Santa Fe, NM Parking Rules: Preferential Parking Districts (2026)

15, 'Special Parking Area Permits,' is the mechanism the governing body uses to carve out streets, typically in dense neighborhoods near downtown, where on-street parking is restricted to permit holders. The section gives the parking administrator authority to set the procedures for obtaining a permit rather than spelling out a single citywide fee or eligibility rule in the ordinance itself, and it requires the city to post signage on the ground marking every designated special parking permit area before the restriction can be enforced. Subsection B makes clear that a permit is a revocable privilege, not a property right, meaning the city is not bound to renew or continue any particular permit area once created.

Subsection C is the enforcement hook: parking inside a designated area without holding the required permit is unlawful. 2, a violation involving posted signs or restricted zones, which special parking permit areas fall under, is processed as a civil offense rather than a criminal misdemeanor. 4, and the city's boot program under Section 12-12-20 can immobilize a vehicle with three or more unpaid citations, including special-permit-area tickets.