Parking Downtown or on Campus
Finding parking in downtown New Haven and around the Yale campus is challenging. You will need to park in a pay lot, garage, or at a meter. Meters cost about $1.50 per hour of parking, and some meters now accept credit card payments. Failure to pay to park at a meter may result in a parking fine of at least $20.
Meters are free on Sundays, major holidays, and after 9 p.m. If you drive a hybrid vehicle, New Haven will let you park on city streets at no cost when you apply for the GreenPark program. For more information, contact city hall in New Haven.
For a parking guide to downtown New Haven, visit the New Haven Parking Authority at 203-946-8936, or visit
For information about parking at Yale, call 203-432-9790, or visit http://to.yale.edu/.
You can park free in any of Yale’s lots after 4:00 p.m. on weekdays and all day on Saturdays and Sundays.
Parking in Your Neighborhood
Most neighborhoods (look for the zone signs on the street) allow street parking with a valid parking permit, which you can purchase at the New Haven Parking Tag Office, 165 Church Street, 203-946-2206. For a parking application/form, please visit:
https://www.newhavenct.gov/gov/depts/traffic/parking/residential_parking.htm
If you do park your car on the street, even with a valid permit, make sure you understand the street cleaning schedule. Also watch out for parking bans. Signs announcing bans will be posted on trees and poles along the street, and the city of New Haven can post parking bans with as little as 12 hours notice before the ban is to begin. If you violate a parking ban, whether regularly posted or an emergency order, your car can be towed away; and you will receive a fine and a towing fee. If you do get towed, you will need to call the police parking tag division, 203-946-2206 for instructions on how to retrieve your car. It is quite expensive, and you will need cash. For information on changes to parking regulations during snow emergencies, tune in to your local television or radio station.