It’s the bane of many people’s existence in Westfield: PARKING. Whether you’re a daily commuter or a patron of the downtown shopping district, you’ve had to deal with meters, permits, pay stations, or–eek!–a dreaded parking ticket. Here are our Top Ten Tips for Parking in Westfield NJ, to help you avoid any headaches!

UPDATED 10/20/17 New parking meters (2017) also take credit/debit cards, and parking app!

There are additional free times in SOME of the municipal lots. See the Town website:
http://www.westfieldnj.gov/parking

1.) Westfield NJ Parking Brochure

Parking Services has created a super-useful brochure all about Westfield parking, including a map that highlights the different parking lots and lists of all the various parking rules and regulations. Seriously, download this sucker and keep it in your car for reference–I know I will! Get the parking brochure here

2.) Your first 15 minutes are free

Your first 15 minutes at any on-street parking meter are FREE (as long as the meter starts at zero minutes). Simply press the button at the top of the meter and it will give you 15 minutes! Just enough time to grab your dry cleaning and maybe a muffin from Robert Treat!

3.) 2-hour meters on streets, 4-hours in lots

On-street meters allow for up to 2 hours of parking. Lots with numbered spaces and pay stations vary in the amount of time you can park there, but most lots are “up to 4 hours” except those lots noted below in Tip #8.

4.) Parking meter enforcement

Parking meters are enforced from 10am to 6pm. in all spaces except those marked 12-hour spaces, which are enforced from 6am to 7pm. Don’t even think about feeding your meter past the maximum time allowance–Parking Services is vigilant in its enforcement!

5.) FREE Parking does exist in Westfield!

–Sunday, parking is FREE all day in all spaces!
–Monday through Saturday after 6pm, parking is FREE in all spaces!
–Monday through Saturday after 4;30pm, parking is FREE in the UNNUMBERED spaces only in Lot #8 (north side train station, “employee permit and business owner” spaces).
–Monday through Friday after 4:30pm, parking is FREE at orange bagged “employee permit” spaces on Elm Street, Orchard Street, and Ferris Place, and those spaces are free ALL DAY on Saturdays.
–Monday through Friday after 12pm, parking is FREE in any unnumbered permit space in Lot #3 (south side train station) or Lot #6 (Watterson Street near rescue squad).

6.) Pay stations

Pay stations accept coins, dollar bills, parking cards, and tokens (note: the new pay stations do not give change!); on-street meters accept coins, parking cards, and tokens. Pay station parking is 50 cents per hour, and on-street metered parking is 75 cents per hour. Parking cards and tokens can be purchased at the Office of Parking Services at 425 East Broad Street (and yes, there’s free parking behind the building). Enter through the side of the building where it says “Police”–Parking Services is the first window on your right. Each parking token is 50 cents, which gets you an hour of parking at pay stations or on-street meters (so you save money by using tokens for on-street parking!).

7.) Get on the parking permit wait list

If you’re a commuter who doesn’t have a parking permit yet, get on the wait list NOW! Parking Services has informed us that the current wait is 2 years for a permit to park in Lot #6, and 3+ years for a permit for Lot #3! (By the way, the annual fee for a Lot #6 permit is $390, and the fee for a Lot #3 permit is $636.) Call 908-789-4044 to get on the wait list.

8.) Daily permits are available

For those commuters who don’t have a permit but who want to park at the train station, you can purchase a Daily Parking Permit. These hang tags are availableMonday through Friday starting at 6:30 am in Lot #3–a parking services officer parks his truck near Westfield Seafood, and you pay for a permit right at his truck! You must show proof of residency. The cost is $5 for one day. FYI, these sell out, and the parking services officer leaves when they’re gone. You can always use metered parking if you don’t get a daily pass–just make sure you park in a section that allows for the number of hours you’ll be gone! You can park up to 12 hours in the numbered spaces in Lot #3 and Lot #6 (pay at the pay stations–it’s $6 for 12 hours). There are also 9-hour parking spaces located in Lot #1 (between Elm and Prospect Streets), Lot #4 (behind Baron’s drugs or on Mountain Ave in yellow-numbered spaces), and at the intersection of Orchard and Elm Streets.

9.) Download the parking app

You can forego the pay station and pay by phone (for numbered spaces only) for a metered spot if you download the ParkNOW! app to your iPhone or Android (note: there is a 40-cent service charge each time you pay through the app).

10.) Where to pay your Westfield parking ticket…

If you get the dreaded parking ticket (and we’ve all been there!), pay electronically on the NJ Municipal Courts Direct online payment website

For information on “night owl permits” (overnight parking), bicycle parking, resident permit parking, and more visit, the Parking Services website

Happy parking!