City Guide: Secrets to Parking in San Francisco

San Francisco is home to a great number of tourist attractions: from the scenic Golden Gate Bridge, to the awe-inspiring San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and eerie Alcatraz, among others. It’s not surprising that many wish to experience the sights and sounds of this amazing City by the Bay – and maybe you’re even one of them.

It’s not hard to go around the city with its convenient public transportation, but if you plan to drive around, don’t leave your parking to luck or you might get parking tickets as memorabilia. It’s an open secret to locals, but tourists and visitors may not be privy to the array of parking laws that could land them a parking ticket or two.

But don’t worry, we’ll let you in on the secrets so you can park like a local San Franciscan whether you’re headed to Golden Gate Park, Fisherman’s Wharf, or Union Square.

Color-coded parking spots

San Francisco is colorful and vibrant with tons of places to sightsee and enjoy, but it’s also troublesome when facing different colored curbs as you position your car to park on the streets. You may find yourself running after your car as it’s being towed or slapped with a parking ticket for parking in the wrong place even when it seems to be allowed.

So before you get in that parking space, make sure to double check if the curb is painted to ensure that you’re actually allowed to park in the space and avoid curb color violations.

• Gray curbs: Park all you want without restrictions – almost. When it comes to gray or unpainted curbs, it’s generally allowed to park even for long hours, but you still have to follow any sign or notice that may be posted, such as the street sweeping hours. If a street cleaning schedule is posted, make sure to remove your car during that time and just come back after.
• Red curbs: Take the color as a warning and don’t even think about parking on a red curb because that’s just courting a parking ticket or an invitation to be towed. While some residents may try to be tricky and make fake red curbs, do you really want to risk wasting your time contesting a ticket? So when you see a red curb, just don’t.
  
• White curbs: You only have a maximum of five (5) minutes to park on white curbs because these are simply passenger loading zones. Remember: if it’s painted white, you may as well raise the white flag and move on along after 5 minutes.
• Green curbs: These are general loading zones meant for people and goods, but it’s a little more generous because you’re given 10 minutes to park. The color may mean ‘Go’ in traffic signals, but when it comes to SF curbs, it means you have to go after 10 minutes.

Now here’s the parking secret tourists may not be privy to: 10-minute parking zones are only active according to the schedule posted on signages. Outside of the active mandated periods, you can park for longer periods without issues even when a parking enforcement officer comes by. But once active hours strike, stick to the 10-minute parking limit.

• Blue curbs: Remember that blue zones are only for people with disabilities to aid in their mobility. With the exception of street cleaning hours, these blue curbs are always active and only those who have a PWD placard displayed may park on them. There is no time limit enforced for blue zones.

• Yellow curbs: Yellow zones are strictly loading zones of vehicles and trucks with commercial plates during its active hours. However, you may park on a yellow curb for active loading – that is, three minutes maximum and the driver isn’t allowed to leave the vehicle. Expect to be towed if the driver leaves the vehicle or exceeds three minutes.

San Francisco parking tips worth noting

• 72-hour limit: There is a 72-hour maximum parking limit even in places where no parking restrictions are posted. This time limit applies to residential parking permit (RPP) zones and vehicles displaying a disabled person placard as well.

• Move your vehicle farther away: To avoid an overtime parking violation upon reaching the 72-hours, you must move your vehicle at least one block away from where you parked. The law requires a movement of at least one tenth of a mile from the original recorded position.

• Resident complaints trump time limits: It’s best to be on good terms with the locals because your vehicle can get towed or marked if a resident complains about it even with a valid permit and before the 72 hours is up.

• Always look out for signs: Always check for parking signs even when you find an accessible street parking spot. There should be a sign posted indicating the parking rules within 100 feet, whether it pertains to parking hour limits or tow-away restrictions.

Parking when visiting family or friends

If you’re visiting family or friends who are San Francisco residents, you can ask them to apply for a prepaid temporary RPP so you can also park in RPP areas without worry. The following permit prices are effective from 01 July 2024 to 30 June 2025:

• Pre-paid one day permits
  • $8 per permit for the first five (5) permits
  • $10 per permit for the 6th to 15th permits
  • $16 per permit from the 16th to the 20th permit

• Two-week increment permits
  • $63 for two weeks
  • $90 for four weeks
  • $115 for six weeks
  • $149 for eight weeks

You may also apply for a permit yourself as long as you meet all the requirements and provide the necessary documentation to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). RPP applications may be done online or by mail.

Parking for tourist attractions

If you’re simply visiting SFO to experience its many amazing tour spots, you will find that some tourist attractions have parking lots available albeit with limited slots. Unless you have immense luck on your side, finding an available parking space on-site would likely be troublesome.

However, you can always opt to find convenient parking spots close to sightseeing destinations – and you can even score free parking if you’re staying within prescribed time limits!

For instance, if you want to admire the Golden Gate Bridge, there are limited free parking spaces available on both ends of the bridge. However, you may have to go around in circles and compete for a slot with other tourists and even locals. What’s more, the available metered parking spaces usually have a 2- or 4-hour time limit and your vehicle’s safety isn’t guaranteed.

Instead of insisting on parking on-site or very close to it, it’s better to find convenient parking a few blocks away and just walk or take public transportation. There should be several secure parking garages nearby where you can comfortably leave your car but some of them can be pricey.

If you plan to explore Union Square and surrounding areas for the day and price isn’t an issue, you could head to the Union Square Garage or Sutter Stockton Garage for a secure parking spot. Hourly rates are usually $4 to $5 and daily rate at $44 for a maximum of 24 hours (flat rate), but it could also be slightly more expensive in other garages.

Book your parking spot in advance

While you can secure a parking spot in commercial garages, you can also take advantage of parking discounts by booking in advance through online reservations and parking apps.

For daily parking, you can simply search the parking garage of your choice online and reach out to them or follow their instructions to book a spot according to your length of stay.

But if you happen to be staying for a month or two, Spacer can help you find ideal monthly parking in San Francisco at reasonable prices. Spacer lists monthly parking spaces in private driveways, underground, surface covered and uncovered parking, as well as in multi-level parking buildings. The best thing is that they can connect you directly with the host/owner of the spot so they can answer any questions you may have.

Parking in San Francisco is challenging

Since San Francisco is such a popular city with many scenic tourist destinations and special events worth attending, it’s important to be prepared if you plan to drive around. But with the practical tips above, you’ll surely have a less frustrating driving experience around SFo, especially when it comes to parking.