Parking in downtown Charleston 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 in Charleston.
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 Charleston so you’ll know that free spot is actually free.
Map of Free Parking
Most of the spots in Downtown Charleston 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 😉
Charleston Parking Rules:
Charleston has some nice parking rules. On-Street meters in Charleston apply from Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
And they are free of charge on Sunday and during Holidays ! Here they are:
| Start Date | Parking Holiday | End Date |
| 2024-09-02 | Labor Day | 2024-09-02 |
| 2024-10-14 | Columbus Day | 2024-10-14 |
| 2024-11-05 | Election Day | 2024-11-05 |
| 2024-11-11 | Veterans day | 2024-11-11 |
| 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 in downtown Charleston on the go, download the SpotAngels app. It is free, the data is constantly updated by the community and it was featured as the best parking app by Apple and Google!
