As an attractive destination for area residents, workers, and visitors alike, parking in Alexandria is always in demand.  To provide fair and convenient access, public parking spaces are time limited and may be metered.  Please carefully note any parking restrictions on nearby signs before parking.  Also note that unless a sign provides for longer parking, vehicles may not be parked on the street for more than 72 hours at a time (not including Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays below) without being moved.

• Multi-space meters accept credit cards, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar coins. Alexandria has a mix of pay-and-display meters and pay-by-plate meters. At pay-and-display meters, after purchasing time at a multi-space meter, leave the paper slip face up on the passenger side of the dashboard.  There is a tear-off receipt that you can take with you to remind yourself when the meter expires.  If you return to your vehicle before the time you’ve purchased has expired, you may use the same paper slip to park in any other metered space in Alexandria until the time expires. At pay-by-plate meters, the license plate of the parked vehicle must be entered to authorize the vehicle to park for a given time in that meter zone.
• Single-space meters accept dimes and quarters only. 
• Regardless of the type of meter, it is illegal to “feed the meter” to extend your time past the posted limit.  For example, if the maximum posted time limit is two hours, you must move your vehicle off of the block after two hours regardless of whether you purchase more time.
• Metered street spaces in Old Town and Carlyle typically require payment Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and are free on Sundays and state holidays. Signs on each block should be read thoroughly to verify specific block restrictions. Metered lot spaces require payment during the hours posted on each meter.

To report a broken parking meter in the City of Alexandria, use Alex311. For other issues related to meter maintenance, contact the Traffic Operations division at 703.746.4006.

• The City has installed multi-space parking meters that provide “Pay and Display” receipts valid for use throughout the City.   Unfortunately, these meters do occasionally fail to operate properly.  Customers seeking reimbursement for failed parking meters may do so by following the instructions in the Parking Meter Refund Policy.   
  • Note:  All refund requests must be submitted in writing and include a valid Service Request ID from the Customer Connection Center and a certification of a failed meter by a Parking Meter Technician. 

Parking meters do not require payment, and residential parking permit districts are not time limited, on federal holidays:

• New Year's Day (Jan. 1)
• Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (3rd Mon. in Jan.)
• George Washington Day (3rd Mon. in Feb.)
• Memorial Day (last Mon. in May)
• Independence Day (July 4)
• Labor Day (1st Mon. in Sept.)
• Indigenous Peoples' Day (2nd Mon. in Oct.)
• Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
• Thanksgiving Day (4th Thurs. of Nov.)
• Christmas Day (Dec. 25)

Police officers and parking enforcement officers in the Police Department regularly patrol to enforce regulations concerning the operation of vehicles as well as stopping, standing and parking on public streets. Learn more about how to pay or contest a parking citation.