Can I park overnight on U Street without a permit?

On most residential RPP Zone 1 blocks off U Street, yes. The 2-hour non-resident limit runs Monday–Friday, 7 AM – 8:30 PM. After 8:30 PM and all weekend, anyone can park unless the pole posts street sweeping, a rush-hour tow zone, or a temporary emergency no-parking notice.

When is street sweeping on the U Street Corridor?

Most residential blocks between 9th and 16th Streets NW are swept once a week, typically on Monday or Thursday mornings in a 2-hour window such as 9:30–11:30 AM. The day varies block to block — read the sign on your pole. The ticket is $45.

Where should I park for a show at the Lincoln Theatre or 9:30 Club?

Best options: metered spaces on 14th St NW or 9th St NW (pay until 10 PM), a garage near 14th & U or 13th & U, or residential Zone 1 blocks after 8:30 PM. Avoid the 14th Street NW rush-hour lanes before 6:30 PM — those get towed, not just ticketed.

Why does U Street get so many tow-aways?

14th Street NW and 16th Street NW are rush-hour arterials with peak-hour tow zones, and U Street NW frequently has event-day and construction emergency no-parking postings. Paying a meter does not override either restriction — the sign on the pole always wins.

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Neighborhood guide · U Street Corridor, Washington DC

U Street Parking Rules & Ticket Zones

Q: What time do meters run on 14th Street NW and U Street NW?

Metered spaces along 14th Street NW, U Street NW, and 9th Street NW generally run Monday–Saturday, 7 AM – 10 PM. Sundays and federal holidays are free at the meter, but RPP, sweeping, and rush-hour restrictions still apply where posted.

Updated August 2026 · Sources: DDOT, DC DMV.

The U Street Corridor — roughly U Street NW between 9th and 16th, plus the 14th Street NW strip running south into Logan Circle — is one of the toughest curbs in Washington, DC. It combines dense residential RPP blocks, a fully metered commercial spine, rush-hour tow lanes on 14th and 16th, and a nightly wave of concert, restaurant, and bar traffic.

This guide covers what actually gets people ticketed here: the RPP clock, meter hours, sweeping days, and the specific blocks where a $60 ticket turns into a $100+ tow.

1. RPP Zone 1 — The 2-Hour Clock

Residential blocks off U Street are mostly DC Residential Permit Parking Zone 1. Without a Zone 1 sticker you get 2 hours, Monday–Friday, 7 AM – 8:30 PM.

After 8:30 PM on weekdays and all weekend, the 2-hour limit is off — anyone can park unless another restriction is posted. Streets like 11th, 12th, and 13th NW between S and V are where visitors most often overstay before 8:30 PM.

Ticket for overtime in Zone 1 without a permit: $60.

Full DC RPP guide →

2. Meters on 14th, U, and 9th

The commercial corridors — 14th Street NW, U Street NW, and 9th Street NW — are metered Monday–Saturday, 7 AM – 10 PM. Sundays and federal holidays are free at the meter.

Two traps: many U Street meters cap you at 2 hours even if you keep feeding the app, and a paid receipt means nothing inside a rush-hour lane. Pay by app, then re-read the pole.

Meter ticket: $25–$50 depending on the zone.

Is parking free in DC today? →

3. Street Sweeping Days

Residential blocks between 9th and 16th NW are typically swept once a week — commonly Monday or Thursday mornings in a 2-hour window like 9:30–11:30 AM, and often one side of the street on one day and the opposite side on another.

Sweeping is seasonal: many signs read "March 1 – October 31." People who parked legally all winter get their first ticket the week the season restarts.

Street sweeping ticket: $45.

4. The Most Ticketed and Towed Blocks

14th Street NW, 4–6:30 PM — curb lanes convert to travel lanes. This is a tow, not a ticket.
16th Street NW — peak-hour restrictions in both directions; the signs are easy to miss at night when you return.
U Street NW near 13th & 14th — event-night enforcement around the Lincoln Theatre and 9:30 Club stays active late.
Side streets between S and V NW — Zone 1 blocks where visitors overstay the 2-hour limit before 8:30 PM.
Anywhere with a paper sign — temporary emergency no-parking notices for filming, moving trucks, and construction are enforced and towed on the U Street corridor more than almost anywhere in the city.

5. Where to Actually Park on U Street

Weekday before 6:30 PM? Meters on 9th St NW or a garage. Stay out of 14th and 16th curb lanes entirely.
Show at 8 PM? Meter on 9th or 14th until 10 PM, or slide onto a Zone 1 residential block after 8:30 PM.
Weekend brunch? Zone 1 blocks are unrestricted, but sweeping signs and hydrants still apply.
Leaving the car overnight? Check the sweeping day before you walk away — that's the $45 most people pay here.

Key takeaways

U Street residential blocks are RPP Zone 1: 2 hours for non-residents, weekdays 7 AM – 8:30 PM.
14th St, U St, and 9th St NW meters run until 10 PM Mon–Sat; free Sundays and federal holidays.
Rush-hour lanes on 14th and 16th get towed — a paid meter does not protect you.
Street sweeping is usually Monday or Thursday mornings and often seasonal (March–October).
Temporary paper no-parking signs outrank everything else on the pole.

Coming next: Logan Circle & Shaw

We're building neighborhood guides one corridor at a time. Next up: Logan Circle and Shaw — dense Zone 1 blocks with heavy meter and sweeping enforcement.

Join the waitlist to get Logan Circle coverage first →