Free Parking in St. Paul, MN: Where to Find It
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Saint Paul meters are free on listed city holidays, including New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Otherwise, downtown meters are enforced Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., while meters outside downtown are enforced from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Follow posted signs and restrictions, including at hydrants, intersections, and crosswalks.
Parking Near St. Paul
Free parking options around downtown St. Paul
Saint Paul’s parking meters are free on the city’s listed holidays, including New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. The Saint Paul parking authority says payment is otherwise required at meters Monday through Saturday, so holiday dates are the clearest citywide free period (stpaul.gov).
Downtown Saint Paul meters are enforced Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., while meters outside downtown are enforced Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those enforcement windows identify when a metered space can be used without payment, but the city also requires drivers to follow posted signs and restrictions that may apply around intersections or other locations (stpaul.gov).
Parksy spaces near St. Peter Street and Exchange Street
A priced Parksy space at 481 St. Peter St. sits 185 yards away and costs $5 a day, making it suitable for a full-day visit when nearby free spaces are occupied.
Lawson Commons Garage is 327 yards away and costs $26.50 a day, offering a secure garage option for drivers who need covered or controlled parking. Secure covered parking at 145 Smith Ave is 0.2 miles away and costs $13 a day, giving longer-stay drivers another option when street parking is full.
Cheaper St. Paul alternatives when free spaces fill
Union Depot offers named paid alternatives when central street spaces are unavailable. Union Depot parking costs $4 for 0 to 1 hour, $8 for 1 to 3 hours, and $10 for 3 to 8 hours. Lot A costs $13 per day, while Lot B costs $10 during the week and $4 during the weekend (uniondepot.org).
Metro Transit also provides a Park & Ride search for free lots serving the Minneapolis and Saint Paul area, which can suit drivers willing to leave a car outside the central parking area and continue by transit (metrotransit.org).
Saint Paul meter hours and restrictions that control free parking
Rates vary by meter location, so a space that is free outside its enforcement window can still carry a different posted rate during enforcement hours (stpaul.gov).
Saint Paul’s parking authority says drivers must follow posted parking signs and must not park in illegal areas, including locations governed by restrictions that may have no sign. The city specifically identifies fire hydrants, intersections, and crosswalks as places where parking restrictions apply (stpaul.gov).
Saint Paul parking tickets and how violations are handled
Saint Paul’s parking authority describes ticket risk in terms of the posted signs, meter enforcement periods, and parking laws that apply even where a restriction is not posted. A driver can therefore receive a citation for parking at a hydrant, intersection, crosswalk, or other illegal location even when the nearby meter is outside its payment period (stpaul.gov).
West St. Paul, a separate municipality, publishes penalty amounts ranging from $55 to $2,000 depending on the violation and says repeat violations within a 12-month period can double. Those amounts belong to West St. Paul’s authority and should not be treated as Saint Paul city ticket amounts (wspmn.gov).
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* 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 St. Paul, Minnesota?
Saint Paul meters are free on listed city holidays, including New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Otherwise, downtown meters are enforced Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., while meters outside downtown are enforced from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Follow posted signs and restrictions, including at hydrants, intersections, and crosswalks.
When is street parking free in downtown Saint Paul?
Downtown Saint Paul meters are enforced Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Outside that enforcement window, a metered space can be used without payment, subject to posted signs and restrictions. Saint Paul meters are also free on listed city holidays, including New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day (stpaul.gov).
Which Saint Paul holidays have free meter parking?
Saint Paul parking meters are free on the city’s listed holidays. These include New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day (stpaul.gov).
What is a nearby paid alternative when free parking is full?
A priced Parksy space at 481 St. Peter St. is 185 yards away and costs $5 a day. Lawson Commons Garage is 327 yards away and costs $26.50 a day. Secure covered parking at 145 Smith Ave is 0.2 miles away and costs $13 a day, giving drivers several longer-stay alternatives.
Can I park free outside downtown meter hours?
Meters outside downtown are enforced Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. A metered space can be used without payment outside that window, but rates vary by location and drivers must follow posted signs and restrictions. Parking remains prohibited at illegal locations such as fire hydrants, intersections, and crosswalks (stpaul.gov).
Can I get a ticket when the meter is not charging?
Yes. Saint Paul’s parking authority says drivers must follow posted signs, meter enforcement periods, and parking laws that can apply even where a restriction is not posted. A citation can result from parking at a fire hydrant, intersection, crosswalk, or other illegal location, even when the nearby meter is outside its payment period (stpaul.gov).
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