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Ottawa overnight parking: winter bans, permits and where to park

In Ottawa, the main overnight street-parking rule is the winter ban: when the City calls a Winter Weather Parking Ban between November 15 and April 1, cars without a residential permit can be ticketed and towed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Outside a ban, the unsigned time limit only applies from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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Facts checked October 30, 2026

Where to park overnight

Street, no ban in effect[6]Any legal spot where no sign prohibits itNo unsigned time limit overnightThe unsigned 3-hour limit (weekdays) and 6-hour limit (weekends and holidays) only run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Posted signs and paid zones still apply.
Street, with a residential permit[9]Your permit zone, on streets signed “Permit Holders Exempted”Exempt from winter bans; up to 48 hours without movingNot valid while temporary No Parking signs are up for snow removal.
Gate-controlled City garages[2]Byward Market (70 Clarence St), Dalhousie (141 Clarence St), City Hall (110 Laurier Ave W)Free exit between 4 and 7:30 a.m. during an overnight banA car left past that window pays the garage’s rate for the whole stay.
Pay-and-display City garages[2]Gloucester Garage (210 Gloucester St), Glebe Garage (170 Second Ave)Free 9 p.m.–8:30 a.m. (Gloucester) or 12–8 a.m. (Glebe)Posted rates apply outside those hours.
City surface lots[2]Cyr (283 Cyr Ave) and North River Road (400 North River Rd)Free 6 p.m.–8:30 a.m.Posted rates apply outside those hours.
University of Ottawa garage (private)[2]33 Mann AvenueAvailable 10 p.m.–7:30 a.m.Posted rates apply outside those hours.
Park-and-ride lots[2]Marked areas at Riverview, Innovation, Chapel Hill, Nepean Woods, Greenboro, Leitrim and Eagleson (west lot)Designated spaces open during a banFollow the winter weather parking signs.
Community centres, arenas and libraries[2]For example Nepean Sportsplex (1701 Woodroffe Ave) and Sunnyside Library (1049 Bank St)You can stay for the length of the banMove the car once the City announces the ban is lifted.
Main streets exempt from bans[2]Bank Street, Glebe, Sparks Street, Somerset Chinatown and Somerset Village BIAs, Elgin Street, Main StreetPark as postedPosted signs and pay-and-display rules still apply.

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The overnight rules

  • Between November 15 and April 1, the City may declare a Winter Weather Parking Ban for freezing rain or when Environment Canada forecasts 7 cm or more of snow for Ottawa. It lasts until the City says it is lifted.[1]
  • Except in major weather events, the City aims to call an overnight ban by 9 a.m. (in force 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.) and a daytime ban by 3:30 p.m. (in force 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.).[1]
  • Traffic and Parking By-law 2017-301 also prohibits parking between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. from November 15 to April 1 when the City forecasts 7 cm or more of snow.[7]
  • Winter parking restrictions are signed on certain streets from December 1 to March 31. Other streets are signed no parking from April 1 to November 30, and the signs show the dates.[5]
  • A vehicle over 6.5 metres long can’t park overnight on the road.[7]
  • A residential permit holder can leave a vehicle in the permit zone up to 48 consecutive hours. Staying longer is $105 if paid within 15 days, or $125 as the set fine.[8]
  • Parking between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. from November 15 to April 1, or interfering with snow removal, is $105 if paid within 15 days and $125 as the set fine (the amounts on the City’s list in October 2026).[8]

During a Winter Weather Parking Ban

  • The City announces a ban by special advisory to local media and on ottawa.ca. You can get Winter Parking Alerts by email, follow the City on Facebook, Bluesky and X, or use the City of Ottawa app.[1]
  • Residential permit holders are exempt from winter weather parking bans in their permit zone, on streets signed “Permit Holders Exempted”. The City still asks you to clear the street if you can, so crews can plow faster.[9]
  • A guest parking permit isn’t valid during a ban.[10]
  • Without a permit, a car left on the street during a ban may be ticketed and towed.[1]
  • Without a permit, move the car before the ban starts to one of the City garages or lots, a park-and-ride, or another site on the City’s list. Check each site’s hours.[2]
  • At the community sites on the City’s list, you can stay for the length of the ban but must move the car once the City announces it is lifted.[2]

Snow-removal signs and towing

  • Temporary “No Parking” signs go up on streets scheduled for snow removal. They apply to all vehicles, permit holders included, and a vehicle left during snowbank removal will be ticketed and towed.[3]
  • A residential permit isn’t valid while temporary No Parking signs are up.[9]
  • Towed vehicles are usually moved to a nearby street where snow has already been cleared. If you can’t find yours, call 3-1-1.[4]
  • Ottawa Police aren’t responsible for vehicles impounded through parking enforcement. For a car towed from a City road or City property, call 311 or 613-580-2400.[12]
  • If police towed it, the Impounded Vehicles Section is at 613-236-1222, extension 2350, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on weekends and statutory holidays.[12]

Common questions

Can I park on the street overnight in Ottawa in winter?
Yes, unless the City of Ottawa has called a Winter Weather Parking Ban. Between November 15 and April 1, an overnight ban runs 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and a car on the street without a residential permit may be ticketed and towed.
What are the winter parking ban hours in Ottawa?
Ottawa’s overnight ban runs 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and its daytime ban 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The City aims to call an overnight ban by 9 a.m. and a daytime ban by 3:30 p.m., and a ban stays on until the City lifts it.
What triggers a winter parking ban in Ottawa?
Between November 15 and April 1, Ottawa can call one for freezing rain or when Environment Canada forecasts 7 cm or more of snow for the Ottawa area. The City posts a special advisory on ottawa.ca.
Do residential permit holders have to move during an Ottawa parking ban?
No. In their permit zone, Ottawa residential permit holders are exempt from winter weather parking bans. But temporary No Parking signs for snow removal apply to every vehicle, permit holders included.
Where can I park during a winter parking ban in Ottawa?
Ottawa lists seven City garages and lots for overnight parking during a ban, among them Byward Market, Dalhousie, City Hall, Gloucester, Glebe, Cyr and North River Road, plus marked park-and-ride spaces. Check each site’s hours.
How much is an overnight winter parking ticket in Ottawa?
The City of Ottawa’s fine list shows $125, or $105 if paid within 15 days, for parking between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. from November 15 to April 1. Parking in a snow-ban or snow-removal zone can also get the car towed.

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Sources

  1. City of Ottawa: Winter Weather Parking Bans
  2. City of Ottawa: Where to park during a Winter Weather Parking Ban
  3. City of Ottawa: Temporary no-parking signs
  4. City of Ottawa: How to find your car if it gets towed
  5. City of Ottawa: Seasonal parking restrictions
  6. City of Ottawa: On-street parking restrictions (Traffic and Parking By-law 2017-301)
  7. City of Ottawa: Parking, general descriptions
  8. City of Ottawa: Parking infractions and associated fines
  9. City of Ottawa: On-Street Residential Parking Permit regulations
  10. City of Ottawa: Guest Parking Permit regulations
  11. City of Ottawa: On-street parking permit (residential)
  12. Ottawa Police Service: Impounded Vehicles Section

Rates and rules change. Check the official page before you park; these were last checked October 30, 2026.

Researched by the Parkeas team from the official pages above. Parkeas is independent: not affiliated with the Cities, venues, hospitals or universities named in these guides. How we check these guides

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