Guide · 12 min read
Street Parking in Washington DC: Rules, Times & Distances
Street parking in Washington DC, decoded: how far from a hydrant, corner, crosswalk, and driveway you can park, plus time limits, weekends, and sign order.
Read guide →Washington DC Parking Guides
17 guides to the rules DC actually enforces — distances, permit zones, meter hours, tickets, and towing. Written for drivers who park here, checked against DDOT and DMV sources.
The eight rules people look up most
- How far from an intersection?
- 25 feet from a crosswalk, stop sign, or signal. Details
- How far from a driveway or alley?
- 5 feet of clearance, plus 12 inches from the curb. Details
- How far from a fire hydrant?
- 10 feet in DC — a $100 ticket and tow risk. Details
- When do DC meters stop?
- Most run 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM; some corridors differ. Details
- Is parking free on Sundays?
- Meters are free citywide on Sundays; other rules still apply. Details
- How long can a non-resident park?
- 2 hours on RPP blocks, weekdays 7:00 AM – 8:30 PM. Details
- Can you park overnight on the street?
- Yes, if the block's zone, tags, and sweeping rules allow it. Details
- What does an expired meter cost?
- $50, and it doubles if it goes unpaid past 30 days. Details
Every figure above comes from DC's posted rules and current fine schedule. The sign on your blockface always overrides a citywide rule.
Street rules & signs
What the curb actually allows: distances, sign hierarchy, and why two signs on one pole disagree.
Guide · 14 min read
DC Parking Signs Explained: 6 Sign Types & What Each Costs
The 6 DC parking sign types decoded — rush hour ($100), ResPP ($60), street sweeping ($45), meters ($50) — which sign wins when two conflict on one pole.
Read guide →Guide · 9 min read
Why DC Parking Signs Conflict (And How to Read the Winner)
DC has 200,000+ parking signs on 7,000 miles of roadway. Here's why the same pole can show three rules — and which sign actually controls your space.
Read guide →Guide · 6 min read
How Far From an Intersection Can You Park in DC?
25 feet. That is how far Washington DC requires you to park from a crosswalk, stop sign, or signal — about 1.5 car lengths. How to judge it and avoid the corner ticket.
Read guide →Guide · 6 min read
How Close Can You Park to a Driveway or Alley in DC?
5 feet. That is the clearance Washington DC requires from any driveway or alley entrance, plus 12 inches from the curb. How to judge it, the fine, and the tow risk.
Read guide →Guide · 9 min read
Why a DC Address Can't Tell You the Parking Rule (2026)
Washington DC maps curb rules by block and blockface, not by street address. Here's why one address covers several different parking rules — and how to read the block instead.
Read guide →Permits & zones
Residential stickers, guest passes, and which of DC's eight zones covers your block.
Guide · 13 min read
Washington DC Residential Parking Permit (RPP) Guide
How to get a DC Residential Parking Permit: eligibility, DMV documents, the $50 annual cost, renewal timing, and what the sticker does not cover.
Read guide →Guide · 8 min read
DC Visitor Parking Pass: How It Works for MD & VA Drivers
How the DC Visitor Parking Pass works: who can get one, how to request it online, where it is valid, and the RPP rules Maryland and Virginia drivers get ticketed for.
Read guide →Guide · 14 min read
DC Parking Maps Compared: Meters, Sweeping & Rush Hour
Five official DC parking maps, what each one actually covers, and the layers every one of them leaves out — meters, sweeping, rush hour, and posted curb signs.
Read guide →Tickets, towing & enforcement
What each violation costs, how DC enforces it, and what to do once you have the citation.
Guide · 11 min read
DC Parking Ticket Fines 2026: $45 to $250 & How to Pay
Every 2026 DC parking fine from $45 sweeping to $250 accessible-zone, how to pay online, the 30-day deadline before fines double, and how to contest a ticket.
Read guide →Guide · 9 min read
How to Pay a DC Speeding Ticket Online (2026)
How to pay a DC speeding ticket or photo enforcement ticket online. Lookup, fines, payment deadlines, and how to contest a speed or red-light camera ticket in Washington DC.
Read guide →Guide · 11 min read
Towed in Washington DC? Find Your Car, Fees & Release
Your car was towed in DC. Which lot it's in, the phone number that tells you, the $100 tow plus $20/day storage math, and what to bring to get it released.
Read guide →Guide · 14 min read
DC Parking Enforcement: Hours, Tickets, Boots & Tows (2026)
Who writes parking tickets in Washington DC, when enforcement is active, the ten most-issued violations, and the exact thresholds where DC boots or tows your car.
Read guide →Where & when to park
Free-meter days, overnight rules, and destination-specific parking that actually works.
Guide · 7 min read
Is Parking Free in DC Today? (2026 Holiday List)
Is parking free in Washington DC today? The 2026 list of holidays when meters are free, plus what stays enforced — RPP, rush hour, and street sweeping.
Read guide →Guide · 9 min read
Overnight Parking in Washington DC: Rules & Where to Park
Can you park overnight on the street in Washington DC? Meter hours end at 10 PM, but RPP zones, 2-hour blocks, and out-of-state tags decide whether you get a ticket by morning.
Read guide →Guide · 9 min read
National Mall Parking: Where to Park in Washington DC
Where to actually park for the National Mall: free Ohio Drive spots, 3-hour metered perimeter zones, nearby garages, weekend and holiday meter rules, and tow risk.
Read guide →Guide · 14 min read
The Best Parking App for Washington DC (2026)
There is no single best DC parking app — there are four different jobs. What ParkMobile, SpotHero, ParkWhiz, SpotAngels and the official DDOT apps actually do, and the one question none of them answer.
Read guide →Free DC parking tools
- DC parking hub — one page that ties together permits, tickets, signs, and enforcement.
- DC parking status — is parking free right now, by neighborhood.
- Can I park here? — pick your block and get the answer for right now, with your move-by time.
- DC parking zone lookup — find which RPP zone (1–8) covers your block.
- DC parking sign glossary — what ResPP, clearway, and every abbreviation mean.
- Neighborhood parking guides — block-level rules for DC's toughest areas.