Residential parking sign

Residential Parking Permit Program

Controlled parking areas


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When A Permit Is Needed New Applicants Parking in a Residential Parking Permit Area Reading a Residential Permit Parking Sign: Reading a Residential Permit Parking Sign: Permit Costs Reapply for a Residential Parking Permit

Residential Permit Parking Areas are primarily to help secure available parking for a residential community while encouraging alternative parking plans for non-residents. Generally, these programs govern the parking restrictions in residential communities located near major employers, colleges, universities, medical institutions, and sports complexes.

When A Permit Is Needed

Resident parking permit restrictions apply to all vehicles not registered as a part of the Residential Parking Permit Program. These include:

  • vehicles that belong to friends and family of local residents, and
  • vehicles owned by residents but registered to an address outside of the neighborhood. 

The City’s Residential Parking Permit Program does allow those residents with residential parking passes to purchase Guest/Visitor passes. These passes provide guest of residents the same rights and privileges as the permit pass holder for a single 24-Hour time period. If physical guest passes are purchased, they must be placed faced up on the curbside of the car and be completely filled out to be valid.

Guest passes cannot be purchased by a non-residential parking pass holder.

New Applicants

The City of Raleigh offers an online portal option exclusively for residential parking permits - making it easier and more accessible to apply, purchase and reapply a residential parking permit without leaving the comfort of your home!

  • Easily manage virtual parking accounts and track your permit history through Passport’s online portal.
  • You no longer need to display a physical residential permit on your vehicle.
  • The digital system recognizes the license plate(s) tied to your account and therefore will not require to display a physical permit.

Visit the Parking Permit Portal to begin your application.

We also offer the option to bring your application to the Raleigh Parking office.

Download the Residential Parking Permit Application.

The following documents must be presented:

  • Valid driver’s license;
  • A valid vehicle registration card for each vehicle for which the applicant is the principal operator; (No copies will be accepted) and,
  • Proof of residence (utility bill - water, gas or electric), ownership or tenancy.

    If leasing, tenant must present a notarized affidavit signed by the landlord within the last six months or, any utility bill associated the requested permit address.

The office is in the Dillon Building at: 

310 W. Martin Street, Suite 109

Raleigh, NC 27610

Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Parking in a Residential Parking Permit Area

Citizens without a residential parking pass may park along streets that are a part of a Residential Parking Permit Program within the permitted timeframes posted. Parkers are only allowed to park up to one time on that residential permit block per day and hours are typically from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Every Residential Parking Permit neighborhood is different so please be sure to read the signs carefully and completely to avoid receiving a citation.  Each sign will have the neighborhood designation and the active parking restrictions.

Enter your address. Use the map below to determine your residential parking permit zone.

Reading a Residential Permit Parking Sign:

The example sign shows the following:

  1. Any vehicle without a guest/visitor pass or valid Residential Parking Permit “J”,  is allowed to park up to 2 hours max from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Mon - Sun.
  2. Any vehicle without a guest/visitor pass or valid Residential Parking Permit “J”, is not allowed to park between 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., Mon - Sun.
  3. Any vehicles with a valid Residential Parking Permit “J” or guest/visitor pass may park along this section anytime as long as they have a valid “J” permit.

Signs that do not have time restrictions are in effect 24/7 and signs that do not have day-specific restrictions are in effect seven days a week.

If you should have any questions about parking restrictions, please feel free to call the Raleigh Parking Office between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mon - Fri and our Customer Support Team will be happy to answer any questions.

Reading a Residential Permit Parking Sign:

The example sign shows the following:

  1. Any vehicle without a guest/visitor pass or valid Residential Parking Permit “J”,  is allowed to park up to 2 hours max from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Mon - Sun.
  2. Any vehicle without a guest/visitor pass or valid Residential Parking Permit “J”, is not allowed to park between 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., Mon - Sun.
  3. Any vehicles with a valid Residential Parking Permit “J” or guest/visitor pass may park along this section anytime as long as they have a valid “J” permit.

Signs that do not have time restrictions are in effect 24/7 and signs that do not have day-specific restrictions are in effect seven days a week.

If you should have any questions about parking restrictions, please feel free to call the Raleigh Parking Office between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mon - Fri and our Customer Support Team will be happy to answer any questions.

Permit Costs

The cost for one permit is $20 per calendar year. No pro-rated discount is given for a partial year.

Any outstanding parking citations must be resolved before issuance of a Residential Parking Permit.



Guest passes can be purchased individually online via the Raleigh Permit Portal at a cost of $.50 per permit, or may also be purchased at the Raleigh Parking office, 310 W Martin Street, Suite 109 - in books of 10 permits at cost of $5.00 per book.

Note: In lieu of car decals, Raleigh Parking will use the vehicles license plate to manage residential permit holders that are a part of the program. 

If requested, a physical decal can still be provided to the approved applicant.

Reapply for a Residential Parking Permit

How to apply