Parking Services FAQ's
(Frequently Asked Questions)
What can I do to contest a ticket?
On the back of every citation you can find information on contesting your ticket either by mail (writing), in person (at City Hall), or by telephone.
Citations must be contested in writing. Appeal forms are available by mail:
City of San Rafael, Citation Processing Center, PO Box 2730, Huntington Beach, CA 92647- 2730
By telephone: 800-989-2058
In person: City Hall, 1400 Fifth Ave, San Rafael, CA (hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-5:00, closed holidays)
How long do I have to pay a ticket?
You must pay or contest a citation within 21 days of the violation or 14 days after the mailing of the delinquent parking violation notice. Within this 21 day period you must also submit your request to contest a citation, if you choose to contest.
What are your parking hours of operation?
Meters located at 3rd and D St parking lot and at 3rd and Lootens parking lot are enforced from 6am to 8pm.
Elsewhere, meters are enforced Monday through Saturday, 8am to 6pm, except on holidays. Parking in city run garages are available 7 days a week. Hourly rates in the garages are in effect Monday through Saturday, 6am to 11pm.
What are the city's parking rates?
Check out our Parking Services webpage on Parking rates and monthly parking.
If my car is towed, how do I get it back?
You should first contact the Police Department (415 485-3000) to see if your car was towed or stolen. You will then be told to contact one of our three contracted towing agencies:
Red Hill Tow, 428 Irwin St, (415) 456-8943
Valley Tow, 44 De Luca St, (415) 457-1691
Terra Linda Tow, 191 Mill St, (415) 485-0490
You can then retrieve your vehicle (after towing charges are paid).
If I shop at Walgreens (830 Third St) can I park for free at the parking lot there?
The parking lot by Walgreens is a city owned and operated parking lot and the meters must be fed while you are parked there. There are 2 hour meters in that lot; the meters alongside the Walgreen's building are 30 minute meters designed for quick stops but still must be fed.
If the meter to my space is not working and I received a citation, what do I do?
You will need to follow the instructions on the back of your citation about contesting your violation, making a note to take down the number of your meter, located either on the front or back of the meter.
Can I re-feed my parking meter?
You will find a warning on every parking meter (inside the window) stating that it is illegal to re-feed the meter. 2 hour parking meters must not be used by the same vehicle for more than 2 hours and must be moved or it can be cited for Overtime Meter parking.
Can I park my boat/trailer/commercial vehicle in front of my home?
Any trailer (with or without a boat or vehicle) or semi-trailer is catagorized along with commercial vehicles (trucks over 10,000 lbs.) and are only allowed 1 hour parking in residential /commercial districts.
Can I purchase a residential parking permit for my car?
At this time there are no programs in place to issue residential parking permits. All residents in San Rafael must abide by the parking regulations on their particular streets.
I own a business with a private lot and someone has abandoned a car in one of the spaces. Can I call you to tow it away?
You can contact us through our Abandoned Vehicle webpage and leave us information about the car and we will check the vehicle's license plate and current status. Unless the car is stolen we will not be able to take further action. The car becomes the property owner's (or landlord's) liability. See Private Property info.
If I own a private parking lot, what do I need to do in order to tow away an unauthorized vehicle?
Check out our Private Property webpage for info.
Can I take more than one parking space?
Vehicles with trailers or extended lengths can use more than one parking space. They are required to feed both meters if another car is not able to fit into either space.
Where can I park longer than 2 hours?
There are 10 hour meters in the parking lots at:
1500 Fourth St. (north end of lot)
1400 Second St. (north end of lot)
There are also 10 hour meters:
800 block of Lindero St. (between Second and Third St.)
Heatherton St. (west side of street)
1100 block of Tamalpais St. (west side of railroad tracks)
Via Sessi (off D St.)
You can also park longer than 2 hours on any street that does not have signs posted for parking restrictions.
You can also park longer than 2 hours at any of the multi-level city parking garages as well as the city lots equipped with parking machines: Fifth and Lootens, Fifth and D St., upper and lower levels of Fifth and C St lots, and the upper level of the Third and Lootens lot.
What are the restrictions for colored curbs?
Yellow curb: active loading.
White curb: passenger loading/unloading.
Green curb: limited to time posted on curb or on sign.
Blue curb: restricted to vehicles with Disabled Persons placard/ license plate at all times.
Red curb: no parking anytime
Can I pay for my parking with a credit card?
You can pay for parking with a credit card at any of the city garages and at the pay-by-space machines at upper Fifth and C St; upper Lootens and Third St; and Fifth and Lootens, Fifth and D St.
Presently you are not able to pay a parking meter with your credit card.