An RPP area involves the posting of parking time limits or parking restrictions on the following streets:

Obtaining a parking permit is purely optional.

We recommend weighing the potential benefits and drawbacks of restricting parking in your neighborhood when considering whether to purchase an RPP and/or approaching the City of Santa Clara about requesting RPP for your area.

Advantages

• Deter long-term on-street parking
• Limits overflow parking from outside sources
• Reduces natural competition among residents
• Increases chances of on-street parking in your neighborhood
• Exempt from posted time limits with a valid RPP

Disadvantages

• Parking remains available on a first-come, first-serve basis
• Does not guarantee availability of parking spaces in front of your home or on a given street
• The RPP program does not authorize a permit holder to leave their vehicle parked in one location for more than 72 hours
• Guests parking on the street who wish to stay longer than the posted time limit will require a visitor parking permit
• The RPP does not exempt a permit holder from other parking restrictions (e.g. blocking a driveway, painted curb, etc.)
• Violators are subject to a parking citation
• Cost for acquiring a RPP, including Data Ticket processing fee

Applicants must live in a parking permit area to be eligible for a residential parking permit and visitor permit.

To purchase your permit online, follow the instructions below:

Step 1 - Create a resident account at https://santaclara.permitinfo.net

Step 2 - Provide vehicle information for resident permit(s)

Step 3 - Provide proof of residency in an RPP area

Step 4 – Make payment via credit card

For portal inquiries, contact Data Ticket at 1-800-479-1834.

The online process will be the quickest way to obtain an RPP, however if you are not comfortable using the online system or do not have reliable access to a computer, contact the Santa Clara Police Department at 408-615-4700.

Since the start of the RPP residents have been required to apply for permits in person. This has included filling out paper forms, providing copies of documents, standing in renewal lines and making yourself available during Police Building business hours.

We understand that this is clumsy, time-consuming and inconvenient. 

Online, or virtual, permitting allows for contactless application, payment and permit management activities at your convenience 24/7, 365.  It will also help cut down on permit abuse, including fake permits and the unauthorized resale or transfer of permits. The new technology should also help staff better manage the RPP program and modernize the way the program works behind the scenes.

Your vehicle’s license plate will now replace your hang tag or sticker.

Residents will provide their vehicle license plate information when registering and purchasing their permit(s) online. The new parking permit software will generate an electronic permit linked to the registered vehicle’s license plate number. When license plates are scanned by the Santa Clara Police Department, your registered license plate information is automatically referenced against the parking permit database. If the license plate is not connected to a valid virtual permit, the vehicle will be subject to a parking citation.

Individuals who want to place a physical permit on their dashboard may print one with the link provided by Data Ticket after payment has been made.

A maximum of two (2) permits are allowed per qualifying address and are valid from July 1 through June 30. In addition, a maximum of two (2) visitor permits per address is allowed. The permit costs are detailed in the Municipal Fee Schedule.

Proof of residency, tenancy or property ownership is required showing the applicants name and qualifying address, such as:

• A current utility bill
• A property deed or tax bill or closing escrow statement (for recently purchased property or when applicant is a non-resident property owner)
• A rental/lease agreement for qualifying address. Agreement must reflect qualifying address, tenants name(s) and signatures of both the landlord/agent and the tenant/applicant.

NOTE: The law requires all licensed drivers and all registered vehicle owners to notify DMV of change of address within 10 days of moving.

Residents are eligible for two visitor permits per household.

A visitor permit is intended to be used for short-term guests and visitors. Residents will log into the Data Ticket portal to assign the visitor's license plate number into the system. If you so choose, the visitor permit may also be printed and placed on the dashboard. The printed permit will include the vehicle information preventing abuse of the program.

The visitor permit is valid from July 1 through June 30.

Residents will log into the portal on an annual basis, update the contact and vehicle information, verify residency and make payment.

In the event you chose to display the printed version of your permit on your dashboard and it goes missing, the Data Ticket portal allows residents to print replacement permit(s) as needed at no additional charge.

Note, a printed permit will include the vehicle information preventing abuse of the program.

Each permit issued is for a specific RPP neighborhood or area.

With the appropriate RPP, you may park within the boundaries of that specific RPP area only. Parking for a period of time greater than the posted time limits, in an area other than that designated by your parking permit, may result in your vehicle receiving a citation from the Santa Clara Police Department.

A visitor permit is intended to be used for short-term guests and visitors (e.g. caregiver) and can be utilized for a company or leased vehicle.

A visitor permit is intended to be used for short-term guests and visitors (e.g. caregiver) and can be utilized for a company or leased vehicle.

