Parking tickets and permits

In Waterloo, you can park for free on residential streets for up to 3 hours unless signs say differently. 

Overnight parking (between 2:30 and 6 a.m.) is not allowed unless you register your vehicle.

To report a parking issue, call 519-747-8785 or submit a complaint online.

The City of Waterloo does not send notices about outstanding fines or tickets by text message. If you have questions about tickets or fines call 519-747-8785.

On this page

  1. Register for overnight parking
  2. Pay a parking ticket
  3. Dispute a parking ticket
  4. Temporary on street parking permit
  5. Free parking uptown
  6. Paid monthly permits
  7. Longer stay paid parking
  8. Accessible parking
  9. Bike parking
  10. Northdale parking project

Register for overnight parking

You can leave a vehicle in a legal parking spot overnight up to 15 times/year. This includes city streets and these uptown lots:

You must register by 2:15 a.m. on the night of the exemption 

Unregistered vehicles left on streets and lots between 2:30 and 6 a.m. will be ticketed. 

Register your vehicle

Pay a parking ticket

You can pay your parking ticket online:

  • we accept Visa and MasterCard (but not Visa Debit or Debit Mastercard)
  • wait 7 business days following the date of issue
  • unpaid tickets will incur late fees and be forwarded to the province for collection

If you can't find your ticket or have other questions, contact 519-747-8785 during business hours or municipalenforcement@waterloo.ca

Pay ticket online

Pay in person, by drop box, or by mail
  • in person we accept cash, debit, cheque, money order or Visa/MasterCard at the municipal enforcement counter during business hours at city hall
  • you can drop off a a cheque or money order (payable to the City of Waterloo) at the after hours box located outside the William Street entrance to city hall
  • mail a cheque or money order (payable to the City of Waterloo) to:

Municipal Enforcement Services
City of Waterloo
100 Regina St. S.
PO Box 337, Station Waterloo
Waterloo, ON
N2J 4A8

Dispute a parking ticket

You can dispute your ticket within 30 days through a screening review.

Request a screening review

After your screening review, you will receive the decision in-person, by email or mail. There may be additional late fees if you don't pay within the timeframe provided on the back of the ticket.

Temporary on street parking permit

There is a limit of 3 hours of free parking on residential streets where parking is allowed unless signs say differently.

If your residential driveway is unavailable for use due to non-city related work, you can purchase a temporary on-street parking permit. Permits will not be issued due to a lack of available parking on site.

Fee

The cost is $7 a day or $40 a month. Contractors can purchase a temporary on-street parking permit for $7 a day or $65 a month. All fees are per vehicle and do not include tax.

Payment is only accepted by cash, cheque or debit, and can only be made at the Service Centre. If paying by cheque it must be made out to "City of Waterloo".

Getting your permit

Staff require a minimum of three business days to process on-street parking permits. To get your permit you will need to:

  1. Contact our Service Centre at traffic@waterloo.ca to purchase your permit with details of:
    • the work onsite
    • the vehicle's make
    • the vehicle's model
    • licence plate number
  2. The permit can be only be picked up at the Service Centre between Monday and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Note that during winter months permits may be denied due to winter maintenance concerns, are subject to review, and are not guaranteed to be granted.

Free parking uptown

In general there is 2-hour free parking on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Evenings and weekends are free. You need to register for overnight parking to leave your car in a designated lot between 2:30 and 6 a.m.

Use our parking map to find free and permit parking in uptown lots.

Paid monthly parking permits

Monthly parking permits are available for purchase.

To register for a parking permit you must:
  1. View our uptown parking map and choose your top 3 lots.
  2. Indicate if you want day time parking only or night time parking as well.
  3. Contact the city parking team at parking@waterloo.ca to confirm availability.
  4. Our parking team will take you through the application process and confirm next steps.
To cancel a permit you must:
  1. Return your rear view mirror hang tag permit to Waterloo City Hall.
  2. If paying by pre-authorized payment, you will  need to complete and submit the pre-authorized plan change form (PDF) when you return your tag permit..

2024 parking rates
Short term parking (HST included)
Surface lots $3.25/hr
Uptown Parkade $3.75/hr

2024 Uptown Parkade (HST included)
Daily maximum - 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. $19.50
Monday to Friday - 9:00 p.m. to midnight, flat rate $3.75
Monday to Friday - midnight to 8:00 a.m., flat rate $3.75
All day Saturday or Sunday, flat rate $3.75

Monthly parking permits (HST not included)

2024
Alexandra Lot $130.52
Caroline North and South Lots $130.52
Regina Lot $130.52
Herbert Lot $130.52
Station Lot $130.52
Waterloo Town Square South Lot $130.52
William Lot $130.52
Dupont Lot $122.82
Library Lot $122.82
Perimeter Lot $122.82
Temporary Lot B $122.82
Erb Lot $116.69
Bauer Lot $89.05
Willow Lot $89.05

Surface Lot - overnight

Caroline Lot

 $56.27
Surface Lot - 24 hour Caroline North Lot $134.78
Uptown Parkade - 24 hour access $168.89
Uptown Parkade - overnight access

$68.41
Parking permit replacement fee $30.90

Longer stay paid parking

If you need to exceed the two hour free daytime limit in uptown, use the HonkMobile app to extend your parking time. The cost is $3.25/hour. The app registers your license plate with our enforcement staff, and can be used from anywhere. It is available at:

Accessible parking

Accessible parking permit holders are exempt from paying parking fees in municipal lots. Time limits and permit requirements still apply, such as needing a permit and displaying it. Learn more about getting an accessible parking permit from the province of Ontario.

Bike parking

Bike parking is on our cycling page.

Northdale parking project

Investigation of options for a paid on-street parking program in Northdale is underway. Area residents, including students, area businesses, and post-secondary institutions, are invited to view more details about the project.