Los Angeles Parking Meter Rates Set to Increase
Los Angeles city council has approved a new fee schedule that will see a 50% increase in parking meter rates citywide. The hourly rate will rise from $1 to $1.5, effective immediately. In addition to the rate hike, the council has extended the hours of metered parking in both regular and busy areas. Regular areas will now have metered parking until 8 p.m., while busy areas will now extend metered hours until midnight. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) will have the authority to make specific decisions based on each area’s characteristics.
Moreover, previously free parking on Sundays will now require payment at meters, with exceptions taken into consideration on a case-by-case basis by the transportation department. Furthermore, the city’s 28 free parking lots will transition to paid parking lots, with a rate of $0.25 per half-hour and a maximum daily fee of $5. This change is estimated to bring in at least $1.7 million in annual revenue for the city.
The transportation department estimates that implementing the new parking fee rates before January 1, 2026, could generate an additional $14 million in revenue for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The last parking meter rate increase occurred in 2014. Currently, metered parking rates vary by area, ranging from $1 to $8.50 per hour. The city council has mandated that the transportation department submit a report every five years for adjusting rates based on changes in the consumer price index. Hence, it is likely that Los Angeles’ street parking rates might increase even further five years from now.
According to the parking management department of the Los Angeles transportation authority’s website, hourly parking rates range from $1 to $8.50 citywide, depending on the area, with higher demand areas typically charging higher rates. The rate structure aims to maintain parking occupancy rates between 70% and 90%. Higher fees in high-demand areas help create parking availability, while lower fees assist in improving parking utilization in certain areas.
Furthermore, the city council has instructed the transportation department to present a proposed “Preferred Parking Zone Permit Fee Schedule” within 90 days. These zones, including residential streets, aim to limit parking for non-residents to reduce environmental impact and implement permit parking regulations. Residents within these zones can purchase permits for parking privileges exempt from time restrictions. According to the transportation authority’s website, the annual permit fee is $34, with a maximum of three permits per household.
Residents and visitors in restricted parking areas can avoid penalties by pre-purchasing parking times online. By inputting the license plate information of visitor vehicles, street parking enforcement officers can access relevant data through their devices.
Neighboring cities to Los Angeles, such as Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood, have already implemented paid parking systems in preferred parking zones. Even in residential areas, parking fees are now required. Residents in Pasadena have noted that they can park on their street during the day, with parking prohibited only from 2 to 6 a.m. Unpermitted vehicles parked on the street during restricted hours may face penalties.