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Parking Validation

San Jose offers several ways to park FREE in downtown lots.

 

Validation Information for Parking Customers

P V Logo

Validation Program
The downtown San Jose Parking Validation program offers patrons up to two hours of free parking at designated lots and garages when visiting a participating retailer, restaurant, bar or nightclub.  Look for the PV symbol on signs outside of participating garages when you visit Downtown San Jose. Also look for a PV symbol sign in the windows of retailers who offer parking validations.  Almost all downtown retail merchants and restaurants participate in the Parking Validation program, unless they have their own parking facilities. The PV symbol on the parking map indicates facilities that accept parking validations.

View the listing of participating merchants.

Find lots and garages on the parking map that accept validations.

Note:  The Market and San Carlos and the Second and San Fernando lots no longer accept validations as of May 25, 2010.

The PV symbol indicates facilities on the parking map that accept parking validations.

Can't find the answer you're looking for? Check out the Downtown Parking Validation Program's Frequently Asked Questions (PDF download)

Automated Cashier Validation program
The parking garage at Second and San Carlos streets uses an Automated Cashier Payment System.  Upon entering the garage, take the parking ticket from the dispenser and keep it with you.  Participating retailers offer a validation ticket to patrons.  Upon returning to the garage, take the validation ticket to the yellow payment cashier machine near each garage entrance, insert first the parking ticket and then the validation ticket.  The payment machine gives back the tickets: use the original parking ticket to open the gate and exit the garage and discard the cancelled validation ticket.

Click here to locate the Second and San Carlos Street garage on the parking map.

Camera 12 Cinemas validations
Movie-goers can get Camera 12 Cinemas validations that are good for 3-1/2 hours of free parking at the Second and San Carlos Garage.   Several other garages and lots also accept movie validations.  For the best information, click each facility off the parking map.

Note:  This is the only business validation in effect after 10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday.  If you enter the Second and San Carlos Garage after 10 p.m. for late-night movies, and then remain parked in the garage longer than 3-1/2 hours, you will be charged upon exiting.
Garages that offer cinema validations during the day and evening are:

  • Market & San Pedro Street Garage
  • Third Street Garage
  • Second & San Fernando Street Lot (validation ends May 23, 2010)
  • Second & San Carlos Street Garage
  • Central Place Lot
  • Fountain Alley Lot
  • Third and Santa Clara Garage - The Globe
  • Fourth Street Garage
  • Pavilion Garage

View the multipage San Jose Downtown Parking Map (PDF download).

Validation Information for Retail Businesses

Validation Information for Non-Retail Businesses

Can't find the answer you're looking for? Check out the Downtown Parking Validation Program's Frequently Asked Questions (PDF download)

VALIDATION PROGRAM MADE SIMPLE FOR BUSINESSES

The Downtown Parking Validation Program offers up to two hours of validated parking for customers of downtown retail, night clubs, and bars, plus social service providers.  To improve customer service, the City recommends that participating merchants:

  • Use one-hour and two-hour magnetic-stripe validations instead of 20 minute stickers:  Magnetic stripe validations save customers time by allowing them to use validations at pay-on-foot stations and automated exit gates. They are also easier for businesses to explain and understand.

  • Participating public garages include:
    • Market and San Pedro Square Garage,
    • Third Street Garage,
    • Third / Santa Clara Garage,
    • Fourth Street Garage,
    • Second and San Carlos Street Garage,
    • Central Place Garage
    • Convention Center Garage.

Other participating garages and surface parking lots accept magnetic-stripe validation tickets.

  • High-volume businesses should consider using a validation machine:  The City has 10 validation machines available to businesses with high validation activity at the seven public garages.  These machines validate the customer’s parking ticket for up to two hours of parking.  Participating businesses are billed monthly for validation use.  Businesses pay a refundable deposit for use of the machine.  Businesses using the machines benefit by saving time required to manage large inventories of tickets and by only paying for validations their customers actually use.

For information about magnetic stripe validation tickets or validation machines, contact Elias Khoury at 975-3707 or Matt Farrell at 975-3714.