Parking in Cobourg

Download Cobourg's 2024 Parking Guide.

When it comes to managing Parking, Cobourg has three concerns:  

1. Downtown
2. Beach - Waterfront
3. Limitations in all streets

Downtown and Permit Parking

Pay & Display Parking

The main street (King Street) and downtown core side streets are Pay and Display.  The rate is $2.25 per hour, 3 hour maximum. You can pay at meters or Pay & Display with Honk Mobile app on your phone. Pay and display machines and new parking meters will accept major credit cards such as VISA and MasterCard.  Note that accessible parking spots do have meters.

Free and Permit Parking

See map above. Most free parking is for 2 hours - you can buy permits to park there longer. Permits are for 1 day (Covert Street lot only), 30, 60, 90 or 120 days.  A monthly permit is $35.

Accessible Parking

Representatives of people needing accessible parking have said that they wanted to be treated the same as everyone else when it comes to parking fees.  So parking generally costs the same. However, drivers that have a valid Ontario issued parking permit, may purchase an Accessible Parking Permit for $35.00. The Accessible Parking Permit will be valid on-street (downtown) or in any downtown municipal lot where permit parking is permitted.

Go to Town site here for details. You can buy permits on-line here

Beach – Waterfront

Effective dates

All meters and Pay & Display located at the waterfront are in effect from Victoria Day Weekend until Labour Day inclusive, 7 days Monday – Sunday, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.  Outside these dates, parking is either treated as Downtown or free.

Waterfront Parking Rates

Passes for Waterfront Parking are available at Town Web site here. Note that parking is offered on a first come first serve basis, although you may purchase a daily parking pass, a parking space will not be reserved.

In addition to the meters and Pay & Display locations (see map below), waterfront passes also permit parking in nearby residential streets - see map below "East Beach Parking Area".  Enforcement is 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Resident Seasonal Passes

Passes to allow waterfront parking for the entire season. $40 for any Cobourg resident or $20 if you live in Paid Waterfront parking area per map right. Buy online here.

Non-resident Seasonal Pass

Passes to allow waterfront parking for the entire season - instead of $40 per day - $150 (available starting May 2023). Buy online here.

Limitations in all Streets

The bylaw can be accessed here.

But here are the highlights:

• Waterfront Parking will be more expensive in summer – $5 per hour or $40 per day.
• Beach parking will be allowed on residential Streets East of Victoria Park but will require a permit. Residents can buy a season permit.
• No unattended parking on east pier
• No parking on private property without consent [e.g. as done during major Town events when most nearby parking is full].
• No parking a vehicle on any Town of Cobourg residential street for a period exceeding forty-eight (48) hours.
• No parking of a recreational vehicle on any part of a highway or roadway within the Town of Cobourg.
• A Motor Vehicle may be removed or impounded at the expense of the Owner if parked illegally
• Most fines will be $40 although some are as high as $160 (e.g. stayed at waterfront past when meter or pay and display expires) or $300 (unauthorized use of accessible permit).
• Permits for Downtown accessible parking will be available for $25/month.
• No free parking with accessible permit.
• The by-law has been revised for winter parking - details here. In winter months, there are many streets where overnight parking is prohibited and others where no parking is allowed all day.

Go to the news post for a longer list.

New Amherst

The roads in New Amherst are relatively narrow and parking is restricted to one side for many of them. Some roads have no parking on both sides in winter for snow clearing.  A by-law creating these restrictions was passed in April 2023. The restrictions are best shown on a map which you can download in pdf format here.

Council Requesting Parking Review for 2025

In early 2024, Council requested that staff report back on steps and recommendations to reimagine the parking program within the Town of Cobourg. The goal being to simplify the program so that it can be easily understood by residents and visitors. Additionally, Council has asked staff to investigate the potential for Cobourg taxpayers to pay for all paid parking within Town in a single yearly payment and at a steeply discounted rate, while taking into consideration the potential loss in parking revenue. A staff report with next steps is expected to come back to Council with the goal of implementing changes for 2025.