Parking

nelson parkade

Whether you’re visiting for a few hours, spending the day exploring shops and galleries, or looking for longer-term parking solutions, there are many different options to suit your needs. With metered street parking, the City parkade, surface lots, and residential permit zones, each option is designed to help keep traffic flowing smoothly while giving visitors and residents convenient access to the city.

download the PayByPhone app
Read the Downtown Parking Strategy
Pay a Parking Ticket
commuter - parking page
e-bikes - parking page
All-Day Commuter Parking
If you commute to work or are planning on spending the day in Nelson, there are multiple cost-effective options that are easy to access from the downtown core. MORE
Secure Bike and E-Bike Parking
Why not take your bike? There is a secure cage in the Parkade designated for bikes and e-bikes, so you can commute without worry. REGISTER 
accessible - parking page
snowy road - parking page
Permits and Accessible Parking
There are a number of accessible parking spaces throughout the city, and residents who live in the downtown core can apply for a no-charge permit. Find out how to apply for your permit. MORE
Winter Parking
Did you know the City maintains over 67km of roads in the winter months? Read more about the steps we can all take to keep our roads safe in the snow. MORE

Metered Parking Stalls

Nelson has approximately 750 parking stalls serviced by a metre or a PayStation (kiosk). Paid parking is effective from Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can use coins or PayByPhone.

  • 25 cents for every 7.5 minutes ($2.00 per hour)
  • Metres accept quarters, $1 coins, and $2 coins
  • Most metered spaces have a 2-hour maximum. Several blocks have 4-hour meters, and one block has all-day metres. 
  • Be sure to read the label on the parking metre you are at. Parking longer than the posted maximum time is not permitted.
  • When parking on the 400 and 500 blocks of Hall Street, pay at the PayStation located at the northeast corner of Hall and Baker Streets
  • PayStations accept coins and credit cards
  • View Paystation FAQs (PDF)
  • Free motorcycle parking stalls are available throughout the downtown
  • Designated accessible parking is available throughout the downtown for vehicles with a valid accessibility parking permit. Vehicles displaying a permit may park for up to two hours.

Parking Regulations on Unsigned Streets

Parking is not permitted for more than 72 hours continuously.

Loading Zones and Lane Parking

Vehicles are permitted to use a loading zone for up to three minutes for the loading and unloading of passengers or up to 10 minutes for goods. A valid commercial vehicle licence decal is required to use a commercial loading zone.

Whenever access can be had to any laneway, all deliveries or collections of goods to or from any commercial building shall be made there.

No parking is permitted in a laneway except for the loading or unloading goods from a vehicle, in which case parking is permitted for up to 15 minutes.

Bylaws

Street parking is regulated by the City's Traffic Bylaw. Please reference it for any further information you require.

Off-street parking is regulated by the Off-Street Parking and Landscape Bylaw.