Parking in New Orleans

Can you park on this New Orleans 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 New Orleans

New Orleans has a reputation as one of the trickiest cities to park in, driven less by scarcity than by aggressive, tech-enabled enforcement and confusing block-by-block rules. The French Quarter is the toughest zone — most non-metered curb space is capped at two hours (7am–7pm) unless you hold a resident or guest pass — and Uptown along the parade route becomes nearly impossible during Carnival.

💡 Street parking is free on Mardi Gras Day (the day before Ash Wednesday).

Local tips for parking in New Orleans

• Never park on the 'neutral ground' (the grassy or paved median) even when you see other cars doing it — it's a $75 citation and tow risk.
• Meters are enforced Monday through Saturday, roughly 8am to 6pm, and most take the ParkMobile app plus cards and dollar bills.
• In the French Quarter, expect a strict 2-hour limit from 7am to 7pm on non-metered streets unless you have a residential permit.
• For the Quarter, the Canal Place garage runs about $20–$30 a day and beats fighting for scarce, time-limited curb space.
• Check posted signs for street-cleaning days (often Tuesday/Thursday mornings) and move your car — restrictions vary block to block.

Common New Orleans parking mistakes to avoid

• Enforcement officers use handheld devices and plate-reading cameras, so a broken meter is not a free pass and still earns a ticket.
• Cars on the neutral ground get ticketed ($75) and booted — a recurring source of local outrage, especially during big events.
• Missing a posted street-cleaning window (which changes by block) is one of the most common tickets locals complain about.

How to pay for parking in New Orleans

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

What LegitPark shows for New Orleans

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 New Orleans 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.

New Orleans parking FAQ

Check your exact New Orleans 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.