Resident Permit Parking Information
A residential permit parking system may be considered for streets or neighbourhoods that are affected by severe parking pressures from major parking generators such as schools, hospitals or busy commercial areas. Residential parking permits may only be purchased by residents that live within the specified permit zone. Vehicles parked in residential permit zones must display a valid area permit to avoid being ticketed and enforcement is done by regular patrol. Streets with residential permit restrictions are typically combined with unregulated, or more commonly, time limited regulations to allow for visitor parking.
The issue and control of residential parking permits is the responsibility of the Engineering Department - Neighbourhood Parking & Transportation Branch, while the enforcement of the Permit Parking By-law is carried out by the Parking Enforcement Branch. The City utilizes two types of permit systems to ease residential parking pressures; Resident Permit Parking (RPP) zones for larger areas in high traffic/multiple-dwelling areas and the new Vancouver Resident Permit Parking (VRPP) zones for block specific regulations used predominately in single/two family dwelling areas.
NOTE: Motorists displaying a valid permit for people with disabilities (SPARC placard) are allowed to park in areas where there are residential restrictions for up to 3 hours.
Resident Permit Parking (RPP)
The current system of implementing Residential Permit Parking (RPP) zones began in June 1980 with the PNE permit area. There are at present 20 permit zones located throughout the city. See RPP Areas and Maps.
Generally speaking, RPP systems are put in place to limit commuter parking on multiple blocks in residential neighbourhoods. For this reason, permits are only available to residents of the various permit areas and not to other residents of the Greater Vancouver region that are within commuting distance of the city (though under some circumstances, a non-residential permit may be issued; see Temporary Permits). The Greater Vancouver region is defined as east of Bowen Island, south of Whistler, west of Hope, and north of the Canada/U.S. border.
The parking decal allows residents to park on any street within the permit zone where there are signs indicating “No Parking Except with Permit”. The parking permit does not allow residents to park in other RPP or VRPP areas of the city.
Vancouver Resident Permit Parking (VRPP)
The Vancouver Resident Permit Parking (VRPP) program is a block specific permit program intended to relieve residential parking pressures in predominately single/two family dwelling neighbourhoods. Residents initiate the request and work with City staff through a petition process to install signs for residential restrictions on a portion of the block. Once signs are installed, only residents who purchase and display a valid block permit may park in the residentially restricted portions of their block (under some circumstances, a non-residential permit may be issued; see Temporary Permits). Streets with VRPP restrictions are typically combined with unregulated, or more commonly, time limited regulations to allow for visitor parking. Permits in VRPP areas will indicate both license plate and street code associated with the block number on the permit. The cost for the VRPP decal is currrently $38.00 ($33.93 + applicable taxes) annually and can be renewed at the end of February each year.
For further information regarding on-street parking programs, please contact the Neighbourhood Parking and Transportation Branch via 3-1-1 from Monday-Friday, 8:30 am - 5 pm.
Resident Parking Only (RPO) New information
Resident Parking Only (RPO) zones exist in some areas of the city and were traditionally installed to mitigate parking pressures on single/two family dwelling residential blocks. These restrictions are block-specific and are generally enforced on a complaint basis.
The continued installation of RPO zones was cancelled by City Council as part of the 2010 Operating Budget Process. Although Resident Parking Only signs will no longer be installed, existing RPO zones have been ‘grandfathered’ into the system and will remain enforceable. Residents may still request complaint-based enforcement or where ineffective, may request a change to their block regulations and be incorporated into a new residential permit parking plan.
All new restrictive residential signing will be established by City staff through Resident Permit Parking (RPP) or Vancouver Resident Permit Parking (VRPP) residential zones (Resident Permit Parking Systems)
Car Share Vehicles in Residential Zones
City Council supports the use of carshare systems as part of Vancouver's goal to become the Greenest City by 2020. Carshare decals are issued to carshare organizations to allow members to park carsharing vehicles in any of the City's RPP zones (By-law No. 2849 section 23.1). Carshare vehicles are also permitted to park in RPO zones citywide. This gives carsharing vehicles the same access to neighbourhood parking that is given to residents' personal vehicles. Learn more about carsharing.
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