Yes, public utility and commercial vehicles actively providing or performing services or making a pickup or delivery (i.e. plumber, cable/internet, FedEx/UPS/USPS, etc.) are not required to have a permit when parked within a RPP zone.

In addition, any on-duty emergency vehicle (i.e. police, fire, ambulance) are able to temporarily park without a permit in a RPP zone.

If a service provider is using their personal vehicle to deliver goods to your home, they will need to limit their visit to the parking time restrictions or move their vehicle accordingly.

No. The residential parking permits will not be issued for trailers, boats or recreation vehicles.

No, vehicles displaying a valid disabled placard or license plate can park in an RPP zone without a permit.

The process for designating a Residential Permit Parking Area, or for extending an existing street/area, shall be initiated by citizen request. The citizen request must be received from the property owner in writing to the City of Santa Clara’s Traffic Engineering Division.

The Traffic Engineering Division can be contacted at (408)615-3000 or engineering@santaclaraca.gov

• The process for designating a Residential Permit Parking Area, or for extending an existing street/area, shall be initiated by citizen request. The citizen request must be received from the property owner in writing to the Traffic Engineering Division
  
  
• Staff from the Traffic Engineering Division will meet with the Police Department to determine prior parking related calls for service in/around the area
  
  
• Staff from the Traffic Engineering Division will meet with the property owner to discuss the parking concerns and prior calls for service to identify all possible mitigation measures, including parking prohibition, restricted parking, time limits and parking by permit only
  
  
• When mitigation measures can be identified, a pilot program should be implemented. Traffic Engineering Division should implement a measure to determine the success of the pilot program
  
  
• If the mitigation measures are unsuccessful, Traffic Engineering Division will initiate a survey to the property owners of parcels with access to the street for which the parking restriction is being requested. Each parcel surveyed shall be allowed one vote. Generally, this would include the immediate street segment, plus all adjacent street segments that may be affected as determined by staff.
  
  

  Simple majority concurrence (50% plus one) from the survey is necessary to initiate a parking needs analysis. If the action fails, the citizen who initiated the request is notified

• If concurrence is achieved, the Traffic Engineering Division will conduct a parking analysis for the parking restriction is being requested, and any nearby residential street segments that may be negatively impacted by the implementation of permit parking, as determined by staff.
  
  

  The permit parking needs analysis may support the initial proposal or may recommend adjustments (e.g. added or deleted streets or segments). The analysis should be conducted during the days of the week and the times of the day that the initial problem is identified occurs.

  The following factors should be considered:

  a. There is no feasible and/or reasonable alternative to mitigate the parking problem

  b. Excessive numbers of vehicles parked in the proposed permit parking area cause regular, reoccurring and. unreasonable inconvenience, noise, traffic hazards, or environmental pollution

  c. The displacement of vehicles from the proposed residential permit parking area will not unduly impact other residential areas surrounding the proposed permit parking area

  d. Minimum parking occupancy level criteria shall be used to determine whether the parking supply is either adequately, or not adequately, satisfying the demand on a particular residential street The occupancy is defined as the ratio of total number of parked vehicles versus the total number of available spaces. A minimum parking occupancy level criteria of 80% must be consistently observed during the days and times that the parking problem is said to exist

• Once staff has determined that the permit parking area criteria have been met through the permit parking needs analysis, staff will initiate a petition process by mailing a ballot to all property owners within the proposed permit parking area boundary, as defined in the needs analysis. If streets/segments are to be added to an existing permit parking area, staff will mail a ballot to all property owners of parcels on the streets proposed to be added to the permit parking area. Each parcel surveyed shall be allowed one vote.
  

  Simple majority concurrence (50% plus one) from all property owners within the needs analysis area is required to move this proposal forward for City Council consideration.

  If concurrent, the Traffic Engineering Division will prepare the Report to Council with Police Department feedback. City Council shall consider the action to amend the permit parking area through adoption of a resolution.

• If approved by Council, all property owners and tenants within the permit parking area adopted by resolution shall receive a written notification, including a summary of the action, date of implementation, process for obtaining a permit, enforcement penalty, etc. Implementation shall not begin less than 90 days after adoption of the resolution.

The contact information for the Traffic Engineering Division is:
(408)615-3000
engineering@santaclaraca.gov

The Santa Clara Police Department may issue citations to vehicles that are in violation of the parking restrictions 24/7, 365. 

For parking enforcement inquiries, call 408-615-4700.

For non-emergency situations (e.g. vehicle blocking a driveway, parked in a red zone, handicapped etc.), call 408-615-5580.

In an emergency, dial 9-1-1.