Charlottesville, VA Parking Rules: Preferential Parking Districts (2026)
Key Facts
- Default restricted hours
- 6 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays
- Designated zones
- Zones 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9
- Permit cap
- 4 decals per 1-2 family home
- Permit year starts
- August 31
- Issuing office
- City Treasurer
Summary
In the City of Charlottesville, Virginia, City Code §§ 15-201 through 15-211 create residential permit parking zones where on-street parking is restricted, by default 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays, to vehicles displaying a valid decal issued by the city treasurer. Zones 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are already designated by street boundary in § 15-204.
Sec. 15-208. - Permit required; hours. (a)It shall be unlawful for any vehicle to be parked on a public right-of-way or street during specified hours in a restricted parking area except upon display of a valid permit issued pursuant to section 15-210 of this division. ... (b)Unless otherwise specified by city council within a resolution designating a particular restricted parking area, the hours during which the restricted parking regulations authorized by this division shall apply shall be:(1)6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excepting holidays, for the following areas: (i) for all restricted parking areas designated by City Council prior to May 20, 2002, and (ii) for all restricted parking areas designated within zones 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 on or after May 20, 2002.
Full Breakdown
E. Within a designated zone, council can restrict specific blocks after the director of Neighborhood Development Services runs an on-street parking survey each March through April showing at least 75 percent of spaces occupied and at least half of those by commuter vehicles, per § 15-203. m. m. Public agency vehicles, marked service and delivery vehicles, non-motorized vehicles and commercial vehicles doing business nearby are exempt under § 15-208(a)(1). Residents apply to the city treasurer under § 15-209 with vehicle registration, make and model, and address; § 15-210 caps most single- and two-family dwellings at four decals per permit year, which begins August 31, with multi-family allotments tied to the building's off-street parking shortfall. A handful of specific addresses, listed in § 15-210, carry individually set permit and guest-permit counts dating to 2001-2002.
Violations & Fines
Parking on a restricted block during posted hours without a displayed permit violates § 15-208 and is enforced as a parking violation under the general procedure in § 15-149, with tickets payable at the treasurer's office or contestable through the police traffic division; fines double if unpaid within ninety-six hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many parking permits can my house get?
How does a new residential permit parking zone get created?
Do visitors need a permit to park in these zones?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charlottesville
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