- Home
- Government
- Public Safety
- Police
- Parking in Downtown Royal Oak
Parking in Downtown Royal Oak
PARKING UPDATE
Effective April 20, 2023
Updates to the Municipal Parking Services (MPS) agreement are now in effect in Downtown Royal Oak. The amendments include:
- Free parking, also known as the grace period, is now 15 minutes for on-street parking.
- On-street parking maximum time limits are now three hours.
Parking Map
Parking Structures
The first two hours of parking are always free when you park in one of Royal Oak's conveniently located and well-lit parking structures.
Parking structures take credit/debit cards and cash/coins at pay stations on the first floor of the parking structures. Parking can be purchased after you park and visit a pay station. You can also pay by Credit Card ONLY when you exit on the way out.
Parking Structure at South Center Street at West 3rd Street
- Monday - Saturday: First two hours are free. 75 cents an hour thereafter.
- Sunday: Free
Parking Structure on 11 Mile Road (West of the Library)
- Monday - Saturday: First two hours are free. 75 cents an hour thereafter.
- Sunday: Free
Parking Structure at South Lafayette Avenue at West 6th Street
- Monday - Saturday: First two hours are free. 75 cents an hour thereafter.
- Sunday: Free
Parking Structure at South Lafayette Avenue at West 4th Street
- First two hours are free. 75 cents an hour thereafter.
- Sunday: Free
Surface Parking Lots
The Sherman Street/Amtrak Parking (286 S Washington Ave) and Lot P7 (Main/6th Street) are pay-by=plate lots. Credit cards and cash are accepted.
All other surface lots throughout downtown are currently metered and accept credit cards and coins.
- The surface parking lots have a 4 hour max limit
- Monday - Saturday: $0.75/hr before 5 pm, $1.00/hr after 5 pm
- Sunday: Free
On-Street Parking
There is 3-hour max time limit when you park on-street. You MUST MOVE your vehicle after THREE hours.
The City of Royal is excited to announce a new, smart parking system for downtown visitors that makes parking both more convenient and accessible.
Sentry Smart Meters bring several unique benefits and features including:
- Real-time open space locator: Using the Sentry Mobile app users locate and obtain turn by turn directions to open parking spaces closest to their destination.
- Pay for exact duration of visit: For individuals who use the Sentry Mobile app they will only pay for the time their vehicle occupies the parking space.
- Easy payment options: Consumers can use coins, credit cards, the Sentry Mobile app or sign up for the Sentry “Concierge” program to auto-pay for parking.
- Pay at the end of the parking session: If people forget to pay when they park, the new system allows consumers to pay for their parking time before leaving the space, as long as it’s within the allowed time limit.
- 15-minute grace period: The meters are programmed with a 15-minute grace period during which the driver may enter and exit a space without paying.
What do the lights on the meter sticks mean?
Back-In Parking
As part of the new system, a small number of parking spaces located on S Washington Avenue and W Seventh Street will be designated as back-in angle parking.
Back-in angle parking uses the same process and motions as parallel parking but is much easier and safer. And the spaces are wider, too! It provides motorists with better vision of bicyclists, pedestrians, and other cars as they exit a parking space and enter the roadway. In addition, back-in angle parking allows safer access to trunk space and allows passengers to enter and exit a vehicle safely.
Of course, you don’t have to use the back-in angle parking spaces. The downtown decks are clean, spacious, and well lit. Best of all, your first two hours are always free whenever you park in one of the city’s four public parking structures. You may also prefer to park in a surface lot or in any number of traditional on-street parking spaces located throughout the downtown area.
5 Ways to AVOID GETTING a Ticket in Royal Oak
- Know Your Limits: All on-street parking spaces have a 3-hour max limit and all surface lots have a 4-hour max limit. (There are no max limits in the parking structures.) Limits are strictly enforced with cameras. If you stay longer than the max limit YOU WILL GET A TICKET -- so please don't do that. You will NOT be able to pay for or add more time. YOU MUST MOVE YOUR CAR.
- True Up: When you see your meter is expired, true up -- that is, pay for any 'expired' time before you drive off and you will not get a ticket so long as you have not exceeded the limits. (See bullet No. 1.) No longer do you need to race back to your meter. Whether your meter expired 5 minutes ago or 20 minutes ago, you can pay at the pay station for any unpaid time you used. No other parking meter allows you to do that
- Use the App: The Sentry Mobile navigation app interacts with Royal Oak's parking meters in real time. The app allows you to pay in advance for parking so you can pull into a space and and not have to worry about coins, credit cards or getting tickets. The app will monitor your parking session and pay for just the amount of time you use. The app can remind you about parking limits with real-time notifications. You can even assign more than one plate using the app so if you want to be nice to your loved ones, put their plates in the app, too, and spread the joy touchless carefree parking.
- Park in a Structure: You'll never get a parking ticket when you park in one of Royal Oak's four conveniently-located public parking structures. What's even better is the first two hours are ALWAYS free in the structures and it's just $0.75 cents an hour after that. Learn all your parking options and locations.
- Visit on Sundays: Parking is free all day in Downtown Royal Oak on Sundays and holidays. Watch the big game at your favorite bar or take Granny to brunch. You'll be glad you did (and she's going to love it!)
Your Feedback is Important
We appreciate your feedback on parking in Downtown Royal Oak. Your insights, questions, and comments are important to us and we are sharing your feedback with our parking system partner, MPS.
We've highlighted some of the major topics shared with us thus far below:
For issues concerning a parking ticket, citation, or other infraction notice ,contact the 44th District Court at 44DC@romi.gov or 248-246-3600.
To report a parking meter that you suspect is metering incorrectly, contact the Police Department at 248-246-3500.
To purchase a monthly parking pass for a parking garage, contact ParkRite at 313-965-7275.
To purchase a monthly parking pass for a surface lot, contact the Treasury staff at treasury@romi.gov 248-246-3140. Surface lot passes are limited, and sold on a “first come, first served” basis.
If you still cannot find what you are looking for on this page, or have a question, please use this form.
- Why does Royal Oak need to replace its current meters?
- Why do we need meters?
- What are the major differences between the old meters and the new meters?
- Will there be a meter at every parking space?
- Will any existing parking rules, regulations and hours change with the installation of the new meters?
- What forms of payment will the new meters accept?
- Will the meters give me a receipt or paystub, and do I need to put it on my dashboard?
- What does MPS and/or the city do to make sure users' credit cards are secure?
- How does the Sentry Mobile app work?
- The new meters look complex and high-tech. What if I am not very technologically savvy?
- What if someone doesn’t speak English? How will they understand and operate the meters?
- How will the meters be powered?
- Is the system environmentally friendly?
- I have heard the new meters can detect when a vehicle is in the space? Is that true?
- Is this new technology reliable?