Pittsburgh, PA Local Taxes & Fees: Parking Tax (2026)
Key Facts
- Current rate
- 37.5% of parking consideration
- Applies to
- non-residential parking places
- Returns due
- 15th of each month
- License required from
- Bureau of Building Inspection
- Late-payment penalty
- 5%/month, capped at 50%
Summary
Pittsburgh taxes every paid nonresidential parking transaction at 37.5 percent of the fee, among the highest parking taxes in the country.
A tax for general revenue purposes is hereby imposed upon each parking transaction by a patron of a non-residential parking place, at the rate of thirty-one (31) percent effective January 1, 2004 and increased to fifty (50) percent effective February 12, 2004 of the consideration for each parking facility transaction. The tax shall be collected by the operator form the patron, and shall be paid over to the Treasurer as provided in this chapter. For all transactions occurring on or after January 1, 2007, the rate of tax shall be forty-five (45) percent. For all transactions occurring on or after January 1, 2008, the tax rate shall be forty (40) percent. For all transactions occurring on or after January 1, 2009, the tax rate shall be thirty-seven and one-half (37.5) percent.
(b) All taxes collected by any operator in accordance with this Chapter shall constitute a trust fund for the benefit of the City and such trust shall be enforceable against the operator and any person receiving any part of such fund without consideration, or with knowledge that the operator is committing a breach of trust; provided however, that any person receiving payment of a lawful obligation of the operator from such fund shall be presumed to have received the same in good faith and without any knowledge of the breach of trust.
(c)
Full Breakdown
The City imposes a parking tax on each transaction at a non-residential parking place, collected by the operator from the patron. The rate has been reduced in steps from 50 percent in 2004 down to 37.5 percent effective January 1, 2009, where it currently stands under the codified rate schedule. Operators must register with the Treasurer, hold an annual parking-place license from the Bureau of Building Inspection, file monthly returns by the 15th, and remit tax collected as trust funds held for the City.
Violations & Fines
Operators who fail to collect or remit the tax face a 5 percent per-month penalty (capped at 50 percent) plus suit for collection, and any Chapter 253 violation carries an added penalty of $1,000 for a first occurrence, $2,000 for a second, and $3,000 for each occurrence after that.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Pittsburgh's parking tax?
Who actually pays the parking tax?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pittsburgh
Compare Pittsburgh to another location·View the Pennsylvania local taxes & fees overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.