The Resident Parking Permit Application and Affidavit is the City of Boston form, issued by the Transportation Department's Office of the Parking Clerk, on which a resident swears to their address, vehicle and parking-ticket status when asking for a resident parking sticker. It is one of the routes to a Boston parking permit, alongside the city's online application. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the city's page for the Resident Permit Parking Program explains where to bring it and what to bring with it.
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What is Resident Parking Permit Application – Boston, MA?
The Resident Parking Permit Application (printed as "Resident Parking Permit Application and Affidavit") is the City of Boston form on which a resident applies for a resident parking permit sticker and swears that the facts they give are true. The City of Boston Transportation Department's Office of Parking Clerk issues it.
The form collects the date, your name, your address (street number, street name, apartment number and ZIP code), phone number, email, and the license plate, year and make of the vehicle. Below that is a sworn statement. By submitting the application you swear that:
- you have no overdue parking tickets in the City of Boston;
- you are a resident of the City of Boston at the address provided;
- the vehicle is registered under your name and principally garaged at the Boston address provided.
The statement also says the city may deny or revoke your permit status if you do not follow the city's parking regulations or no longer meet the program's qualifying criteria, which the city may verify. You agree to report any change in vehicle ownership, registration or residency to the Office of the Parking Clerk ([email protected]) within 30 days of the change.
The city's program page adds that the permit is issued to a specific vehicle and license plate and is valid only for the neighborhood where you live. This form is for resident permits. Rental car permits and the Boston College (BC) Stadium Walkshed Permit have their own applications on the city's page.
Who needs to file Resident Parking Permit Application – Boston, MA?
Boston residents who need a resident parking permit sticker for a car use this application. The city's page says your registration must show the car is registered and principally garaged in your name at your current Boston address, and the form's affidavit repeats that. New residents and new college students face the same requirements.
You also need a new application, with updated proof of residency where your address has changed, in these cases:
- you have a new vehicle or new license plate;
- you have an additional vehicle that needs a permit;
- you moved to a new address or neighborhood.
Do not apply if you have overdue parking tickets: the city says you must pay all overdue tickets before applying for or renewing a permit, and the affidavit swears you have none.
This form is not for everyone who parks in Boston. The city does not issue visitor parking permits, military personnel must meet unique criteria described on the city's page, and renters of a rental car use the separate rental permit application.
When to file Resident Parking Permit Application – Boston, MA
Submit a new application when you first need a resident permit, or when your situation changes: a new vehicle, new license plate, an additional vehicle, or a move to a new address or neighborhood. The city's page says each of these requires a new permit application.
For online requests, the city asks you to apply within 10 days of your move-in date, and approved online applicants receive the permit in about 10 business days. If you apply in person at City Hall with all the required documentation, the permit is issued the same day. If you prove residency with an apartment lease, the lease start date must be within 30 days of applying.
After you apply, tell the Office of the Parking Clerk at [email protected] within 30 days of any change in vehicle ownership, registration or residency, as the form's affidavit requires. The city notes that physical permits do not carry a printed expiration date, and refers renewal dates to its program information page.
Documents you need
- A valid Massachusetts registration showing the car is registered and principally garaged in your name at your current Boston address; bring it when applying in person.
- Valid proof of Boston residency showing your name and Boston address; any bill must be postmarked or dated within the last 30 days and carry the same name as your car registration.
- Accepted bills: a gas, electric or telephone bill, a cable television bill, a Wi-Fi bill, a monthly bank statement, a mortgage billing statement, a car insurance bill (not the policy), a credit card bill, or a water and sewer bill.
- An apartment lease signed by you and the landlord or owner, as an alternative proof of residency; the lease start date must be within 30 days of applying (online requests may apply up to 10 days before the lease start date).
- Not accepted as proof of residency: payment receipts or invoices.
How to fill out Resident Parking Permit Application – Boston, MA
Enter the date
Write today's date on the DATE line at the top of the application.
Enter your name
On the NAME line, write your first and last name as they appear on your Massachusetts vehicle registration.
Enter your Boston address
On the ADDRESS line, give your street number, street name, apartment number if any, and ZIP code. It must be the Boston address shown on your registration.
