Like most major metropolitan centers, Denver restricts where vehicles can park and the hours when parking is permitted. In the downtown district, roadside parking is allowed in designated spaces where payment at meters is required. Parking is generally free on Sundays and public holidays. Parking infringements can lead to vehicles being removed and fines being levied.
From April through to November, street-cleaning crews operate in all neighborhoods of the city, and parking is not permitted between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on days when street cleaning is scheduled to take place. Red signs are placed in streets that show when the monthly cleanings occur. Cars parked on the street during prohibited times can be towed.
Certain residential blocks where parking at the side of the road is not normally permitted are included in the Denver Residential Parking Permit Program. Where the program is in place, residents of a block may apply for a permit allowing them to park at the side of the road at times when parking is normally prohibited. Parking is restricted to the block for which the permit was issued, and permit holders are still not allowed to park where specific restrictions apply, such as next to fire hydrants, over driveways and within 20 feet of a stop sign.
In the downtown area, parking meters are in operation between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Parking at meters at any time on Sundays is allowed, and in addition, parking at meters is also allowed at any time on certain designated holidays, including New Year's Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
