When heavy snowfall is predicted, the Mayor may declare a snow emergency parking ban to ensure roads remain open for DPW and emergency vehicles. During a snow emergency parking ban, all on-street parking is prohibited throughout the City of Hartford. Vehicles left parked on City streets will be ticketed and towed.
The citation for parking on-street during a Snow Emergency is $100.00 at the time of issuance and increases by $13.00 up to a maximum of two times if unpaid citation penalties (late fees) are applied.
How will I know there is a Parking Ban in Hartford?
- Blue Lights – Blue lights have been installed at 16 major intersections and will be illuminated 6 hours before a parking ban takes effect. The lights will remain illuminated throughout the duration of the parking ban. The purpose of the blue lights is to notify residents that it is necessary to move cars parked on City streets and there is an active parking ban.
- Press Release – A press release will be released every time a Snow Parking Ban is issued. Check your local news stations for more information.
- Social Media – Follow @Hartfordparkingauthority or @Hartford311 on Facebook and Instagram for social media notifications.
- Enroll in the Citizens Alert System for alerts about emergencies and other important community news from the City.
Citizen Alert System – Get alerted about emergencies and other important community news by signing up for Hartford’s Citizen Alert Program. This system enables the City to provide you with critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons, and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods.
You will receive time-sensitive messages wherever you specify, such as your home, mobile, or business phones, email address, text messages, and more. You pick where, you pick how!
Where Can I Park During a Snow Ban?
Residents without access to off-street parking may move their vehicles to one of the authorized parking areas including Blue Light Lots, City Parks, Recreation and Senior Centers, and Hartford Public Schools parking lots.
Nine Blue Light Lots are dedicated solely for use during snow parking bans. These designated Blue Light Lots will provide more parking options for residents who do not have access to off-street parking.
Residents without access to off-street parking may move their vehicles to the following locations listed at The City of Hartford.
How Long Can I Park in the Snow Ban Parking Lots?
Residents should remove their vehicles from the lots promptly following the end of the parking ban. Residents whose vehicles are towed during the parking ban should contact the Hartford Police Department at (860) 757-4000. The base cost for retrieving a towed vehicle is $105.00, which only includes 24 hours of storage. Additional labor charges, a fuel surcharge and mileage charges of ($4.75 per mile) may also apply. After 24 hours additional storage fees will be levied, and an additional $99.00 ticket will be issued, which owners are responsible for paying before the answer date.
After the snow emergency parking ban has concluded, residents are expected to remove their cars from these areas promptly. All City schools parking lots must be cleared as soon as possible after the parking ban has been concluded.
Vehicles MUST be removed from City Blue Light lots four hours after the parking ban has been lifted. All vehicles must be removed from school parking lots 2 hours after a parking ban has ended. Vehicles will be towed immediately.
For more information visit the City of Hartford’s Snow Parking Ban page.
