Parking FAQ

From September 16th - May 14th parking is free in Dewey Beach. 

From May 15th - September 15th, you must pay to park in Dewey Beach. However, free parking during the summer season is available every Monday from 5:00pm - 11:00pm, excluding federal holidays.

For your convenience, we offer many parking options:

• If you spend quite a bit of your summer visiting Dewey Beach, it is most cost effective to purchase a seasonal permit. Pricing is as follows:
  • Seasonal Parking Permit $300.00
    • Property Owners may purchase up to 2 seasonal passes at a discounted rate of $175.00 each.
    • Business Owners with a Dewey Beach location may purchase up to 2 season passes at a discounted rate of $175.00 each.
    • Business Owners who are licensed in the town may purchase up to 2 season passes at a discounted rate of $225.00 each.
    • Employees of Dewey Beach Businesses may purchase 1 season pass at a discounted rate of $225.00 (must present pay stub or employment letter).
• If you plan to be in Dewey Beach for a day or more, we recommend purchasing a temporary parking permit. Pricing is as follows:
  • 24 hours: $30.00 (Also available via Park Mobile app)
  • Weekend (10:00am Friday - 10:00am Monday): $55.00
  • Weekly (8 Consecutive Days): $100.00
  • Metered Parking by the Hour - $3.50

*Park Mobile charges $1.00 per transaction through the app. No matter if you are parking for 1 hour or 1 day, you will be charged a $1 fee for the Park Mobile service.

• For Seasonal Parking Permits, you may visit the Town Hall building during normal business hours. You can also purchase a virtual parking permit by clicking here.
• For Daily (24 Hour), Weekly or Weekend Parking Permits, you may use the automated kiosk at the entrance of the Town Hall parking lot. The kiosk is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For Daily 24 Hour passes, you may also use your Park Mobile App.
• For Hourly Parking, you may pay at a coin meter, use a kiosk meter and pay by credit card (available on select streets), or, use your Park Mobile App.

If you have any difficulty or questions about paying for parking, please ask a Parking Ambassador for assistance, stop by the Parking Enforcement office, or call the office at (302)227-6170.

If you purchased a seasonal, weekly, weekend, or daily permit, you may park in any available space except in front of a coin meter.

Hourly parking is available throughout town! You may pay by the hour through Park Mobile at any space, or pay at a coin meter.

There are handicapped parking spaces at the end of the ocean block by each beach entrance. We understand that handicapped parking is limited in town, therefore, those with a handicapped placard or plate may also park in permit or metered parking at no charge. Your placard or plate will serve as your parking pass.

Your best option is to obtain a parking permit for the vehicle(s) that must park on the street. Weekend and weekly parking permits are available, and are the most cost-effective option for parking long term. Visit the kiosk outside of the Town Hall building to purchase a parking permit. You may leave your vehicle parked in the same space during your stay in town if you wish.

For vehicles that must park with a boat or utility trailer, parking must be paid for both the vehicle, and the trailer (can be paid hourly or have a permit for both the vehicle and the trailer). The trailer must stay attached to the vehicle.

Trailers unattached to a vehicle (even if the owner has paid for that parking space) can not be left in the public right-of-way at any time. Parking spaces are reserved for motor vehicles only.

Tractor trailers and other vehicles in excess of 30 feet can not park in the public right-of-way without special permission from the Town Manager.

Please call Parking Enforcement at (302)227-6170, or ask a Parking Ambassador for help in locating an area that would best accommodate larger vehicles. 

You may not be able to find parking directly outside of your desired location at peak times. The center of town (St. Louis Street to McKinley Avenue) can be the most congested, since this area houses many restaurants, hotels and shops. If you can not find parking in your desired location, we encourage you to look in the northern or southern areas of town. 

Remember that the beach is accessible from all streets in town. Dewey Beach is also highly walkable, only two blocks wide and one mile long. 

Please review the Town Code for full parking regulations. Be sure to read all posted parking signage! Common violations include:

• Backing into a perpendicular parking space. Be sure to park "head-in" in these spaces.
• Parking on the roadway. Be sure that all four tires are off the roadway. 
• Blocking a driveway. Look for signage and yellow lines painted on the roadway to mark driveway entrances.
• Parking in the wrong direction. When parking parallel, be sure to park in the direction of traffic.

When in doubt, ask for help! Our Parking Ambassadors are here to educate, then enforce. If you are unsure about parking areas, ask for assistance.

In certain areas of town, parking spaces are in grassy areas. These areas are marked with green Park Mobile signage. There are times that it looks like a parking sign is placed in a front lawn. We understand this can be confusing! If you see a Park Mobile sign, that is in fact the public right-of-way, and you may park in front of it.

Flanked on either side by the ocean and the bay, Dewey is prone to flooding. The more green space we have, the better flooding can be controlled. This is why we do not pave every parking area.

If you believe your car has been towed, call Coastal Towing directly at (302)645-6300. 

Yellow lines are painted on side streets to mark driveways. Narrow streets typically have "L" shaped markings flanking driveway entrances, while wider streets may have a full yellow bar marking a driveway. If you see a yellow line, make sure you're not parked on top of it, even partially! If you are blocking a driveway, you could be ticketed, or towed at the property owner's discretion. Many property owners will also flank their driveways with signage to indicate that it is a private entry. See below for examples of these yellow lines.

Full bar yellow lines that indicate a driveway entrance. These lines are commonly seen on larger avenues. Do not park on these lines, or you are blocking a private entrance and could be towed.

You'll see these signs at perpendicular parking locations. This means to pull straight into the parking spot, rather than backing in. Your license plate should be easily visible from the street.

These spaces are located closest to the dunes, and are marked with a sign indicating times that the spaces are for lifeguard use only. Even if the space is empty during lifeguard hours, do not park here during the posted times.