Parking in Denver

Can you park on this Denver block — and for how long? Here's how the city's meters, street sweeping and permit zones work, plus local tips — and you can check your exact address free.

What to know about parking in Denver

Denver street parking is moderately difficult and getting tighter as the city rolls out resident-only permit programs in high-demand neighborhoods. It's toughest in Capitol Hill, the Highlands, LoDo and around Cherry Creek, where density, meters and new permit restrictions collide. Meter hours are fairly forgiving, but the residential permit zones and the 72-hour rule trip people up.

💡 Metered parking is free all day on Sundays and on federal holidays throughout Denver.

Local tips for parking in Denver

• Most Denver meters are enforced Monday–Saturday 8am–8pm, with some premium downtown/LoDo blocks running until 10pm — read the box for the end time.
• Sundays and federal holidays are free at meters citywide — a useful window for downtown and Cherry Creek visits.
• Watch for 'RPP Zone' signs in Capitol Hill and the Highlands; in a residential permit zone, non-permit cars are restricted during posted hours even where there's no meter.
• Rates scale by zone — residential meters run $0.25–$0.50/hr while core downtown and LoDo hit $2–$3/hr — so park a few blocks out to save.
• Don't leave a car in the same on-street spot for more than 72 hours; move it a full block to reset the clock and avoid an abandoned-vehicle tag.

Common Denver parking mistakes to avoid

• The 72-hour rule can get your car ticketed or towed as abandoned — move it a full block (not just a few feet) to reset the timer.
• Residential permit zones override 'free' assumptions — a non-permit car parked during posted RPP hours gets cited even with no meter on the block.
• A tow adds a $100 fee on top of the ticket, and you have to call Denver Police non-emergency to even find the car.

How to pay for parking in Denver

Denver's on-street meters are paid with PayByPhone — enter the zone number posted on the meter or pole, or pay at the kiosk. Open PayByPhone →

What LegitPark shows for Denver

LegitPark reads all of this per block from official city data (and driver-scanned signs) so you don't have to decode the pole.

Parking rules on every Denver street

Even where the posted rules vary, these state-law basics apply almost everywhere:

• 🚒
  Fire hydrant
  No parking within 15 ft (10 ft in some states) of a hydrant.
• 🚸
  Crosswalk & corner
  No parking on a crosswalk or within ~20 ft of one at an intersection.
• 🛑
  Stop sign & signal
  No parking within ~30 ft of a stop sign, yield, or traffic light.
• 🚗
  Driveways
  Never block a driveway — public or private — even partially.
• 🟥
  Painted curb
  Red = no stopping. Yellow = active loading only. White = quick pick-up/drop-off.
• 🚌
  Bus stop & transit
  No parking in a marked bus stop, transit zone, or taxi stand.
• 🚲
  Bike lane
  No stopping or parking in a bike lane at any time.
• ♿
  Accessible spaces
  Never use a disabled space or block its access aisle/ramp without a valid placard.
• ↔️
  Direction & distance
  Park with traffic, within ~12 in of the curb; no double-parking.
• 🚂
  Blocked zones
  No parking on a sidewalk, in an intersection, on a bridge, or within 50 ft of a rail crossing.

Denver parking FAQ

Check your exact Denver spot

Rules change block to block. Drop a pin or search your address and LegitPark shows the meter, time limit, street-sweeping and permit rules for that spot.