Meter Operations
Meter Cost
Most parking meters are $1.50 per hour. That gives you $.05 for 2 minutes, $.10 for 4 minutes, and $.25 for 10 minutes. 10-hour meters are $1.00 per hour.
Fines for expired time are $10.00. If a citation is not paid within seven days, the cost will increase by $15.00, according to City Ordinance 10.06.120. It is illegal to deposit additional coins in the meter after the time limit has been reached. This is also called “plugging” the meter. Pay a citation here.
Meter Payment Methods
- Coin: Not all meters accept the same type of coin. Each meter will state the type of coins it accepts. Most parking meters over a 2-hour time limit, will accept a VISA or MasterCard.
- Debit or Credit Card: Insert a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express card quickly, add time, and press the “Ok” button.
- Pay by phone: Use the Passport app. Simply create an account or log in, select the zone as displayed on the meter, enter your plate number, select your time, then click continue to start your session. A text message will be sent as a reminder before the session ends.
Time Limits on Meters
The City of Lincoln Parking Services Division operates approximately 2,400 parking meters in the downtown area. The purpose of time limits on parking meters is to ensure that parking spaces regularly become available for customers of area businesses and visitors to the area.
Please note that vehicles must not remain longer than the time restriction shown on the meter. Parking meters are color coded to coordinate maximum durations that were established depending on the desired parking turnover in the area. All meters have different time restrictions and rates, which are posted on the meter.
- Red = 30 Minutes
- Green = 2 Hours
- Blue = 10 Hours $.75 per hour
Meter Enforcement
Meters located on City streets are enforced from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The Parking Services Division monitors and enforces these restrictions per City Ordinance 10.06.110. They are not enforced on Sundays and the following holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Football Day-of-Game Meter Option
On Husker football home game days and other large events, the Parking Services Division offers the option to park all day (starting as early as 6am) at any on-street meter without fear of getting a citation. Download the Passport app, create an account or log in, and use “Zone 90” to start an all-day parking session for $15. This is for the day-of-game only. Offered every Husker football home game.
- Download the app at: qrco.de/bcICCF
- Create or log in to account
- New session "Zone 90"
- Enter license plate (No license plate? Enter the last six digits of your VIN with "VIN" in front of it: i.e. VIN123456)
- Confirm Payment
- Park at any meter for the entire day of event
Malfunctioning Meters
Reporting a malfunctioning parking meter:
- Note the space number (displayed on the meter) and the location of the meter.
- Note what happened or did not happen when coins or a credit card were deposited in the meter.
- Call 402-441-PARK as soon as possible to report the meter malfunction.
The meter will be checked/repaired as soon as possible.
When free parking is in effect, new smart meters will display “free parking” on the screen.
Parking Meter Hooding Information
Note: Before filling out and submitting this application, please consider the guidelines on this form.
Parking Meter Hooding Application(PDF, 155KB)