Raleigh, NC Parking Rules: Preferential Parking Districts (2026)

Under Raleigh City Code Sec. 11-2182, the Transportation Department may study establishing a Controlled Parking Residential Area (CPRA) on citizen petition or its own initiative, weighing nonresident intrusion, storage of vehicles for seven or more days, and residents' difficulty finding on-street parking near their homes. A valid petition must identify the boundaries and be signed by an adult resident (or authorized representative) from at least 70 percent of the units eligible for a permit in each block of the proposed area, and the area itself must contain at least eight contiguous block faces (or be a contiguous expansion of an existing CPRA) abutted primarily by residential zoning.

The Council may also create a temporary CPRA for up to one year with its own permit-fee terms. Once established, the Director posts signs prescribing the times, locations and conditions for permit-only parking, and issues residential permits electronically (or physically on request) to residents of a detached house, attached house or townhouse within the area, one per vehicle principally operated by that resident; permits run on a calendar-year basis, expiring December 31, with a grace period through February 14. In-home care providers who give more than two continuous hours of care in a 24-hour period may also apply for a permit.

Permits cannot be transferred to another vehicle, and the annual administrative fee is set by the City of Raleigh Fee Schedule. All residential permit spaces must remain available to visitors and the general public for at least sixteen hours a day. Visitors of a resident can get a 24-hour visitor pass from the Director, displayed face-up on the dash.