Winter Parking Bans

SIGN UP FOR WINTER PARKING BAN ALERTS – AVOID GETTING TOWED

• Dover follows an “as-needed” winter parking ban policy. Unless a parking ban is declared, vehicles may be parked where legally permitted on public streets.
• When a winter parking ban is declared, all vehicles must be off public streets. Violators should expect their vehicles towed and stored at the vehicle's owner's expense, per city ordinance § 141-16 Winter parking.
• If your vehicle is towed during a parking ban, contact the Dover Police Department dispatch center at 603-742-4646 to learn where it can be claimed. The city uses a rotation of private towing companies for this purpose; charges for towing and storage are the responsibility of the vehicle owner or driver.

Notifications of parking bans are posted to this webpage, on Channel 22, the city's website, social media, distributed to local news media. The community may also call the winter parking ban hotline 603-516-PARK (7275) at any time for the current parking ban status.

To sign up for email notifications, https://bit.ly/doverdownload, and add "Parking Ban Alerts" to your email subscription list.

Sign up for text alerts via the City of Dover's emergency notification system, CodeRED, by texting "DoverNH" to 99411. Please note that cellular phone carrier and/or text message fees may apply.

Text alerts are also available by creating an account and logging into to the City's emergency notification system, CodeRED. Once you've created a managed account, you can select the option for Parking Ban Notifications under additional notifications. Please note you'll need to provide a phone number capable of receiving text alerts. Depending on your cellular phone carrier and plan, fees may apply.

Need help signing up for alerts?

Contact the city's Office of Media Services at 603-516-1641 or news@dover.nh.gov.

If you're calling about a parking ticket, contact the Parking Bureau at 603-516-6132 or parking@dover.nh.gov.

WINTER PARKING BAN DETAILS

If needed for snow plowing or cleanup, a citywide parking ban will typically be declared by 3 p.m. and begin at 8 p.m. that night, except for a specific downtown area, which will usually begin at 1 a.m. the following morning. Earlier start times may be enacted in the event of a major storm or for clean-up from a prior storm. 

When a ban is declared, PARKING IS PROHIBITED ON CITY STREETS, SIDEWALKS and ADJACENT PARKING AREAS, such as the angled spaces on First and School streets, and the parking bay on Dover Street. Vehicles found in violation of the parking ban may be ticketed and towed at the vehicle owner's expense.   

An easy way to determine if you are in the right spot is to ask, “Am I parked on private property and not on any portion of the public right-of-way?"  If the answer is 'no,' then you need to move your vehicle onto private property or to an authorized public parking lot or the public parking garage. 

Apartment building owners are encouraged to alert all tenants about the parking ban.

The new storm-based parking ban ordinance replaces the former winter parking ban, which was in effect from Dec. 1 to April 1. 

Downtown parking bans often start later

When a different start time is declared for the Downtown than the start time for the rest of the city, the designated “Downtown” locations will be the following:

• Central Avenue, from New York Street to Kirkland Street;
• Washington Street, from Chestnut Street to River Street;
• Fourth Street, from Central Avenue to Chestnut Street;
• St. Thomas Street, from Central Avenue to Locust Street;
• Locust Street, from Hale Street to Washington Street;
• Hale Street;
• School Street (including angled spaces);
• Main Street;
• Fourth Street parking lot;
• Orchard Street parking lot;
• Belknap parking lot.

View the Downtown Winter Parking Ban Map

Additional Winter Parking Regulations

The following streets have been posted for NO PARKING ANY TIME for the period of December 1 to April 1. These additional restrictions were needed due to the limited width of the roads and concerns about plows and emergency vehicles being able to pass. 

When a parking ban is declared, both sides of the listed streets are restricted, as are all other city streets.

• Baker Street, no parking on northerly side (odd numbered)
• Belknap Street, no parking on the westerly side (odd numbered), from Washington Street to Silver Street
• Belknap Street, no parking on the easterly side (even numbered), from Silver Street to Fisher Street
• Cushing Street, no parking on the easterly side (even numbered)
• Everett Street, no parking on the westerly side (odd numbered)
• Elm Street, no parking on the westerly side (odd numbered)
• Essex Street, no parking on the southwesterly side (even numbered)
• Everett Street, no parking on the westerly side (odd numbered)
• Fifth Street, no parking on the northerly side (odd numbered), from Chestnut Street to Grove Street
• Fifth Street, no parking on the southerly side (even numbered), between Grove Street and Tammany Park
• Folsom Street, no parking on the southerly side (even numbered)
• Forest Street, no parking on the northwesterly side (even numbered)
• Fourth Street, no parking on the southerly side (even numbered), from Chestnut Street to Grove Street
• Hamiliton Street, no parking on the northerly side (odd numbered)
• Hancock Street, no parking on the southwesterly side (even numbered)
• High Ridge Drive, no parking on southerly side
• Lexington Street, no parking on the easterly side (even numbered)
• Lincoln Street, no parking on the southerly side (even numbered), from Chestnut Street to Grove Street
• Nelson Street, no parking on the southerly side (even numbered), from Locust Street to Atkinson Street
• Plaza Drive, no parking on easterly side (even numbered), from Norway Circle northerly to end of street
• Richmond Street, no parking on the westerly side (odd numbered)
• Rogers Street, no parking on the southwesterly side (even numbered)
• Saint Thomas Street, no parking on the northerly side (odd numbered), from Atkinson Street to Belknap Street, and two spaces in front of 33/35 Saint Thomas Street
• Summer Street, no parking on the southerly side (even numbered)
• Third Street, no parking on the southerly side (even numbered), from Grove Street to Frances Drive
• West Concord Street, no parking on the northerly side (odd numbered)
• Young Street, no parking on the southerly side

Key points on the storm-based parking bans

Parking bans may be called even if there is no active storm to accommodate clean-up activities; 

The Orchard Street Parking Garage has limited short-term spaces available and is for permit parking only on the upper floors. Parking is $1 per hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays, on the lower two floors. 

If the parking garage is at capacity, the Transportation Center Lot is the best option for off-street parking. Paid parking is required from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. All spaces are available for overnight parking except for the 28 spots posted as "Monthly Permit Parking Only." Click here for map.

You may pay remotely from your phone with the “Flowbird” app or use the meters at the garage.

During parking bans, the following parking lot restrictions will also be in place:

• Orchard Street surface lot parking spaces (No Parking)
• Belknap Lot (No Parking)
• Third Street Lot (No Parking)
• Fourth Street Lot (Overnight parking only in rows facing Third Street and Chestnut Street.  No parking in the middle.)
• Central Fire Station Lot (No Parking)
• Library/McConnell Center Lot: (Overnight parking in rows facing Atkinson St. and the Greek Church. No parking in the middle or end rows.)