Enforcement/Facilities
Enforcement
Regulations that govern vehicular traffic, including parking, are contained in the General Statutes of Connecticut (state laws). These laws are supplemented by local regulations established by the Town's Parking Commission and/or Police Commission, and subsequently published in the Town Code.
Parking violations (tickets) are issued to a vehicle, not the operator of the vehicle. However, the registered owner of the offending vehicle will received a delinquent violation notice if a ticket is not paid. Fines may be paid by mail, in person at the Parking Bureau or by credit card online over the Internet. There is a convenience fee of $3.95 per ticket for using the online payment system. Unpaid fines double 14 days after the citation is issued. Accumulations of five or more unpaid fines may result in immobilization (e.g. the "boot"). Citations may be appealed before the Parking Commission by giving written notice of intent to the Parking Bureau within 10 days of the date of citation. You may print out the Formal Hearing Request form from this Web site, fill it out, and return it to the Parking Bureau.
Parking is free and there is no enforcement on the following holidays:
- New Years Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents' Day
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day - July 4th
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving
- Friday after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Day
Facilities
On-Street Parking
Free on-street parking is available on most downtown streets. Some spaces are reserved for handicapped users only and require a state issued handicap permit. Parking time limits and on-street parking restrictions are shown by official signs on each street (and are strictly enforced). A few spaces (in Morse Court) along sidewalk can be used free for only 15 minutes. Most on-street spaces allow parking for 2 hours.
Be sure that your car is parked entirely within any parking space lines on the street or next to curb, right (passenger) side of car next to curb except where signs permit, tires within 12" of curb (car centered with one tire 6" from curb in diagonal spaces). You must leave diagonal parking headed in the same directions in which you arrived. You may not park on a curb.
After parking the maximum-posted time limit on a street, you may not park again (on the same street) for at least 1 hour.
Be sure that you observe all markings and signs for restricted places (loading zones, crosswalks, fire hydrants, no parking zones, handicapped spaces, 25' from-street-corners, stop signs, etc.). Be careful not to obstruct the view or free passage of any driveway. Double-parking is not allowed (except for commercial trucks allowed 20 minutes maximum time to unload).
Where signs or markings are absent, state traffic regulations apply.
Overnight Parking
No vehicle shall be parked overnight in any street or public place. Any vehicle parked over 30 minutes between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. shall be considered to have been parked overnight. (Town Code 58-10).
No vehicle shall be parked in any lot for a period of time longer than thirty (30) minutes between the hours of 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM (Town Code 41-3).
Metered Parking
Metered spaces are located in various parking lots around town. Depending on location,1 2, 3, 4,5, 6,7, 8, hour spaces are available (refer to parking lot directory for more information).
Train station metered spaces at the New Canaan station and Talmadge Hill will cover the parker until 11:59 p.m.
Please be advised that all Town "pay machines" have instructions for use on the machines.
Payment for metered spaces can also be made through our mobile app called "PayByPhone"
All 3-hour meter spaces located in the Morse Court Lot, Playhouse Lot and Park Street Lot require payment on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and are free on Sundays and Legal Holidays.
All other meter spaces are free on Saturdays, as well as Sundays and Legal Holidays.