Allston-Brighton Parking Permit Guide

Featured image: Harvard Avenue at Brighton Avenue in Allston, February 2013. Photo: Ethan Long via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

An Allston-Brighton resident parking permit is free from the City of Boston, but it only works for the neighborhood on your car’s registration. This guide covers how to apply online or at City Hall, the proof of residency the Office of the Parking Clerk accepts, visitor and rental car rules, and the separate Boston College Stadium Walkshed Permit for BC’s two remaining home football games, on Nov. 7 and Nov. 21.

Who qualifies for an Allston-Brighton parking permit

Many residential streets in Allston and Brighton are posted “Resident Parking Only.” The city says each sign names the neighborhood across the top, and only cars with a valid permit for that same neighborhood can park there while the restriction is in effect. A sign with no hours listed applies all day and night, and a sign with no days listed applies seven days a week.

To qualify, your Massachusetts registration must show the car is registered and principally garaged in your name at your current Boston address. You must also pay any overdue parking tickets before applying. The city charges nothing for resident permits. College students who move in face the same rules as any new resident.

How to apply online or at City Hall

Online: submit the Parking Permit Application on boston.gov with uploaded images of your documents. The city asks online applicants to apply within 10 days of their move-in date. Approved permits arrive in about 10 business days.
In person: bring a completed application, your registration and proof of residency to the Office of the Parking Clerk, 1 City Hall Square, Room 224 (Windows 10 to 14), Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. With complete paperwork, the permit is issued the same day.

The sticker goes in the rear window on the passenger side. If that window is tinted, put it on the front passenger-side window. A permit is tied to one vehicle and plate. A new car, new plates or a move to another neighborhood means a new application.

Proof of residency the city accepts

Your proof must show your name and Boston address. Bills must be dated or postmarked within the last 30 days and carry the same name as your registration. The city accepts one of these:

gas, electric, telephone, cable or Wi-Fi bill
monthly bank statement, credit card bill or mortgage billing statement
car insurance bill (not the policy)
water and sewer bill
apartment lease signed by you and the landlord, with a start date within 30 days of applying

Payment receipts and invoices are not accepted. The lease rule matters during move-in season. The city’s own example says that to apply on Oct. 1, 2026, the lease had to start between Sept. 1 and Oct. 1. Online applicants can apply up to 10 days before the lease starts.

Permits don’t expire, but the city audits them

Boston permits have no printed expiration date. The city says it audits each neighborhood on an approximately two-year cycle. If you no longer qualify, it notifies you and ends the permit. Otherwise, the permit renews automatically. The city is asking holders without an email on file to send one to rpp@boston.gov. It is also not accepting requests for new resident-only streets at this time.

BC game days: the Stadium Walkshed Permit

On Boston College home game days, special parking restrictions apply near Alumni Stadium. Cars must show either a BC Stadium Walkshed Permit or a valid Allston-Brighton resident permit while the restrictions are enforced. The walkshed permit is valid from four hours before the game until one hour after it.

To get one, you must live at an eligible address in the walkshed, have an active registration in your name (out-of-state is allowed) and have no outstanding parking tickets. Apply online with a monthly bill or signed lease dated within the last 30 days, then print the permit and place it on the front dashboard.

BC’s last two 2026 home games are Saturday, Nov. 7, against Florida State and Saturday, Nov. 21, against Syracuse. As of Oct. 22, BC Athletics had not posted kickoff times for either game.

For winter parking, see our guide to Boston snow emergency parking rules. Renters getting ready for cold weather can also read Boston’s heating rules for renters.

More on Boston resident parking

Visitor spaces: every resident-only area also has visitor spaces. “Two Hour Limit” spaces apply to everyone, including permit holders. “Two Hour Limit Except Resident Sticker” spaces do not limit permit holders.
Rental cars: the city issues rental car permits for up to 30 days. Apply online with the rental contract, email it to parking@boston.gov, or go to Room 224. The online system is not available on weekends, and a rental picked up after 3 p.m. has to wait until the next business day to apply online.
Visiting family: cars belonging to friends and relatives, and residents’ cars registered elsewhere, do not qualify for a permit.
Business permits: the city issues a limited number of Boston-Based Business Permits in three types: corporate vehicle, local business and taxi.
Questions: the Parking Clerk’s office is at 617-635-4410 or rpp@boston.gov.

Sources

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Allston-Brighton Resident Parking Permit Guide: Free Stickers, Proof of Residency and BC Game Days