Parking Options In Downtown Boise

Adam Brimhall
December 13, 2019
4:57 pm

Garages, meters, lots, and more.

Downtown Boise has more parking than you think, and there’s kind of a lot to know.

There are more than 1,300 metered spaces, several garages, temporary street parking, and don’t forget about all the rules, regulations, exceptions, and, everyone’s favorite, paying the fines.

Here is an overview of parking options in downtown Boise.

Garages

The City of Boise alone has seven parking garages and there are many more that are intended for the public and businesses in downtown Boise. Here are the ones you will want to know about.

ParkBoi Garages

There are seven ParkBoi garages that hold about 3,400 spaces. Each one falls under the same pricing, which includes free parking on holidays, and alternate pricing for weekends.

Park for free on these Holidays at ParkBoi Garages and at Parking Meters:

New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
President’s Day
Memorial Day
Labor Day
Veteran’s Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day

Get ticketed? Pay here.

The Car Park

This company runs a large chunk of the parking. If ParkBoi is full, you will be able to find a spot some among this list of nearly forty lots and garages. These lots are available on demand, or you can buy a parking pass for an allotted period of time like any other car park company.

Metered Parking

Downtown meters are separated into three zones. Each zone has a different parking rate and is identified by the color of stickers on the meters in that zone. Rates are as follows:

Zone 1

Premium parking, orange stickers. Monday-Friday: $2.00 for the first hour, $3.00 for the second hour (2 hours max). Saturday: $0.50 per hour (2 hours max)

Zone 2

Standard parking, pink stickers. Monday-Friday: $1.25 for the first hour, $2.00 for the second hour (2 hours max). Saturday: $0.50 per hour (2 hours max)

Zone 3

Value parking, aqua stickers. Monday-Friday: $0.50 for the 1st and second hour, $1.00 for the third and fourth hours (4 hours max)

All downtown meters accept credit and debit cards, Downtown Boise gift cards and coins. You can also pay using the Parkmobile App. Plus, according to the City of Boise website, “Boise is the only city in the country that offers 20 minutes free per parking session on all metered parking spaces.” Just push the indicated button on the meter to get your free 20 minutes before paying for parking.

Meter rates in Zones 1 and 2 are enforced Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; rates are enforced in Zone 3 Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and parking in Zone 3 on Saturday is free.

One more important thing to know: Just like feeding the animals at the zoo, re-feeding meters past the posted time limit is prohibited. So keep your hands out of any cages, keep your eye on the time and go out and enjoy yourself. It’s a win/win/win!

Non-Metered Street Parking

The street parking outside Zone 3 of Metered Parking in downtown Boise is either Residential Parking or temporary, one and a half, to two-hour maximum parking.

The City of Boise has this to say about non-metered parking:

“Unless otherwise posted, parking regulations are enforced at all times. This includes time restricted parking (like loading zones and 1 or 2-hour parking) and any hazardous violations. Please refer to the Idaho Drivers Manual and Boise City Code for more information.”

Read and take heed of the parking signs around you, and pay particular attention to the enforcement hours, and set an alarm on your cell phone for when you need to move your vehicle.

Accessible Parking

ParkBoi has 67 Accessible Parking Spaces that you may use when you properly display the required accessible license plate or rearview mirror placard.

Paid Parking Lots

Other than The Car Park lots, here are the companies that run lots available for parking on a daily and monthly basis.

Republic Parking

This company has more than twenty lots throughout Boise, most of which are downtown.

Diamond Parking

Diamond Parking has thirteen lots in Boise.

Park & Ride

The Elder Street Park & Ride Program is a handy Park & Ride option that covers downtown Boise. It requires the people who use it to register beforehand.

There are lots of options to park in downtown Boise, but demand is high, the spaces fill up quickly. So, when it comes to downtown parking, know before you Go!