San Jose Downtown Association San Jose Downtown Parking

Parking Validation

San Jose offers FREE validated parking weekdays, evenings and weekends in participating garages and lots.

  • Weekdays, two hours of FREE parking is provided with validation.
  • Evenings after 6 pm and weekends, parking is FREE with validation.
  • After a visit or two downtown, you'll learn how best to take advantage of Validated Parking and ensure your parking is FREE.

Validation Information for Parking Customers

MAKE A MATCH!  Look for the PV symbol at participating Downtown garages and lots and in the windows of businesses that offer parking validation to get FREE parking.

Downtown Validation - Receive FREE parking weekdays, evenings and weekends when visiting one of more than 100 participating retailers, restaurants, bars, and personal / recreational service providers.

WITH validation
(Market and San Pedro, Second and San Carlos, Third Street, and Fourth Street garages)

  • Weekdays until 6 p.m.:  Two hours of FREE parking
  • Evenings after 6 pm:  Parking is FREE until 6 am the next day 
  • Weekends:  Parking is FREE from 6 a.m. Saturday until 6 am Monday

Notes:  Market and San Pedro Square Garage is FREE 6 am-6 pm Saturday and Sunday until June 30, 2012,without validation.
Second and San Carlos, Third Street and Fourth Street garages are FREE on 6 am-6 pm Sunday without validation.

WITH validation
(Central Place, Colonnade Plaza, Convention Center, Pavilion, and Third and Santa Clara garages. Note: Colonnade exits the program March 1, 2012))

  • Weekdays until 6 p.m.:  Two hours of FREE parking
  • Evenings after 6 pm:  Flat fee - no validations
  • Weekends:  Flat fee - no validations

Redeeming Validations is Easy and Automated

Parking igarages at Central Place, the Convention Center, Fourth and San Fernando Street, Market & San Pedro Square, Second & San Carlos Street, Third & Santa Clara (The Globe) and Third Street use automated pay stations like ATMs that redeem validations and enable customers to pay for parking.

STEPS:

  • Upon entering the garage, take the parking ticket from the dispenser and keep it with you.
  • Participating retailers will either issue you one validation coupon to be used in conjunction with your parking entry ticket, or the business will validate your parking entry ticket using a validation machine.
  • Upon returning to the garage, take the validation ticket to the yellow payment cashier machine in the lobby and entry areas:
    • Using a Validation Coupon:   Insert the parking Entry Ticket followed by the validation coupon. You will either park for FREE or need to pay a balance.  Take the ticket and use it at the exit within 10 minutes. 
    • Using a Validated Entry Ticket:  Insert the validated parking entry ticket.  The machine will either return the ticket or ask you to pay a balance before returning the ticket.  Use it within 10 minutes to exit the garage.

Note:  In the near future, a single easily identifiable rose-colored validation coupon will simplify FREE parking for customers and businesses and be good for all downtown validation purposes. For now, all existing validation coupons will provide the same benefit. Camera Cinema and Tech Museum validations remain the same.

Camera 12 Cinemas validations

Movie-goers can receive parking validation from Camera 12 Cinemas, good for 3-1/2 hours of FREE parking during the day or evening, from:

  • Market & San Pedro Street Garage
  • Third Street Garage
  • Second & San Carlos Street Garage (Nearest)
  • Third and Santa Clara Garage - The Globe
  • Fourth Street Garage
  • Pavilion Garage (Nearest)

The Tech Museum Validations

With validation, parking will be $5 or less for up to 24-hours at:

  • Second and San Carlos Streets Garage
  • Convention Center Garage

Note:  Validations will not be accepted when special event pricing is in effect.

Facilities accepting parking validations: 

Validations Generally accepted at all exits and pay-on-foot stations. 

At the Pavilion Garage, attendant takes validation at exit.

Colonnade will no longer accept validations starting March 1, 2012

EXCEPTIONS:

  • SPECIAL EVENTS:  Validations not accepted for special events.
  • SHARKS GAMES:  Validations not accepted at Market-San Pedro Garage on days of Sharks games, starting two hours before the game until 30 minutes after the game begins.  Parking for Sharks games at that garage will be $7. On days of the games, customers validating before or after the "pre-pay" period will still be accepted.    

 

View the list of businesses participating in the Downtown Validation Program.

Downtown Parking Validation Program's Frequently Asked Questions

For examples of how Validation can save you money, visit Evening Parking.   

Business Info about Validated Parking