Morning, {{first_name|neighbor}}.
Parking this month, the short version: make sure the Passport app knows you live here, stay off resident-only streets without the permit, and move your car off downtown streets before Halloween, which is a Saturday. If guests are driving in, there's no city shuttle this year. The free weekend lot at 108 Jefferson Ave means a five-minute walk, or they can take the train.
If you live here
Get Passport to recognize you. The resident rate isn't automatic. Once the app has you as a resident, the city's October weekend lots on Washington Street and Front Street/Klop Alley are free for you from 8am to 6pm. Visitors pay $7 an hour. The rest of the year those lots are $0.50 an hour for residents. If the rate isn't showing, email [email protected] or call the Parking Office at (978) 745-8120.
The October resident permit is free and tied to your plate, and it runs September 15 to November 1. If your car had one in 2025, it renewed automatically. If not, apply at salemma.cmrpay.com under "October Resident."
Visitor permits are $10, one per household, and they did not renew automatically.
Street sweeping starts Monday, November 2, the day after your trash day, from 7am to 3pm, with posted tow zones.
"Beep Beep Salem" is Salem, Oregon. Wrong app.
Where you'll get towed
Resident-permit streets, weeknights 5pm to 7am and weekends noon to 7am, through November 1. The fine is $75 now. The Transportation Commission voted to raise it to $100, and that's pending at the City Council.
Posted parade and Halloween tow routes. Read the orange signs.
108 Jefferson Ave on a weekday. It's free on weekends and closed to the public Monday through Friday.
Downtown on Halloween. Downtown streets close to all traffic by noon on Saturday, October 31. Move your car Friday night. The MBTA garage at the station closes to cars coming in or out from 6pm.
The downtown garages fill early on October weekends. Last October, Museum Place and South Harbor charged $20 for two hours or less and $50 for longer. The city hasn't posted 2026 rates.
For guests coming in: the commuter rail from North Station takes about 30 minutes, $8 each way or $10 for unlimited weekend rides. Or they can park at the Beverly MBTA garage ($2 on weekends) and ride one stop. I wrote up the rest in Do I need a car in Salem?, and what's on this month is in Salem in October.
Something here wrong? Hit reply. I read every one.
From Witch City, postmarked Salem, Mass.
From Witch City, a local's guide to Salem, MA. Reply and tell us what we missed.