How to pay for parking in downtown

There are several ways to pay for parking in downtown Vancouver. Use a pay station or pay with your phone using Parking Kitty. Follow the guides below to choose the option that works best for you.

Need help? Parking Services staff are available to answer questions about paying for parking.

Parking Pay Stations
1

Turn on the pay station

  • Press the white ‘START’ button.
  • When the screen turns on, press 1 to begin.
2

Enter your license plate number

  • Use the keypad to enter your license plate number.
  • Press the green ‘PRINT’ ✓ button to continue.
3

Insert your credit or debit card

  • Insert your credit or debit card with the chip facing down and to the right.
  • Follow the instructions on the screen.
  • Note: Pay stations do not currently accept tap-to-pay.
4

Choose how long you want to park. The pay station starts at 30 minutes.

  • Press + to add time.
  • Press – to remove time.
  • Press ‘MAX’ to purchase the maximum time allowed.
5

Finish your payment

  • Wait until the screen says ‘APPROVED’.
  • Want a receipt? Press 1 for YES or 2 for NO.
  • Note: You do not need to display the receipt in your vehicle.
Parking Kitty App
1

Download the app or pay online

2

Create account

  • Create and verify your account using your phone number.
3

Enter the Parking Kitty Zone number.

  • This number can be found posted on the side of the pay stations or on Parking Kitty signs posted on the block.
4

Enter your vehicles license plate number.

  • Verify that your plate is entered correctly before continuing.
5

Payment

  • Add a credit card or debit card to keep on file and use to pay.
6

Start session

  • Confirm your parking sessions details then select “Yes” to finalize.

Parking session is active and will count down until it expires.

You can monitor your parking session remotely with the app, and Parking Kitty will even “meow” to notify you when your parking session is about to expire.

FAQ

What do I do if a pay station is not working?

If a pay station is not working, please use the nearest available pay station or another payment option, such as the Parking Kitty app. Payment is still required when a pay station is out of service, and vehicles without a valid parking payment may receive a citation.

To report a pay station that is not working, call Parking Services customer service at 360-487-8454.

I paid for parking but still got a ticket. What should I do?

There are a few possible reasons:

  • The payment was made for a different vehicle or license plate in the Parking Kitty app.
  • The license plate wasn’t entered correctly at a pay station or in Parking Kitty.
  • The citation was issued for a different violation, such as exceeding the posted time limit, displaying expired license plate tabs, or prohibited parking.

If you believe your ticket was issued in error, you may submit an appeal with proof of payment (such as a Parking Kitty receipt or a pay station receipt).

Does it cost extra to use Parking Kitty?

You will be charged a 10-cent transaction fee for each parking session if you use Parking Kitty. If you don’t want to pay the fee, you can still pay to park using coins or credit/debit cards at the pay stations or parking meters like usual.

Can I use Parking Kitty to extend my parking session?

Parking Kitty doesn’t allow you to pay to park for more than the time period posted on the signs for your block (2-hour, 3-hour, 5-hour, etc.), but you can extend your parking session remotely from your phone if you haven’t already paid for the entire time allowed.

For example, if you only paid for one hour in a 2-hour parking area using Parking Kitty, you can extend your parking session by the remaining hour using the Parking Kitty app.

How will parking enforcement officers know I paid with Parking Kitty?

When checking a parked vehicle, parking enforcement officers enter the vehicle’s license plate number into their handheld device. If you paid with Parking Kitty, your payment information will appear under the license plate number you entered in the app.

Be sure to enter your license plate number correctly when paying so officers can verify your payment.