Redondo Beach Parking: Rates, Permits & Rules (2026 Guide)

Parking in Redondo Beach shouldn't require a PhD, but between metered spots, permit zones, structure rates, and street sweeping schedules, it can feel that way. Whether you're a resident trying to avoid tickets or a visitor headed to the pier, this guide covers everything you need to know about parking rules, rates, and permits in Redondo Beach — all in one place, with the current 2026 rates and the exact offices and phone numbers you'll need.

Redondo Beach parking rates at a glance (2026)

Here's what every parking option costs in Redondo Beach right now, so you can see the fees side by side before you go:

The short answer to the most-searched question — "how much is parking at the Redondo Beach Pier?" — is $2.00 per hour at both the Pier and Plaza structures and the Marina Lot. There is no free parking at the waterfront, so budget for the meter.

Paying with the ParkMobile app

Redondo Beach uses the ParkMobile app for contactless parking payments. It works at the Marina Parking Lot and at most on-street meters throughout the city — download it before you arrive and add your license plate so you can start and extend sessions from your phone. There is a $0.35 transaction fee per session when you pay through the app. At the Pier and Plaza structures, which are pay-by-space, you can also submit your cell number at the pay station to get a text alert before your time expires and extend remotely using the "Add Time" code on your receipt — no app required, and no walk back to your car.

Pier and harbor parking: structures and lots

The most common parking question in Redondo Beach is some version of "Where do I park at the pier?" The answer: two parking structures and one surface lot, all managed by the city's Waterfront and Economic Development division. Together the two structures offer about 1,350 spaces, so even on busy days you can usually find a spot except on peak summer weekends and holidays.

Pier Parking Structure is located at 100 West Torrance Boulevard, right where Torrance Boulevard meets the ocean. It provides direct access to the Redondo Beach Pier, the International Boardwalk, and the beach. The rate is $2.00 per hour, and it's a pay-by-space system — you park, note your space number, then pay at one of the pay stations before leaving.

Plaza Parking Structure sits at North Harbor Drive and North Pacific Avenue, closer to the marina side of King Harbor. Same rate: $2.00 per hour, same pay-by-space system. Both structures give you access to the pier, Veterans Park, the marinas, the bike path, and the beach.

Marina Parking Lot at 181 North Harbor Drive (across from Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina) is also $2.00 per hour and is the closest parking to Seaside Lagoon. This lot accepts the ParkMobile app for payment, though there's a $0.35 transaction fee if you pay that way. One important note: annual parking meter permits are not valid in the Marina Parking Lot. That catches people off guard.

At the structures, the pay stations accept credit cards and exact change — no change is given, and the city does not issue refunds for overpayment. A useful trick: if you pay by credit card, you can submit your cell phone number to get a text alert before your time expires, then extend remotely by replying to the text. The "Add Time" code printed on your receipt lets you top up at any pay station without walking back to your car.

On-street metered parking and the annual permit

Metered parking exists throughout the commercial areas of Redondo Beach, including along the waterfront, in Riviera Village, and near other retail corridors. Most on-street meters accept coins, credit cards, or the ParkMobile app, and rates and enforcement hours vary by location and are posted on the meters.

The city's Annual Parking Meter Permit is the workaround for frequent parkers. For 2026, the permit costs $195 and is valid from the date of purchase through October 31. It lets you park at any parking meter in the city without feeding it — with three important catches. Your vehicle must be currently registered in California; there's a 4-hour time limit at Riviera Village meters (you must move your car every four hours, as signed on the meter poles); and the permit is not valid during street sweeping hours, at the Pier or Plaza structures, in the Marina Lot, or in Riviera Village employee spaces.

You buy the permit online through getaPERMIT.net — create an account, apply, wait for staff approval, then pay when you get the confirmation email. You can also buy in person at the Annex Building, 200 N Pacific Coast Hwy, though you still need an online account first. The parking window is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00–11:30 AM and 1:00–3:00 PM (closed for lunch, and closed Fridays).

Residential permit parking (preferential parking)

If you live near the beach, Riviera Village, or other popular destinations, your street may be in a Preferential Parking Zone. These zones restrict parking to permitted residents during certain hours — typically to keep commuters, beachgoers, and restaurant customers from taking up residential street parking all day. Zones are designated block-by-block by City Council resolution, so check for posted "permit parking only" signs on your street.

For 2026, a preferential parking permit costs $35 for non-coastal zones and $50 for coastal zones, plus $2.91 for the new plastic hanger. To apply, create an account at getaPERMIT.net and upload two things: your current California vehicle registration showing a Redondo Beach address inside the zone, and one proof of residency — a gas, electric, or water bill dated within 30 days, a lease (for new residents), or a current property tax bill (for absentee landowners). After staff approval you'll get an email with a payment link. Permits are picked up at the Annex Building, 200 N Pacific Coast Hwy, during the same Monday– Thursday window. Questions go to support@getapermit.net.

Other permit types

Beyond the annual meter permit and residential zone permits, the city offers a few specialized permits:

Senior Parking Permits cost $25 for the year and are available to residents 62 and older with a California driver's license or ID. They're valid at two specific locations — 309 The Esplanade and Lot 4 near the Veterans Park Senior Center — and run January 1 through December 31. Purchase through getaPERMIT.net.

Riviera Village Employee Parking Meter Permits let people who work in the Riviera Village commercial district park at designated meters without time limits during work hours, so they aren't shuffling their cars every two hours.

