Downtown Des Moines Parking

Visit Park Downtown Des Moines for additional information. 

Free

• Meters and city garages/ramps are free on Sundays 
• Meters covered by a green bag are free
• Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. and all day on weekends these lots are free:
  • 5th & Cherry St Courthouse Lot
  • 5th & Wagner Courthouse Lot
  • NE corner of 2nd & Court Avenue Polk County Administration Lot
  • SW corner of 2nd & Court Avenue Election Office Lot
• Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. and all day on weekends this lot is free:
  • SE Corner of 10th/Locust (FHLB lot by the Temple)
• Parking is always free on these streets, but vehicles must move every 24 hours
  • Pennsylvania Avenue, E Court to Des Moines Street
  • River Bridges: Walnut, Locust, and Grand
  • North Side of Locust, from 15th to 17th

Meters

• Monday through Saturday pay meters from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 
• Rates range from $0.25 to $1.25 per hour 
  • The primary streets in the Historic Court District and Historic East Village are $1.25 per hour. As you get farther from those streets the cheaper the rate becomes. 
  • Historic Court Avenue meters are $1.75 after 5 p.m. 
• Coins and SmartCards are acceptable forms of payment, silver-topped meters accept Visa and Mastercard as well 

Ramps/Garages

• There are eight city-owned parking garages
• Monday through Saturday the rate is $1 per hour with a $10 max per day
• During the Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market, the rates at the 3rd and Court, 4th and Grand, and 8th and Mulberry garages change to a flat $5 fee