Downtown Roswell Now Offers Two Free Hours of Parking—With One Important Catch

Visitors to downtown Roswell can now park for up to two hours without charge during the day, a change intended to make short restaurant, shopping and business visits easier along the Canton Street corridor.

The new rate structure took effect Saturday, August 1, and applies daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The two-hour period is available in city-managed spaces along Canton Street between Magnolia and Norcross streets, Elizabeth Way between Canton Street and Alpharetta Highway, East Alley between Canton and Norcross streets, and the East Alley parking lot.

Drivers should not simply park and walk away, however. Even when no payment is due, each vehicle must be registered and an active parking session must be started. Failing to register during the two-hour no-charge window can result in a $20 citation.

A session can be opened by scanning the QR code or using the text-to-pay instructions posted near the space. Drivers may also use payment kiosks at Canton Street and Elizabeth Way or along East Alley. No parking app is required, but the system asks for the vehicle’s license-plate number and expected length of stay.

Roswell has also designated two 30-minute spaces on Elizabeth Way for visitors making particularly quick stops. Those spaces do not require drivers to begin a parking session.

Longer Visits Will Cost More Than Before

Once the initial two hours end, parking costs $3 per hour, up from the previous $2 rate. A three-hour daytime visit will therefore cost $3, while four hours will cost $6. The daily maximum is $24.

Drivers who begin a session after 3 p.m. do not receive the two no-charge hours; the $3 hourly rate begins immediately. Parking is enforced around the clock, seven days a week, and vehicles may remain in a paid space for no more than 24 hours.

Those arriving before 8 a.m. will pay for the time preceding the daytime window, then receive two hours without charge once 8 a.m. arrives. Anyone who starts a session using the phone system can extend it remotely after receiving a text notification. Drivers who register at a kiosk must return to the machine to purchase additional time.

Roswell’s complete parking rules and rate schedule

The Parking Deck Remains Free for Now

Visitors willing to walk a few minutes can continue using Roswell’s new 394-space parking deck at no charge while construction remains active on Green Street. The deck opened in May at 1056 Alpharetta Street, between Green Street and Alpharetta Street.

The combination gives downtown visitors a choice: two no-charge hours in a closer city-managed space, followed by a higher hourly rate, or free parking in the deck with a slightly longer walk to Canton Street.

The changing rules are part of a downtown parking pilot scheduled to continue through December 31. Roswell is using the program to study where visitors park, how long they stay and whether pricing can keep high-demand spaces turning over without discouraging people from visiting downtown.

For restaurants and shops, the daytime concession may ease one of the largest concerns surrounding the city’s transition toward paid parking. For drivers, the most important detail remains easy to miss: the first two hours may be free, but they are not automatic.

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