48 hours only

When snowfall is not a factor, city ordinance prohibits vehicles from being parked on the street for more than 48 consecutive hours. If your vehicle receives an overtime parking warning, your vehicle will be cited and towed within 48 hours of the warning. If you have any questions, contact the St. Louis Park Police Department at 952.924.2600.

Stop signs, yield signs and traffic signals

No vehicle may be parked within 30 feet of a stop sign, a yield sign or a traffic signal.

Marked and unmarked crosswalks 

No vehicle may be parked within 20 feet of a crosswalk. 

Fire hydrants 

No vehicle may be parked within 10 feet of a fire hydrant. 

Driveways and alleys

No vehicle may be parked within five feet of a public or private driveway. No vehicle may be parked within 15 feet of an alley.

Lawns and curb areas

No vehicles may be parked or stored in front yard setback areas or on the public right of way (the area just behind the curb). All driveways and all areas intended to be utilized for parking spaces shall be constructed of bituminous asphalt, concrete or pavers. Such surfacing shall be approved by the city engineer and maintained in good repair.

Junk vehicles

Vehicles that have expired license tabs or are not legally street operable must be removed from the property or stored inside a closed garage, not a carport. Junk vehicles may not be stored outdoors under a tarp, on an open trailer, or on a lawn.

Multiple vehicles

Any household can park up to three passenger vehicles outside its garage. If there are more than three licensed drivers in the household, up to five passenger vehicles can be parked outside of the garage. However, only one passenger vehicle per licensed driver is allowed.

Temporary parking permit 

Temporary parking permits are available on a case-by-case basis for St. Louis Park residents, property owners and businesses for most city streets that are currently signed "No parking." 

To check if your need qualifies for a temporary parking permit, please complete the temporary parking permit inquiry form at least two weeks prior to the requested parking date and time. 

Temporary parking permit FAQs

• If I get approval for temporary parking and there is a snow emergency, can I still park on the street?

No. If a snow emergency has been declared, you must follow the guidelines for parking during a snow emergency.

• Who is responsible for any damages that may occur to a car while parking in the approved temporary parking area?

The vehicle owner will be responsible for dealing with any damages that occur to a car while it is parked in an approved temporary parking area.

• Can I get a temporary parking permit for a dumpster or a pod?

No. Dumpsters or pods are not allowed on city property or right of way, including alleys, boulevards and sidewalks. Dumpsters and pods must be placed on private property, such as a driveway or yard/lawn. There is no permit that would grant placing dumpsters or pods on city's right of way.

Winter parking permits

Temporary winter parking permits are not issued for snow emergency exemptions. Permits are only issued for the entire snow season. During a snow emergency, all cars without winter parking permits must be moved off the street to allow for plowing to occur.  

Although St. Louis Park's snow removal ordinance restricts on-street parking after a snowfall, permits for on-street parking are granted under special circumstances. Vehicles displaying a city-issued permit may park on-street during snow removal operations.

Households that do not have enough space to park at least two vehicles off the street, may apply for a winter parking permit if they meet one of these conditions:

• No garage or driveway — eligible for two free permits per household; $125 for each additional permit
• Off-street parking for only one vehicle and owns two or more vehicles — eligible for one free permit; $125 for each additional permit
• Off-street parking for two vehicles and owns two or more vehicles — $125 for each permit
• Household requires the aid of a licensed caregiver, but does not have enough off-street parking for the caregiver’s vehicle — $25 fee for permit; limit one permit per household

How to apply

You can apply for a permit by completing the winter parking permit application.

Permit rules

• Permit stickers should be placed on the driver’s side rear bumper of the vehicle(s) identified in the application.
• Permit is valid for one vehicle only and cannot be transferred from vehicle to vehicle.
• Permit is valid only in front of the permit holder’s address. Vehicles that are not parked in front of permit holder’s address are subject to the same ticketing and towing penalties as non-permit holders.
• Permitted vehicles will be plowed around during plowing efforts, but they must be moved within 24 hours of being plowed in or they are subject to tagging and towing. Residents are responsible for digging out or removing any snow accumulation around cars that have been plowed around.

