Downtown Tacoma Parking Just Got Cheaper—and Some Drivers Can Save Even More
Parking in downtown Tacoma has become a little less expensive for people staying several hours—and a new program could cut the cost much further for eligible drivers who park there regularly.
Tacoma changed the rates at its city-managed downtown garages and parking lots on July 1. The most noticeable difference is the daily maximum, which dropped from $16 to $12—a 25% reduction for anyone leaving a vehicle for six hours or longer.
The new off-street rates are:
Less than one hour: $1
One to two hours: $2
Two to three hours: $3
Three to four hours: $4
Four to five hours: $7
Five to six hours: $10
Six hours or longer: $12
The savings increase with the length of the visit. Under the previous structure, four to five hours cost $8, five to six hours cost $12 and anything longer reached the $16 maximum.
Not every visit is cheaper, however. The old rate was a flat $2 for anything up to three hours. Under the new graduated structure, parking for less than an hour costs $1, one to two hours remains $2, and two to three hours now costs $3.
These changes apply to participating off-street garages and lots, not Tacoma’s curbside parking meters. Drivers should still check the posted rates at the facility they use. The complete comparison is available on the city’s off-street parking rate page here.
A New $120 Monthly Option
Tacoma introduced another parking change on September 1 aimed at people who regularly commute downtown but may struggle with the cost.
Drivers earning $60,756.80 per year or less may qualify for a monthly parking permit costing $120. The permit is currently limited to the Tacoma Parking Garage at 110 South 10th Street and is administered for the city by Republic Parking Northwest.
Applicants do not need to provide financial documents with the initial intake form, although eligibility must be verified before a permit is issued. Applications are available through the city’s Reduced Rate Monthly Parking page here.
For someone parking a full workday 20 times a month, the new $12 daily maximum would total $240. A qualifying $120 monthly permit would cut that amount in half.
Taken together, the changes make Tacoma’s parking system more affordable for many longer-term visitors while giving eligible downtown employees, students and other frequent drivers a potentially significant monthly discount.
Discover more of Tacoma in today’s Tacoma Local Minute. Catch the rest of today’s local news, events, and updates in the full issue here.