt@bouldercolorado.gov to your list of safe senders and/or to your email contacts. There is a high likelihood that renewal, confirmation or update emails will go to spam if you do not complete this step.
Visit the Online Parking Portal homepage
Our team is available to assist with any issues you may encounter via phone or email.
You will need to be approved before being able to purchase a parking permit or apply for a wait list.
The approval process varies slightly depending on the type of permit you are requesting. The portal has instructions and details on what is needed for the type of permit or wait list you are applying for.
Should you have questions about any requirements, please contact our team and we are happy to help.
You will receive an email from Ticket_Response@bouldercolorado.gov that will notify you if your permit request has been approved.
Once you've been approved, you will be able to log in and purchase your permit by clicking "Get Permits". Please read the on-screen instructions carefully.
You can access your account information by clicking on your name in the upper-right hand corner of the screen and then clicking "Manage Your Account Information"
If you are a Third Party customer, see the quick reference guide on functionality.
In areas with metered & pay station parking:
Dash Permits:
Signs:
Hoods:
Fees
All products may be issued on a daily, weekly or monthly basis and should be used during the hours that meters are enforced. Hours are 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., Monday - Saturday.
Deposits are refunded if Hood resembles condition when issued; and within five business days after expiration of permit. Deposits will not be refunded due to loss or damage of Hood.
If parking issues occur, please contact 303-413-7300, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
All other times: 303-441-3333
