Driving a car in Des Moines can be an expensive activity. Parking prices for sure don’t help. With these tips and tricks, you’ll be able to find a free parking spot or two.
To find those free street parking spots, here is what you need:
- An understanding of where those spots exist. (Check out this free map!)
- Familiarity with parking rules in Des Moines so you’ll know that free spot is actually free.
Map of Free Parking
Most of the spots in Downtown Des Moines are metered. But some are free. To locate them you can use the SpotAngels map before navigating to your desired area.
The map updates in real-time, so simply type in the address you’re parking near, the time you expect to be there, and your duration. The spots where you can legally park will appear on the map along with their prices. The green spots are the ones that are free of charge!
Pro tip: Some of the metered spots (in blue) might be free of charge as well if you happen to park outside of the metered hours 😉
Des Moines Parking Rules:
Des Moines has some nice parking rules. Most of the metered spots are free of charge on Sunday.
All downtown parking meters charge $0.25 – $1.75 per hour from 9 AM to 9 PM, Monday through Saturday.
Parking is free during Holidays! Here they are:
| Start Date | Parking Holiday | End Date |
| 2024-01-01 | New Year's Day | 2024-01-01 |
| 2024-05-27 | Memorial Day | 2024-05-27 |
| 2024-07-04 | Independence Day | 2024-07-04 |
| 2024-09-02 | Labor Day | 2024-09-02 |
| 2024-11-28 | Thanksgiving Day | 2024-11-28 |
| 2024-12-25 | Christmas Day | 2024-12-25 |
To know which specific regulations are suspended on these days and find parking on the go, download the award-winning SpotAngels app. It is free 😉