Permit parking zones

Residents can receive up to four permits to park on the street if they live in one of the city's permit parking zones, where on-street parking is restricted.

View permit parking zones map.

To be considered for a permit, complete the parking permit application. Once approved by engineering staff, permits will be mailed to the permit parking zone address on the application.

Medical needs parking permit

In special cases where residents have medical conditions, a permit may be issued to restrict on-street public parking in front of a resident’s home. To be considered for a permit, submit an application form with a letter from your doctor to Kerrwin Dempsey, engineering technician, at kdempsey@stlouisparkmn.gov or City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Boulevard, St. Louis Park, MN 55416. 

For questions, please reach out to Kerrwin Dempsey at kdempsey@stlouisparkmn.gov or 952.924.2549.

If the application is approved, signs will be installed in front of your home. Permits are reviewed each year to confirm the permit needs still exist.

Note regarding applications received during winter months: Frozen ground conditions prevent the installation of permanent street signs. Therefore, sign installation will take place as soon as ground conditions allow, typically in early May. Temporary signs carry a risk of movement due to wind, snowplow operations or even tampering that may result in damage to private property or to the sign itself. Temporary sign use at requested locations will be evaluated by staff and handled on a case-by-case basis.

Snow emergencies are declared in St. Louis Park based on two scenarios:

• After or during a significant snowfall, generally 3 or more inches of snow accumulation.
• In advance of an approaching storm which is forecasted to produce at least 6 inches of snow. Timing, duration, intensity and estimated snow amount are factors in determining if a snow emergency is warranted ahead of the storm.

During a snow emergency, you must park your vehicle off the street to avoid ticketing and towing until the street is plowed to the curb. As soon as your street is plowed to the curb, you may park vehicles on the street.

How will I know if a snow emergency is in effect?

The city announces snow emergencies on this website and in local media. You can also use any of the following to find out if a snow emergency has been declared:

• Sign up for ParkAlert, St. Louis Park’s citizen notification system. The system automatically calls all phone numbers listed in the white and yellow pages, but signing up lets you choose how you want to be contacted. Choose text messages, emails, cell phone calls, land line calls or all of the above.
• Sign up for email and text notifications through GovDelivery
• Download the myStLouisPark app for Apple or Android. The app will display an alert when a snow emergency is in effect.
• Follow the city’s social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Nextdoor.
• Call the winter parking hotline at 952.924.2180.

St. Louis Park's snow removal ordinance restricts on-street parking once a snow emergency has been declared. There are some exceptions, but only in select locations where ample off-street parking is limited. In these select locations, on-street parking is allowed before, during and after all snow events. The only time on street parking is not allowed in exempt areas is when city staff posts no parking signs for snow removal.

Learn more about winter parking exemptions.

Winter parking exemption areas

View the winter parking exemptions map to locate the areas that are exempt or call 952.924.2562.

If you are plowed in, ticketed or towed

If your vehicle is ticketed or plowed-in, dig it out immediately and move it to a driveway, garage or plowed street. City ordinance prohibits parking within 50 feet (about two car lengths) of any snow left behind when plows go around parked cars. You can be ticketed and towed if you park too close to an unplowed area of the street.

If your vehicle is towed, call Bobby & Steve's at 952.944.9955 to find out where to pick up your vehicle.

If your vehicle is towed, call Bobby & Steve's at 952.944.9955 to find out where to pick up your vehicle.

The city regulates by ordinance where recreational and commercial vehicles can be parked in neighborhoods. The ordinance is designed to balance the needs of vehicle owners with the greater community good of neighborhood aesthetics, property values and traffic safety.

If your household has either the number of or the type of vehicles covered by the ordinance, you may have to park these vehicles in a garage, in a portion of the yard that is screened from view or at another location.