PARKING METER GUIDE : Transportation : Arlington, Virginia

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PARKING METER GUIDE

Arlington County uses time restrictions and parking meters in the busiest sections of the County in order to appropriately manage valuable curbside space. Time restrictions and parking meters encourage turnover by parkers so that more people can access businesses or other facilities adjacent to the curb. There are over 4,500 metered spaces within the County. Short-term parking meters (30 minutes to 4 hours) are usually installed in commercial and mixed-use neighborhoods. Some spaces where the demand for turnover is not as high may have 10-hour time limits.

Because most of the parking meters are designed for turnover (short-term) parking, you are required to leave the parking space when the meter's time limit has been reached. It is illegal to pay for additional time at the meter after the time limit has been reached. Feeding the meter beyond its original maximum time could result in your vehicle receiving a parking ticket. Persons with disabilities may park at specially designated meters that have longer allowable times.

The hourly rate at long-term meters (over four hours) is $1.00 per hour and the hourly rate at short-term meters is $1.25 per hour. Parking meters are in effect in most areas 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Saturday. Evening, Sundays and major holidays are free. The following is a list of County Holidays, when parking meters are not enforced.

    New Year's Day
    Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
    Presidents Day
    Memorial Day
    Independence Day
    Labor Day
    Columbus Day
    Veterans Day
    Thanksgiving Day
    Christmas Day

Defective meters can reported to 703-228-3298, our automated report line, or use our online report form.

Different Type of Meters and Parking Payment Devices

Arlington has generally three different types of parking payment devices: single-space meters, multi-space meters and the iPark.

1. Multi-Space Pay Stations

Multi-space pay stations make parking as easy as 1-2-3. With two ways to pay, (coins –quarters or dollar coins – or credit card (VISA or Master Card), there are just three easy steps to follow.

• First, insert coins or credit card and indicate the time.
• Next push the print button for your receipt.
• Finally, place the receipt face-up on the dashboard of your car.

It's that easy!

Benefits of Multi-space Meters:

convenience of a credit card
printed receipt with exact time paid parking will expire
increased reliability
lower maintenance cost
reduced street clutter
more parking spaces resulting from removal of striping

2. Single-Space Meters

Arlington has more than 3,000 single space parking meters throughout the County for widely varying increments of time. They are easily spotted from the driver's seat by a color code:


Yellow (1/2 hr)	Silver (1 hr)	Blue (2 hrs)	Red (4 hrs)	Green (10 hrs)

2a. Flexible Pay Single Space Parking Meters

This is a new type of single-space parking meter that accepts quarters, nickels, dimes, dollar coins and credit card.

3. iPark

The iPark is a pre-paid in-car meter device. You simply select the type of Meter you are parking at, start the iPark, and hang it from your rear view mirror. When you return to your car you simply turn it off and you will have only paid for the minutes you actually parked. Click here to go to the Treasurer's Office web page for more information.

General Rules:

How to report a broken meter.
Please get the number off of the back of the single space meter or the front of the multi-space meter for use in the report. If you are ticketed at a single space meter, the meter number will be on the ticket. Call 703-228-3298, our automated report line, or use our online report form.