Your Complete Guide to Chicago Street Parking

Whether you’re planning to walk along Navy Pier, visit Millennium Park, or catch a game at Wrigley Field, these tips will help make parking in Chicago easier. You can also use our interactive Chicago parking app for real-time spot availability.

Tips for Chicago Street Parking

General Chicago Street Parking Rules:

Street parking in Chicago consists of over 36,000 metered spaces, residential permit areas, overnight parking spaces, and some limited free parking. Here are a few essential rules to follow to avoid parking tickets:

• Stay within 12 inches of the curb.
• Keep at least 20 feet away from crosswalks if your vehicle is over six feet tall; for shorter vehicles, keep your bumper off the crosswalk.
• Stay at least 20 feet from stop signs.
• Keep at least 15 feet from fire hydrants.
• Avoid parking in bus or bike lanes.
• Between December 1 and March 31, don’t leave your car parked overnight on main streets.
• Don’t park if there’s over 2 inches of snow.
• Limit parking in alleys to loading or unloading your vehicle.
• Residents should display their city sticker on the lower right-hand side of the windshield.
• Never park on a sidewalk, parkway, or crosswalk, even in a private driveway.
• Avoid parking in spaces designated for advertising vehicles for sale.
• Refrain from parking in a spot if you plan to make repairs.
• Don’t park against traffic, even on two-way streets.
• Avoid parking under viaducts or underpasses to prevent obstructing traffic.

Understanding Parking Rules:

Metered Parking:

In Chicago, parking meter rates vary by location, typically ranging from $2 to $6.50 per hour. In the Loop area, the maximum rate is $6.50 per hour.

Here are some examples of parking meters in different neighborhoods:

Please note that parking regulations and rates can change, so it’s advisable to check the specific meter signs or use a parking app for the most current information.

The most common parking signs in Chicago are:

1. Standing Zone Signs

2. Paid Parking Signs

3. Special Event or Surge Parking Signs 

4. No Parking Overnight Signs

5. Street Cleaning Signs (permanent and temporary)

6. Residential Parking Signs

Where can I find free and cheap parking in Chicago?

The easiest way to find free parking in Chicago is to consult a real-time parking map that displays parking rates on every street. Rates vary block by block and throughout the day, and our comprehensive Chicago parking map makes it easy to find parking close to where you’re going.

View Map with Free Parking

How long can I park in a metered space?

Most Chicago street parking spaces are limited to two-hour increments, and lapsed vehicles will be ticketed faster than you can say, “Wait! I’m updating my time on the app!” Keep your eye on the time, or set up an alert to remind you when your time is about to expire. Keep in mind, even if you pay to extend the meter, if you’re parking in a 2-hour max zone, your car can be ticketed if in the same space for longer than 2 hours.

View Map with Parking Meters 

Is parking in metered spaces ever free?

If you park outside Chicago’s central business district, you don’t have to pay for parking on Sundays except for spaces with signage that explicitly states “7 Day Paid Parking.”

What’s the status of ‘surge pricing’ near Wrigley Field?

The experimental surge pricing program in the Business District allowed meter rates to increase from $2 per hour to $4 per hour during days when events occured at Wrigley Field. As of January 2019, surge pricing near Wrigley Field no longer exists! So don’t worry about increased parking rates if you’re shopping near the field of ball game days. 

What about Chicago street cleaning?

Between April 1 and mid-November, the city sends street sweepers through areas of Chicago to clean the streets. 

In most cases, street cleaning will occur between 6am-9am. On residential streets, bright orange signs are posted 24 hours prior to sweeping and the street cleaning will take place between 9am-3pm. In most Monday cases, the signs will be posted on the Friday prior.

Generally speaking, there are four to eight signs per block on either side of the street, depending on the size of the block. Look for signs on street poles and trees.

Keep your car off the street at all times during street cleaning (usually between 9 am and 3 pm), or you could face a $50 fine or get your car towed. If you want to learn more about Chicago street cleaning schedules and rules, check out our comprehensive Chicago street cleaning guide. 

What do I do if my car gets towed?

Before you jump to any conclusions, call 311 or visit the City of Chicago’s Find Your Vehicle page. There are several ways you can find out if your car was towed or stolen: by plate, by make and date, and by location and date.

What are the rules for parking in residential zones?

Chicago residents living within a Residential Parking Zone are required to display a residential parking permit. You can purchase these either in person at city hall or online. They cost about $85-200 annually depending on the size and model of your car, with a minimum $200 fine for not having one displayed.

While stickers used to expire universally on June 30, the City Clerk recently changed the system. City stickers now expire six months after your license plate sticker, so keep track of the time to avoid a fine!

Additionally, certain blocks in Chicago are restricted. These blocks only allow vehicles with residential parking permits specific to that neighborhood to park in those spaces during certain hours. If you live on one of these streets, display your neighborhood specific permit on your windshield. When you buy your city sticker, ask to add a zone number for an additional cost.

In addition to purchasing a Zone Number to display on your City Sticker, you’re able to purchase Residential Daily Permits for guests, which are valid for 24 hours once displayed. You can buy up to 30 Residential Daily Permits per month at a cost of $16. You can pick these up at your Alderman’s office or at City Hall.

View Map with Residential Parking

Where is overnight parking in the city?

Most of the year, if you find an unmetered parking spot on the street, you can it is available for overnight parking. However, in the coldest part of winter between December 1 to March 31, you should not leave your car overnight on most main streets and certain residential streets. This is because the snow plows tend to roll through between the hours of 3am and 7am and you don’t want your car to be in the way. The ban is still active even if there is no snow, and could cost you a minimum $150 towing fee, a $60 ticket and a $20/day storage fee.

Visit this overnight parking map to find where you’re able to park your car overnight.

Speaking of snow, what are overnight parking rules during the winter?

Chicago winters can be brutal, and finding parking in Chicago can be even more of a challenge. When it snows, plows clear snow almost daily to maintain Chicago’s streets in the winter. That being said, street parking is prohibited when there are more than 2 inches of snow. Check the City of Chicago website to see when restrictions are in effect.

One of the unwritten rules is the law of ‘Dibs’. People who shovel their own parking spot after a snowfall often leave a marker in place to reserve that spot for their cars. If you see a cleared parking spot with a folding chair or some other seemingly random item in the middle of it, best to avoid that spot.

Where can I park near the airport?

There are tons of options within close proximity to the Chicago O’Hare airport and Midway International airport. Options available include short-term lots, long-term parking, and off-airport lots or hotel parking.

At the end of the day, the most reliable way to avoid parking tickets is by using real-time information, which is easily accessible via the SpotAngels App that is available for free download in the Apple Store and Google Play.

View Chicago Parking Map