Cars parked at the curbside in downtown Seattle. Photo: SDOT. Blog stats: 600 words | 3-minute read
At-a-Glance:
- On-street parking rate adjustments will take effect on Monday, October 23, based on our analysis of parking data from August 2023.
- We adjust on-street rates three times a year in the winter, summer, and fall, to account for seasonal changes to parking demand.
- There are about 30 paid parking areas in Seattle, each with morning, mid-day, and evening rates.
- Overall, on-street parking rates in Seattle will still be $2.50 or less per hour at about half the times of day and neighborhoods.
- Parking rates will increase by $0.50/hour at times and in places where it is currently challenging to find an open parking space (where parking occupancy is over 85%).
- Fourteen areas will not see any rate changes.
- Five areas will see rates decrease due to lower demand.
Our latest seasonal paid parking rate adjustments will take effect in business districts around the city on Monday, October 23. This third adjustment in 2023 continues our process to use the latest parking data to help ensure enough parking spaces are available. We collected data in August to develop this set of adjustments. There are about 30 paid parking areas in Seattle, each with morning, mid-day, and evening rates that are set and adjusted based on recent data.
Parking activity has generally been increasing over the summer and early fall in many paid areas, though some have seen lower parking activity. Many areas have returned to pre-pandemic parking rates based on this demand. Twenty-six total locations and times will see $0.50/hour rate changes (out of 88 possible), with 19 getting rate increases and seven getting rate decreases.
With this rate adjustment, 70% of the 88 combined areas and times of day will not change. We adjust street parking rates with the goal that one to two spaces are generally open on each block throughout the day to provide reliable access at the curb for people to park and visit businesses in the area. This rate change is consistent with the Seattle Municipal Code that we’ve followed to adjust rates since 2011.
Updated parking rates as of October 23, 2023:
| Location | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
| 12th Avenue | $0.50 | $2.50 | $4.00 |
| 15th Avenue E | $0.50 | $2.00 | $2.00 |
| Ballard Core | $0.50 | $5.00 | $4.50 |
| Ballard Edge | $0.50 | $3.50 | $4.00 |
| Ballard Locks * | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| Belltown North | $0.50 | $2.50 | $2.00 |
| Belltown South | $0.50 | $4.50 | $1.50 |
| Capitol Hill North | $0.50 | $3.00 | $2.50 |
| Capitol Hill South | $0.50 | $4.00 | $5.00 |
| Cherry Hill | $2.00 | $1.50 | $0.50 |
| Chinatown/International District | $0.50 | $5.00 | $5.00 |
| Columbia City | $0.50 | $4.00 | $4.50 |
| Commercial Core Financial | $1.50 | $2.50 | $0.50 |
| Commercial Core Retail | $2.50 | $4.00 | $2.00 |
| Commercial Core Waterfront | $2.00 | $5.00 | $4.00 |
| Denny Triangle North | $1.50 | $5.00 | $3.00 |
| Denny Triangle South | $0.50 | $5.00 | $5.00 |
| First Hill | $2.50 | $5.00 | $4.50 |
| Fremont | $0.50 | $5.00 | $5.00 |
| Green Lake | $2.50 | $4.50 | $3.50 |
| Pike-Pine | $0.50 | $4.50 | $5.00 |
| Pioneer Square Core | $0.50 | $4.00 | N/A |
| Pioneer Square Edge | $1.00 | $3.00 | N/A |
| Roosevelt | $0.50 | $3.00 | $1.50 |
| South Lake Union North | $0.50 | $1.50 | N/A |
| South Lake Union South | $1.50 | $5.00 | N/A |
| University District Core | $0.50 | $5.00 | $2.50 |
| University District Edge | $1.50 | $1.50 | N/A |
| Uptown Core | $0.50 | $1.50 | $1.00 |
| Uptown Edge | $0.50 | $4.50 | $3.50 |
| Uptown Triangle | $0.50 | $2.00 | N/A |
| Westlake Ave N North | $0.50 | $1.50 | N/A |
| Westlake Ave N South | $0.50 | $1.50 | N/A |
Key:
- N/A: No evening hours (free)
- Orange: Rate increase by $0.50/hour
- Blue: Rate decrease by $0.50/hour
* Please note: the Ballard Locks area parking rates change twice per year on a standalone schedule, on May 1 and Oct. 1.
Thank you for your interest in paid on-street parking. For more information, you can visit our website.
