Monthly Downtown Parking Permits

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. By purchasing a permit, the permit holder agrees to follow the San Mateo Parking Permit Rules and Regulations.

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 a.m. to 6 p.m. and may not be used for overnight parking or long-term storage of vehicles.

For low-income parking permits, visit the Low-Income Permit Program webpage for eligibility requirements and application instructions.

Facilities, Prices, and Parking Locations

Parking Facility	Cost per month	Location of 10-hour Spaces
Central Garage	$100	Mezzanine Level, Second and Third Floors
Main Street Garage (Second and Main)	$100	Second, Third, and Fourth Floors
South Railroad Avenue (Fifth to Ninth Avenues)	$40	Any parking space on South Railroad from Fifth to Ninth avenues
Tennis Court Garage (Fifth and Central Park)	$65	Any parking space
Transit Center Garage (First and Main)	$65	Surface lot or basement level
Second and El Camino Garage	$65	Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Floors

Apply for a Downtown Parking Permit

I do NOT have a ParkMobile permit account.

A permit account is required to apply for a parking permit. Follow this Step-by-Step guide to create a permit account and apply for a parking permit.

I have a ParkMobile permit account.

Select the orange "Log-in/Register" button at the top of this webpage and sign in to your ParkMobile permit account. Once signed in, select “Apply for Permit” from the left-hand menu and follow the prompts to apply for a parking permit.

For assistance with permit accounts, call ParkMobile at 1-855-768-4152.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a permit cost?

See above table for pricing. Qualified low-income individuals may purchase a lower-cost permit valid at a Downtown City-owned parking facility for $40 per month. Visit the Low-Income Permit Program webpage for eligibility requirements and to learn how to apply.

Where do permit holders park?

Permits are valid for parking at 10-hour parking spaces only within the permit holder’s designated parking facility. For Tennis Court Garage permit holders, permits are valid for parking at any parking space inside Tennis Court Garage Monday through Saturday. See table above for locations of 10-hour parking spaces.

For a complete list of city-owned parking facilities, visit the City-Owned Parking Facilities page.

Can I park my vehicle overnight if I have a monthly permit?

No long term storage of vehicles is permitted in any city-owned parking facilities. The City’s garages and lots are closed from 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM.

Can I opt to renew my monthly permit?

Yes, from your permit account, select auto-renew to have your permit automatically renew the next month. You can also select autopay, which means the system will automatically charge the credit card on file for next month's permit at the end of the current month.

Please note: If autopay is not selected, the permit holder must sign in each month to manually pay for next month's permit.

How do I retrieve my permit?

From your permit account, click “Home” located under the San Mateo Parking logo to see active parking permits. After a payment is submitted for a permit, the parking permit will be emailed to the permit holder for printing.

How do I find, pay, or appeal a parking ticket?

If you received a parking citation while parked in the City of San Mateo, go to this website to find, pay, or appeal a parking ticket.

How do I change the license plate number tied to my permit?

Select the orange "Log-in/Register" button at the top of this page and sign in to your ParkMobile account. Click the number shown in bold under the ’Permit ID’ column. If you’ve navigated away from the home page, hover over ’My Permits’ and click ’Overview’. Click the number shown in bold print under the ’Permit ID’ column. Next, click ’Vehicle change request’. Enter the new license plate number in the ’License Plate Number’ field and choose the state in which the license plate is registered from the drop-down menu. Then, click ’Save’. Review the confirmation details before clicking ’Continue’. Finally, print your updated permit.

How do I register as a company?

After you create an account, you will be asked to select private individual or company. By selecting company, you can associate a company name with the account.

I am a company administrator. Can I manage multiple permit holders using one account?

No, it is not possible to manage multiple permit holders under one account. You will have to create an individual account for each permit holder.

Have more questions or need help with your account? Call ParkMobile at 1-855-768-4152.