It will soon be more expensive to park in Columbia. Here’s what to know

The days of only having to pay $8 for an overdue parking meter in Columbia are soon to be over.

Columbia residents and visitors can expect to see an increase in the price of parking as soon as January 2025, according to city spokesperson Justin Stevens.

As far as how much the rates and citations will increase and exactly when the increase will be implemented is unclear. Parking Services Deputy Director Tori Salavant said the department is still waiting on guidance from city leadership but confirmed that cost increases are coming.

“There’s more to it than just wanting to charge everybody a bunch of money,“ City Councilman Peter Brown said. “A lot of it is market driven.”

The increase in the price of parking services is a result of a rate study conducted last year that showed Columbia’s prices are among the lowest in the state compared to other cities of its size.

For instance, in Columbia it costs $0.75 to park in a metered space for one hour, and an $8 ticket if you overstay the time paid for. The maximum daily rate for public parking garages and lots is $10, according to the city of Columbia website.

By comparison, in Charleston, there’s a standard rate of $2 per hour for metered spots and a maximum daily rate of $18 for parking garages, according to the the city of Charleston website.

Overdue meter tickets are $14, according to Charleston parking permits clerk Shaquan Brown.

However, in Greenville on-street parking is free — meters were done away with in the 1980s — and garages only charge $7 to park all day, according to the city of Greenville website.

Though there aren’t meters in Greenville, parking spaces still have time limits, and overstaying the time limit for a parking space will get you a $15 ticket.

“It is safe to say that our pricing model is significantly undervalued,” Brown said.

The city operates and maintains 11 parking decks, 14 surface lots, more than 3,600 on-street metered spots and more than 1,400 on-street pay-by-app spaces.

“Rates haven’t been adjusted in a very long time, at least since 2006,” said Missy Caughman, Budget, Program Management and Grants Director, in a City Council budget workshop in May.

Revenue from parking services is largely used to pay for ongoing maintenance of the parking facilities.

“Our garages are paid for with parking bonds, so the city must maintain a certain amount of revenue from parking to pay those and retain a healthy bond rating,” city planning administrator Lucinda Statler said.

This story was originally published July 3, 2024 at 11:41 AM.

Margaret Walker

The State

Margaret Walker is a reporter and Columbia native who covers the Midlands and surrounding communities. She recently graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in journalism. When she isn’t working, Margaret enjoys trying new restaurants, poetry and spending time with her dog, Oscar.