Oversized Vehicle Permits are required for RVs, trailers, and large trucks. An oversized vehicle is one that's at least 22 feet long, or at least 8 feet tall and 7 feet wide. These vehicles may not park on city streets or lots between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM unless authorized. Residents register at the Parking Enforcement office for a bumper sticker ($23 if the vehicle is registered to a Redondo Beach address, $35 if not) and may then park overnight Tuesday–Friday with a permit (up to 6 per month, 60 per year), parking within 400 feet of home. Out-of-town visitors can get three seven-day permits per year at $17 each. For oversized-vehicle questions, email MSO@redondo.org.

Street sweeping: when not to park

Street sweeping is the single biggest source of parking tickets in Redondo Beach. The city contracts with Athens Services for street sweeping, and two sweepers operate Monday through Friday. Each street has a specific sweeping day and time, posted on signs along the curb.

Your sweeping day depends on your specific street and which side you're parked on. The city publishes an interactive GIS map where you can look up your exact address — it's color-coded so you can see which streets are pending (red) versus completed (green) for the day. Here's a rule a lot of residents don't know: as of September 3, 2024 (municipal code 3-7.1308), you may re-park during the posted prohibited window once both the street sweeper and a parking enforcement officer have passed — you don't have to wait for the entire posted window to end.

If your sweeping day falls on a city holiday, that side of the street is skipped for the week and no citations are issued. Major holidays (New Year's, MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year's Eve) mean no sweeping at all. On a few others — Lincoln's Birthday, Cesar Chavez Day, Juneteenth, and Columbus Day — sweepers still run but no tickets are issued, and on Good Friday there are no citations after noon. For sweeping questions, contact Athens Services at (888) 336-6100 or Public Works at (310) 318-0686.

The 72-hour rule and overnight parking

There's no blanket overnight parking ban for standard-sized vehicles in Redondo Beach — only oversized vehicles face the 2:00–6:00 AM restriction described above, plus any posted preferential-zone hours. But watch the 72-hour rule: under municipal code 3-10.11, no vehicle — permit or not — may stay parked in a public lot or structure for more than 72 consecutive hours. To report an abandoned or long-parked vehicle, call the Police Communications Unit at (310) 379-2477.

Parking tickets: paying and contesting

Redondo Beach processes parking citations through a vendor called pTicket. You can pay online at pticket.com, by phone at 1-800-553-4412, or by mailing a check or money order with your citation number to City of Redondo Beach, PO Box 2081, Tustin, CA 92781-2081. Pay within five weeks of the violation to avoid added penalties; Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted.

If you believe a citation was issued in error — you had a valid permit displayed, or the meter was malfunctioning — you can contest it through a three-step process. First is a free Initial Review, requested online or by mail within 21 calendar days of the issue date. If you disagree with the result, you can request an Administrative Hearing within 21 days — but you must pay the citation amount first (it's refunded if you win). Finally, if you're still dissatisfied, you can file a civil appeal under California Vehicle Code section 40230(a). Don't ignore a ticket: unpaid citations can trigger a DMV registration hold, a Franchise Tax Board intercept of your state tax refund, or referral to collections. The city also offers an indigent payment plan for residents who qualify.

Seaside Lagoon parking: where to park

Headed to Seaside Lagoon? The closest parking is the Marina Parking Lot at 181 North Harbor Drive, directly across from the lagoon entrance at 200 Portofino Way — it's $2.00 per hour and accepts the ParkMobile app (with the $0.35 fee). The Plaza Parking Structure at North Harbor Drive and North Pacific Avenue is a short walk away and the same $2.00 per hour. Remember that annual meter permits are not valid in the Marina Lot. On summer weekends and holidays the harbor lots fill early, so arrive before mid-morning if you want the closest spot.

Is there free parking in Redondo Beach?

There is no free parking at the waterfront — the Pier and Plaza structures and the Marina Lot all charge $2.00 per hour, and there is no validation program. Your best options for free parking are residential streets away from the beach that aren't in a preferential parking zone, but watch for posted time limits and street sweeping signs. If you park regularly at city meters, the $195 annual meter permit is the closest thing to "free" parking — it lets you skip feeding any city meter (though not the waterfront structures, the Marina Lot, or Riviera Village employee spaces). For a beach day, budget for the meter; the structures are the most convenient and rarely full outside peak summer weekends.

Parking enforcement and how to avoid a ticket

Redondo Beach parking enforcement is handled by the Police Department's Parking Enforcement unit, and citations are issued for expired meters, street-sweeping violations, permit-zone parking without a permit, and overstaying posted time limits. The single biggest source of tickets is street sweeping — check your street's posted day and time before leaving your car overnight. Other common mistakes: parking in the Marina Lot on an annual meter permit (it's not valid there), overstaying the 4-hour limit in Riviera Village, and parking in a residential permit zone during enforcement hours. If you do get cited, you have 21 calendar days to request a free Initial Review — see the ticket section below for the full contest process. For enforcement questions, contact the Parking Enforcement office; for abandoned or long-parked vehicles, call the Police Communications Unit at (310) 379-2477.

Quick tips for visitors

Headed to the pier, grabbing seafood at King Harbor, or spending an afternoon at the beach? Here's the short version: park in the Pier or Plaza structures at $2.00 per hour — they're the most convenient and rarely full except on peak summer weekends. There is no free parking at the waterfront, so budget for the meter. Download the ParkMobile app before you arrive if you're using the Marina Lot, watch for posted time limits on any on-street spot, and never park in a residential permit zone without a permit during enforcement hours. Redondo's parking system is manageable once you know the rules — and now you do.