Add phone number and email
Write your phone number and your email address in the PHONE NUMBER and EMAIL fields.
Describe your vehicle
Enter the LICENSE PLATE, the VEHICLE YEAR and the VEHICLE MAKE for the car that needs the permit. The permit is issued to this specific vehicle and plate.
Read the sworn statements
Check that all three statements are true: no overdue Boston parking tickets, Boston residency at the address given, and the vehicle registered in your name and principally garaged at that address.
Sign the affidavit
Sign on the line marked SIGNATURE OF THE APPLICANT, which also confirms you agree to report changes in ownership, registration or residency within 30 days.
Complete the signing date
Fill in the closing line, DATE THIS ___ DAY OF ___ 20__, with the day, month and year you sign.
Review, download and bring documents
Check every entry, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Gather your registration and proof of residency and submit through the channels described under How to submit.
How to submit Resident Parking Permit Application – Boston, MA
You can apply in person at City Hall, or online if you can upload images.
- In person: bring the completed and signed application and your documents to the Parking Clerk's Office, 1 City Hall Square, Room 224 (Windows 10-14), Boston, MA 02201, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bring a valid Massachusetts registration and valid proof of Boston residency. With all the required documentation, the permit is issued the same day.
- Online: the city's page offers an online application, the Parking Permit Application Form, for applicants who can upload images, with a permit about 10 business days after approval. The online system cannot be used on weekends. Details are at https://www.boston.gov/departments/parking-clerk/how-get-resident-parking-permit.
Once you have the permit, place the sticker in the rear window on the passenger side. If your window is tinted, put it on the side window of the front passenger side. There is no charge for Resident Parking permits, according to the city. Changes after approval go to [email protected]. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying while you have overdue parking tickets in Boston; the affidavit swears you have none, and the city requires them to be paid before you apply or renew.
- Bringing a registration that does not show the car registered and principally garaged in your name at your current Boston address.
- Using a payment receipt or invoice as proof of residency; the city does not accept them.
- Bringing a bill older than 30 days, or one whose name differs from the name on your car registration.
- Using a lease that started more than 30 days before you apply as proof of residency.
- Reusing an old permit after a new vehicle, new license plate or move to a new neighborhood, when a new application and updated proof of residency are required.
- Not telling the Office of the Parking Clerk ([email protected]) within 30 days of a change in vehicle ownership, registration or residency.
- Submitting the application without your signature or the date at the bottom of the affidavit.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a Boston parking permit?
Apply for a resident permit sticker through the City of Boston's Resident Permit Parking Program. If you cannot apply online, print this application, sign it and bring it with your Massachusetts registration and proof of Boston residency to the Parking Clerk's Office, 1 City Hall Square, Room 224.
Is there a fee for a Boston resident parking permit?
No. The City of Boston says there is no charge for Resident Parking permits. You do need to pay all overdue parking tickets before you apply for or renew a permit.
What proof of residency does Boston accept for a resident parking permit?
A gas, electric or telephone bill, cable, Wi-Fi, bank statement, mortgage statement, car insurance bill, credit card bill, water and sewer bill, or a signed lease. Bills must be dated within 30 days and match your registration name. Receipts and invoices are not accepted.
How long does it take to get a resident parking permit in Boston?
If you apply in person at City Hall with all required documents, the permit is issued the same day. If you apply online, the city says you will receive it in about 10 business days after approval.
Do I need a new application if I get a new car or move?
Yes. The permit is issued to a specific vehicle and license plate and is valid only for your neighborhood. A new vehicle, new plate or additional vehicle needs a new application; a move to a new address or neighborhood also needs updated proof of residency.
Can I fill out the Boston resident parking permit application online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF does not submit it to the city, so you bring it to City Hall or use the city's own online application.
Can my visitors get a Boston parking permit?
No. Boston does not issue visitor parking permits. Visitors must find off-street parking if your neighborhood requires resident parking permits. Rental cars have a separate rental permit application, issued for a maximum of 30 days.
Where do I put the resident parking sticker on my car?
Place the sticker in the rear window on the passenger side. If your window is tinted, display it on the side window of the front passenger side, as the city's instructions direct.
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