There are many areas in Salt Lake City that have posted, or signed, parking restrictions. Before parking and leaving your car, take a moment to read and obey any posted parking signs:

Residential permits are issued by the City’s Transportation Division. Learn more about City Permit Parking.

If you park in a Residential Permit Parking area and don’t have a valid permit, visitor pass (good for up to 30 days), or guest pass (good for up to two days) clearly displayed, you can get a ticket.

Motorcycles can park for free up to two hours in designated motorcycle parking spots.

When parking in metered parking, motorcycles and scooters (like Vespas) have to follow the same parking rules as cars. That means:

• You must pay for metered parking.
• You must follow time limits in timed parking zones.

Just like cars, motorcycles are not allowed to park on sidewalks or park strips.

If you drive a SmartWay Elite vehicle, you may qualify for a free two-hour parking permit. Visit the Green Vehicle Parking Permits page to learn how to apply.

If you have a valid disability license plate or placard (from the Utah DMV) and are transporting a person with a disability, you can park for free at any city meter for up to two hours.

You cannot park in no-parking zones, emergency areas, bus stops, or anywhere that signs or markings prohibit parking.

There are also spaces available on both public and private property that are marked with the international disability symbol.

Additional info:

• Disability parking spaces are always in effect (24/7).
• You cannot park in areas marked as no parking, fire lanes, or other restricted zones—even with a disability placard.
• Parking in a disability space without a valid plate or placard is a violation of City Ordinances 12.56.120 and 12.56.130.

There are many Freight Zones posted around Salt Lake City. These areas are for loading and unloading only, and parking is limited to 30 minutes.

To park in a Freight Zone, your vehicle must have a Salt Lake City Freight License—licenses from other cities are not accepted.

If you don’t have a Freight License but need to use a Freight Zone, you can buy a Temporary Freight Loading Zone permit—but you must also have a valid Salt Lake City business license.

To get a Freight Permit, call 801-535-6644 or email business.license@slc.gov.

By law, cars must park at least 20 feet away from a crosswalk at an intersection. You also can’t park on a crosswalk. Parking too close or directly on a crosswalk breaks City Ordinance 12.56.440.

Vehicles must park at least 30 feet away from flashing lights or traffic signs like stop signs, bus stop signs, and no parking signs. Parking too close to these signs is against City Ordinance 12.56.440.

Do not park within five feet of a fire hydrant. This means five feet on either side, measured from the center of the hydrant along the curb. There doesn’t need to be a sign or red curb—it’s still a violation if you’re too close.

Parking within this area breaks City Ordinance 12.56.440 and may result in a ticket.

In Salt Lake City, you must park at least five feet away from any driveway. If there’s a mailbox within five feet of the driveway, you must park at least 10 feet away. When parking near a fire station, stay at least 20 feet away from the driveway. Also, don’t park directly across from a fire station entrance if there are signs posted.

Parking too close to driveways is a safety issue, and the City enforces this rule every day at all hours. (See City Ordinance 12.56.440.)

When you park, please be respectful and don’t block trash or recycling bins in front of homes or businesses. If you block a bin, your car might end up more than 12 inches from the curb, which breaks City Ordinance 12.56.100.

If your registration is expired, you’re in violation the very next day and could get a ticket. If your registration has been expired for more than three months, your vehicle could be towed (City Ordinance 12.56.040).

Learn more about Utah’s vehicle registration laws at the Utah Department of Motor Vehicle website.