Free Parking in Santa Ana, CA: Where to Find It
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For weekday daytime parking, the structures at 3rd Street and Broadway, 3rd and Birch streets, 5th and Spurgeon streets, and 5th and Main streets are free from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (santa-ana.gov). The County Administration North Surface Parking Lot at 630 N. Broadway Street provides the first 30 minutes free Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m (oc.gov).
Parking Near Santa Ana
Free downtown structures and short stays in Santa Ana
From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, parking is free at 3rd Street and Broadway, 3rd and Birch streets, 5th and Spurgeon streets, and 5th and Main streets (santa-ana.gov). The weekday daytime offer applies to drivers using those four structures, rather than to every parking facility downtown.
The County Administration North Surface Parking Lot at 630 N. Broadway Street provides the first 30 minutes free from Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m (oc.gov).
Parksy garages near Santa Ana’s Civic Center and downtown
Parksy lists a covered parking space at the Santa Ana Courthouse Garage, 208 yards away, for $1 an hour.
Parksy also lists covered parking at Transit Towers, 0.2 miles away, for $1 an hour, plus three spaces 0.2 miles away at 310 N Birch St or in Santa Ana garages for $1.75 an hour. A Santa Ana garage identified as Garage A is 0.3 miles away and costs $1.50 an hour.
Santa Ana permit districts and enforcement hours that affect free parking
The City establishes each district by resolution, including its boundaries and parking limitations. Residents on qualifying blocks are typically eligible for permits, while guest-permit eligibility depends on the type of housing.
Santa Ana Parking Enforcement handles expired meters, parking permit districts, street sweeping, and other illegally parked vehicles (santa-ana.gov). The City’s permit office accepts applications from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and every other Friday. The Historic Courthouse Metered Surface Parking Lot has a two-hour maximum per stay, and its operating period is Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m (oc.gov). Santa Ana’s downtown free periods therefore depend on the named facility, while residential permit restrictions depend on the named district.
Santa Ana low-cost backups when downtown free spaces fill
The City lists 3rd Street and Broadway, 3rd and Birch streets, 5th and Spurgeon streets, and 5th and Main streets as the participating structures (santa-ana.gov). From 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays, those structures charge $1.50 an hour with two hours free, while the weekend rate is $1.50 an hour with two hours free.
The County Administration North Surface Parking Lot at 630 N. Broadway Street is a low-cost named backup, with the first 30 minutes free and a $1 charge for each 15 minutes or portion after that, capped at $20 daily (oc.gov). The P1 Stadium Parking Structure at 1020 Civic Center Drive charges $0.50 for each 15 minutes or portion, with a $15 daily maximum.
Photo: Pexels / Altaf Shah Sources
* Please note: parking prices, time limits and fine amounts change frequently and vary by operator, council and local authority. Everything on this page is indicative and provided on a best-endeavours basis. Always check the sign, the operator or the issuing authority before you rely on a figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find free parking in Santa Ana, California?
For weekday daytime parking, the structures at 3rd Street and Broadway, 3rd and Birch streets, 5th and Spurgeon streets, and 5th and Main streets are free from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (santa-ana.gov). The County Administration North Surface Parking Lot at 630 N. Broadway Street provides the first 30 minutes free Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m (oc.gov).
Which Santa Ana parking structures offer free weekday parking?
Free parking from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday is available at 3rd Street and Broadway, 3rd and Birch streets, 5th and Spurgeon streets, and 5th and Main streets. The weekday daytime offer applies to those four structures, not every downtown parking facility (santa-ana.gov).
How long is parking free at the County Administration North Surface Parking Lot?
The County Administration North Surface Parking Lot at 630 N. Broadway Street provides the first 30 minutes free from Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m (oc.gov). After that, the lot charges $1 for each 15 minutes or portion, with a $20 daily maximum (oc.gov).
What are the free-time rules at Santa Ana’s downtown structures after 5 p.m.?
From 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays, the participating structures at 3rd Street and Broadway, 3rd and Birch streets, 5th and Spurgeon streets, and 5th and Main streets charge $1.50 an hour with two hours free. The weekend rate is $1.50 an hour with two hours free (santa-ana.gov).
Does the Historic Courthouse Metered Surface Parking Lot have a time limit?
The Historic Courthouse Metered Surface Parking Lot has a two-hour maximum per stay. Its operating period is Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m (oc.gov). Santa Ana’s downtown free periods depend on the named facility, while residential permit restrictions depend on the named district.
What parking restrictions should Santa Ana drivers check?
Santa Ana establishes each permit district by resolution, including its boundaries and parking limitations. Residents on qualifying blocks are typically eligible for permits, while guest-permit eligibility depends on housing type. Santa Ana Parking Enforcement handles expired meters, parking permit districts, street sweeping, and other illegally parked vehicles (santa-ana.gov).
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