Monthly Downtown Parking Permits

Monthly downtown parking permits are available to business owners, employees, and residents who require all-day parking. A parking permit allows a vehicle to park all-day in a designated city-owned parking garage or lot. By purchasing a permit, the permit holder agrees to follow the San Mateo Parking Permit Rules and Regulations.

Parking is on a first-come, first-serve basis and does not guarantee the permit holder a parking space. Permits are valid Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and may not be used for overnight parking or long-term storage of vehicles.

Looking for a Low-Income Parking Permit?

Visit the Low-Income Permit Program webpage for eligibility requirements and application instructions.

Facilities, Prices, and Parking Locations

Parking Facility	Cost per month	Location of 10-hour Spaces
Central Parking Garage*	$100	Mezzanine Level, Second and Third Floors
Kiku Public Parking Garage (Fifth and Railroad Avenue)	$65	Any parking space
Main Street Parking Garage (Second and Main Street)	$100	Second, Third, and Fourth Floors
Tennis Court Parking Garage (Fifth and Central Park)	$65	Any parking space
Transit Center Parking Garage (First and Main Street)	$65	Surface lot or basement level
Second and El Camino Parking Garage	$65	Second, Third, and Fourth Floors
South Railroad Avenue (Fifth to Ninth Avenues)	$40	Any parking space on the east side (facing Caltrain)

* The Central Parking Garage elevator is closed for maintenance until December 31, 2025.

How do I Apply for a Downtown Parking Permit?

Click the links below to buy a parking permit for your preferred location. IMPORTANT: If you are an existing ParkLync user you do not need to create a new account, however you'll need to enter your existing email address and password information on the 'Create an Account' screen.

Central Parking Garage Permit (Elevator is closed for maintenance until December 31, 2025)
Kiku Public Parking Garage Permit
Main Street Parking Garage Permit
Tennis Court Parking Garage Permit
Transit Center Parking Garage Permit
Second and El Camino Parking Garage Permit
South Railroad Avenue (Fifth to Ninth Avenues) Permit

How do I Manage My Parking Permits?

Log in to your ParkLync account to manage your permits, vehicle details, and payment information.
To apply for a new permit, you will need to use the links above for the parking facility you want a permit for.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a permit cost?

See above table for pricing. Qualified low-income individuals may purchase a lower-cost permit valid at a Downtown City-owned parking facility for $40 per month. Visit the Low-Income Permit Program webpage for eligibility requirements and to learn how to apply.

Where do permit holders park?

Permits are valid for parking at 10-hour parking spaces only within the permit holder’s designated parking facility. For Tennis Court Garage permit holders, permits are valid for parking at any parking space inside Tennis Court Garage Monday through Saturday. See table above for locations of 10-hour parking spaces.

For a complete list of city-owned parking facilities, visit the City-Owned Parking Facilities page.

How do I retrieve my permit?

Permits are enforced using license plate numbers. Permit holders are responsible for updating vehicle information in their ParkLync account.

How do I renew my monthly permit?

Permits will automatically renew for the next month until the permit is cancelled. Reoccurring payments can be set up with either a credit card, bank account, Venmo, or PayPal to allow the system to automatically charge the payment on file for next month's permit. Permits renewals take place on the 1st of the month.

If a payment method is not entered into an account, the permit holder must sign in each month and manually pay for next month's permit.

How do I cancel my permit?

Please email us at Transportation@cityofsanmateo.org with your date of cancellation and we will schedule the permit to cancel for you.

How do I change the license plate number tied to my permit?

Log in to your ParkLync account and click the "Vehicles" tab on the right-hand side of the screen to update vehicle information. Up to two vehicles can be tied to one permit.

How do I find, pay, or appeal a parking ticket?

If you received a parking citation while parked in the City of San Mateo, go to the pticket.com website to find, pay, or appeal a parking ticket.

How do I create a group account?

Group accounts must be made for parkers who want more than one parking permit for the same parking facility. A group account allows one person to manage all permits and purchase all permits using one payment method (i.e. credit card, bank account, PayPal, or Venmo).

The person managing the group account must first create a ParkLync account using the onboarding links above under "Apply for a Downtown Parking Permit". Once a ParkLync account has been set up, the account manager should email Transportation@cityofsanmateo.org to get access to the account manager view. The email should include:

Account manager's first and last name, email address, and phone number
Company or group name
Number of permits the group account will have
Name of the parking facility group members will park at

Can I park my vehicle overnight if I have a monthly permit?

No long term storage of vehicles is permitted in any city-owned parking facilities. The City’s garages and lots are closed from 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM, and a monthly permit is not an exception to the restriction on overnight parking.