Monthly downtown parking permits are available to business owners, employees, and residents who require all-day parking. A parking permit allows a vehicle to park all-day in a designated city-owned parking garage or lot. Parking is on a first-come, first-serve basis and does not guarantee the permit holder a parking space. 

Permits are valid Monday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and may not be used for overnight parking or long-term storage of vehicles. By purchasing a permit, the permit holder agrees to follow the San Mateo Parking Permit Rules and Regulations.

Visit the Monthly Downtown Parking Permit page to apply for a permit and for more information.

For assistance with your permit account, call Parkmobile at 1-855-768-4152.

Downtown San Mateo is a fun and exciting place to live, work, and play. The area offers great neighborhoods and schools, outstanding libraries and parks, and some of the best shopping and restaurants in the Peninsula. Visit the Downtown San Mateo Association (DSMA) website to discover all downtown has to offer.

Downtown is easily accessible by public transit. Conveniently located downtown on First and Railroad Avenue, the San Mateo Caltrain Station is served by local-stop, limited-stop, and baby bullet trains. A number of SamTrans bus routes also serve the downtown, including local routes 53, 55, 59, 250, and 295 and express routes 292, 397, and ECR.

Approximately 3,000 paid public parking spaces are provided to allow Downtown customers to enjoy their time in San Mateo. The City-Owned Parking Facilities page provides a complete list of city-owned parking facilities as well as their location, cost, and amenities offered, such as electric vehicle chargers and/or mobile payment. Visit the Downtown On-Street Parking page for on-street parking costs, instructions on how to use our pay stations, and motorcycle parking locations.

Find the best route to get to your destination using the bike routes map. Single-rider bicycles are allowed on Caltrain trains and SamTrans buses for free. Familiarize yourself with how to use public transit with your bike and make traveling to San Mateo easy. The San Mateo Caltrain Station offers electronic bicycle lockers for long-term parking. Be sure to purchase a BikeLink Card beforehand at www.BikeLink.org to activate a locker. 

In addition, San Mateo offers five bicycle repair stations that are available for the public to use for FREE. Each station includes tools to perform basic bike repairs and maintenance, such as a flat tire or adjusting brakes. Look for our repair stations at the following locations. Use this interactive map to help find them.

• San Mateo City Hall (330 W. 20th Avenue)- Adjacent to the bike racks on O’Farrell Street 
• San Mateo Caltrain Station (385 1st Avenue) – Next to the Transit Center parking lot entrance
• San Mateo Main Library (55 W. 3rd Avenue) – In front of the bike racks   
• Paddock Park (2900 Baze Road) – In front of the restrooms
• Ryder Court Park (1625 J. Hart Clinton Drive) – Next to the restrooms

Report damages or missing tools to Public Works at 650-522-7300.

Note: This is a pilot project. Repair stations are currently undergoing an assessment to determine if relocation is necessary. Existing locations were chosen based on City staff recommendations and a community survey hosted on the City’s website.