If you park at a meter in San Diego, you’ll notice you’re paying more than usual. As of January 31, 2025, the City of San Diego has doubled hourly parking meter rates, with most meters increasing from $1.25 to $2.50 per hour.
Why the Increase?
Parking meter fees are expected to contribute to the maintenance of roads, sidewalks, and streetlights in metered areas. City officials noted that this was the first parking meter price increase in 20 years.
Despite the increase, San Diego’s parking meter rates remain among the lowest in California. Oakland charges up to $4 per hour, Los Angeles up to $6, and San Francisco’s demand-based pricing ranges from under $2 to $11 per hour. Waterfront parking meters managed by the Port of San Diego remain at $2.50 per hour.
This rate hike follows a resolution recently passed by the San Diego City Council, impacting over 5,300 metered spaces in key neighborhoods like Downtown, Uptown, Mid-City, and Pacific Beach. More than 4,400 meters now charge the maximum $2.50 per hour, while lower-tier meters also saw their rates double.
New Parking Meter Rates
- Previous: $0.50 / hour => New Rate: $1.00 / hour
- Previous: $0.75 / hour => New Rate: $1.50 / hour
- Previous: $1.00 / hour => New Rate: $2.00 / hour
- Previous: $1.25 / hour => New Rate: $2.50 / hour
What’s Next?
San Diego is considering additional parking reforms. According to KPBS, proposed changes include:
- Charging for metered parking on Sundays, when private lots raise prices due to high demand.
- Dynamic pricing, where rates increase during peak hours or major events like Padres games at Petco Park.
- Reforming the residential parking permit program, which currently costs just $9 per year. By contrast, SDSU charges students $42 per month for campus parking.
For more details, visit the City of San Diego’s website.