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Glimpses of Charleston

A local's eye view

What’s with the permit parking signs all over Charleston that have an hour limit? Can I park there or what?

asks Jerry D., from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Those signs sure are confusing, aren’t they Jerry?

Charleston parking signs are confusing! You can park there without a permit, but only for the  time stated.

Despite saying you have to have a permit, anyone can park there but only up to the time limit stated on the sign. If you have a resident parking permit, you can park there as long as you want. But be careful, if you park in that spot and then move to another spot within the same parking district, they will ticket you if your cumulative time in the multiple spots is over the time limit. To start the clock running again, you need to have fully moved out of that specific parking district. Rather than play parking roulette, you can also park in one of the parking garages scattered about downtown (which also have public bathrooms!). Charleston parking enforcement is very diligent, so if you park on the street (in a parking district of at a meter) keep your eye on your watch!

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