Oakland driving

Oakland Parking Guide

SpotHero is proud to be live in Oakland and the East Bay!

Thanks to an outpouring of requests from our friends and customers in the Bay Area, we’re cruising over the Bay Bridge to help make parking a little easier in Oaktown. You can read the full coverage of our launch from CBS Channel 8.

To start our relationship off right, we’ve compiled this guide to help you easily find parking in Oakland.

Parking in Oakland

Metered Parking

Like most cities, a discussion on parking begins with street and city-managed parking. In Oakland, the city manages 3,800 metered street parking spots. Metered parking is $2 per hour. New “Smart Meters” accept money, cards, and a pay-by-phone feature. The pay-by-phone feature is operated by Parkmobile. Note that Parkmobile charges a $.35 transaction fee. Find more information about restricted zones, enforcement, permit parking, and “free parking” days from the city.

City Lots and Garages

The city offers 16 facilities designed as an extension of street parking. Below is a map of these lots with contact information to the individual parking operators.

Private Lots and Garages

According to Yelp, there are more than 500 parking facilities in Oakland. The best spots feature clearly marked entrances and exits, friendly staff, clean facilities, and competitive pricing. In contrast, some parking facilities are not committed to a positive experience. This is why we’re particularly excited to be launching in Oakland.

Through our partnerships, we are dedicated to being your advocate. We want parking to be easy. This is why we offer a customer support to help you book a spot or deal any problems that arise, and also communicate with operators regularly on any problems we learn about at their locations. This is also why we aggregate all of spots with detailed information. This way you can make an informed decision on which parking spot is best for you. To get started head on over to our Oakland parking page.

Using SpotHero in Oakland

Using SpotHero is like using a parking coupon, just without the hassle. We partner with parking operators to help get the best price for you. Simply navigate in the map to your location, or search your location. Then select the times you need to park. If you’d like you can filter anything in particular you need (such as in and out privileges, valet, or covered parking). Then review your choices and book. Your time will be automatically extended so you get the most amount of parking time for your money.

After you book, you’ll receive a parking pass via email and/or in the SpotHero app. The parking pass contains specific instructions on how to redeem your parking. This may include using your phone with an onsite scanner, or entering in your license plate information to verify payment. Be sure to read instructions carefully. Check out our FAQs, contact us through a form, or give us a call at (312) 566-SPOT (7768).

Top Attractions in Oakland

There are many great attractions in Oakland that can be easily accessed by car. We’ve made the following pages at some of the top locations to make it easier for you to find a spot:

What’s Next for Parking in Oakland

In June 2015, the city announced it will be undertaking a yearlong study on parking. The “Downtown Oakland Parking Study is designed to explore parking issues and opportunities in the heart of Oakland.” Building off 2009 studies that lead to revamps in Jack London and other neighborhoods, the outcome of this study is to develop a plan to improve parking in the Oakland community.

In our own way, SpotHero is happy to join the effort.