Parking Fees; Payment

Parking meters and parking ticket machines should primarily be installed in areas where there is insufficient parking space and where it is therefore necessary to ensure that as many vehicles as possible can park one after another for the shortest possible, precisely limited period of time. In this way, so-called parking space management makes it easier for individual drivers to find a parking space, even when parking space is in short supply.

The Federal Road Traffic Act authorizes state governments to enact corresponding fee regulations, known as parking fee ordinances. In Bavaria, the authority to enact these regulations has been further delegated to local (municipal) and lower-level road traffic authorities (district offices, independent municipalities, and large district capitals).

These fee regulations apply to parking on designated public roads and squares. Parking fees may not exceed €0.50, or €1.30 in areas with particularly high parking demand, per half-hour or portion thereof.

Starting April 1, 2025, all cars with an “E” at the end of their license plate may also park for up to three hours free of charge in all public parking lots in Bavaria. The fee exemption applies only to public parking areas (where parking management has been mandated under the Road Traffic Regulations). The fee exemption for electric vehicles does not apply to private parking lots. These may primarily include parking lots equipped with a barrier or parking garages where you must take a ticket upon entry. If in doubt as to whether a parking fee exemption applies, it is essential to check the local notice regarding parking conditions. It is also essential to observe the maximum permitted parking duration. This may be less than three hours and is not superseded by the fee exemption.

In areas not subject to public right of way under traffic law (e.g., private parking lots), (higher) fees may be charged under private law regulations.