Downtown Employer & Employee Parking

Employees will purchase zone specific permits to park in certain parking zones. Employees may select a permit in any zone that is available. Employees are not limited to selecting the zone nearest to their workplace.

Employees may park in the zone for which their permit is valid. If a Zone 2 permit is purchased, the employee is limited to parking within the bounds of Zone 2. The zones are detailed on this zone map, and zone numbers are posted on the parking restriction signs on the streets.

In RPP Districts with a time limit for non-permitted vehicles, vehicles not displaying a valid permit may park up to the posted time limit during the period designated by posted signage. After the maximum time limit period, vehicles will be prohibited from re-parking within the same district.

Parking in any RPP district for longer than 2 hours with no permit will result in a citation.

There are a limited number of employee permits available for sale in each zone. If the permits have been sold out, select a different zone.

Employee Parking Permit fees are set by the City’s Municipal Fee Schedule. Please find current Permit Pricing and additional information for both Off-Street and On-street parking here.

Permits are sold online only via the City’s parking website. Log into an existing account or set up a new account there.

For assistance with obtaining a permit, the City has customer service staff available on-site at the City Hall Revenue Collections counter, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Ground Floor, Palo Alto, CA 94301. Revenue Collections hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays, except holidays.

The parking restrictions are enforced Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (City holidays and weekends are exempt).  Please refer to the City calendar for observed holidays.

Rather than purchasing an annual permit, employees may purchase up to four (4) daily parking scratchers per month for $25 each. Daily permits are not purchased for a specific zone. Rather, the employee will purchase a daily permit and a zone-specific permit will be selected at random and mailed. The employee may only use that permit within the zone designated on the permit.

Serco, Inc. has been contracted by the City to provide enforcement services for the Downtown RPP program. Serco employees wear uniforms with identification, and you may see them walking, biking or driving throughout the Downtown RPP district.

Although the City limits the number of permits sold within the Downtown RPP District, the purchase of an RPP permit does not guarantee an on-street parking space.

RPP permits are only valid in areas designated by RPP parking restrictions (green 2-hour parking signs noting ‘Permits Exempt’ and specifying an RPP zone). View Downtown RPP Map. RPP permits are not valid in the Downtown color zones or Downtown lots or garages.

Follow the instructions on the RPP citation to pay or appeal the citation. If you do not have the instructions available, call 650-814-4501 for assistance.

For a temporary replacement permit, or to update your file, please contact the Office of Transportation at Transportation@CityofPaloAlto.org or call 650-329-2520

Refunds are issued for annual permits only. A refund of the unused portion will be given only through the third quarter prorated at the quarterly rate. Remove permit from vehicle (pieces are accepted) and turn in with the information of the party to receive the refund to Revenue Collections located at Palo Alto City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave., 1st Floor. Refunds are calculated from the date the permit is surrendered to Revenue Collections.