Parking Permits

If you live in a Berkeley neighborhood with two-hour street parking limits and have a residential parking permit that exempts you from the time limit near your home, it’s time to start thinking about renewal. You’ll need to have your new permit in place by July 1st, and if you renew online, remember that the City of Berkeley says processing may take five to seven days. You also won’t be able to renew if you have any unpaid parking tickets, so make sure to clear those first. Permits these days are digital and tied to your license plate — no more bumper stickers!

Did you know you can temporarily shift the permit to a different car, say if your primary vehicle is in the shop and you’re driving a temporary replacement? Just email the City at cscounter@berkeleyca.gov with your regular car’s license plate, along with the license plate, make, and model of the replacement vehicle, plus the dates you’ll be using it. When you’re back in your regular car, email again to switch it back.

A client of mine was selling a home in North Berkeley, in an area with restricted parking. He very thoughtfully provided day-parking passes to the painters and other workers prepping the home for sale, which saved them from having to move their vehicles every two hours. If you have extra passes and people working on your property, it’s a kind and practical gesture that they’ll definitely appreciate!