Parking any vehicle is prohibited between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on all residential streets, or within 300 feet of a residential area, within the City of Menlo Park.

The parking ordinance is in effect 7 days a week, 365 days a year. All vehicles parked on any Menlo Park residential street overnight must have a permit or are subject to citation.

All parked vehicles will receive one courtesy warning (whether a permit is displayed or not). The purpose of the courtesy notice is to inform those who are unaware of the ordinance, since no signs are posted.

The ordinance was enacted in 1963 and has been upheld by the courts, several different majority votes of city residents and has been actively enforced ever since. The benefits of the ordinance to city residents and businesses are many:

• Issuing permits assures that vehicles belong to our residents and their guests.
  
• Our streets are free of the congestion of over-parking from too many cars.
• Better distribution of cars parked overnight in higher density areas.
  
• Suspicious, stolen, abandoned and disabled vehicles are easily checked, identified and removed.
• Less overnight crime by reducing suspect and possible victim vehicles.
  
• Officers patrolling many residential streets deter some crimes.
• Street cleaning and maintenance is assured.
  
• Easier access to residences during nighttime emergencies.
• A cleaner and better-looking city.

EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES: Vehicles displaying valid handicapped license plates or placards are exempt from this ordinance.

All Menlo Park residents are allowed to purchase up to 100 temporary one-night permits per year, per household (50 January thru June and 50 July thru December). Permits are generally good for a one year time period, though some may have a shorter or longer expiration, depending on when during the year the permits are purchased and what our supply is. Please only purchase what you intend to use in the immediate future or call us before purchase if you need further details regarding this at 650-330-6308 during Police business hours. Temporary permits can be used for guests, or other reasons that you would need to park your car on the street (such as vehicle breakdown, driveway repair etc). Temporary permits are available for purchase by residents only at the Police Department during Police business hours, or use the PayPal button on the main Parking and Permits page*. Permits that are purchased online are mailed out the next City business day. The permits can be purchased in advance, and the date scratched off when you need to use them. The cost is set according to the City's fee schedule, and is currently $2.00 per permit.

*A limited number of permits can be purchased at the Police Department thru the Dispatch window after hours or on weekends/holidays for an additional fee.

Your Driver's License is needed to establish residency and for cashing checks. Payments acceptable are cash, check, credit card (Visa/MasterCard) or ATM debit card.

Per city ordinance, Annual permits are available for only certain apartment buildings within the city limits that lack adequate resident parking spaces and are zoned R3.

To see if your apartment building address qualifies and has permits available, call 650-330-6308 or e-mail us at parkingpermits@menlopark.org. We can generally give you an answer by phone during business hours. By e-mail, allow 2 business days to check your address and reply. If your address is eligible, you can purchase an annual overnight parking permit. The annual permits run from September 1st thru August 31st and costs $150.00, however the cost is pro-rated if purchased throughout the year. This permit is entered into the computer and is assigned to one license plate. To purchase an annual overnight parking permit, you can come to our station during Menlo Park Police business hours along with the following documents:

• Your apartment rental/lease contract showing the same name as the vehicle's registered owner.
  
• Your Driver's License is needed to establish ID, residency and to accept any checks.
• Current California vehicle registration for the vehicle you will park on the street. Vehicle must be registered to the permit holder listed on the lease agreement, or if owned by a relative, must list permit holder as insured on the vehicle. No out-of-state or foreign vehicle registrations allowed for annual permits.
  

You can read the entire text of Menlo Park's Parking Ordinances, including Section 11.24.050 Overnight parking - HERE.