Boston Moving Permits

When moving within the city of Boston, a parking permit for moving can be a lifesaver. It delivers convenience, peace of mind, and efficiency in a busy world. The simple truth of the matter is that most neighborhoods within Boston are tight and crowded without much free parking. So, taking your chances on moving day is often a bad idea that leaves you sitting and waiting for a spot with enough room to become vacant.

With a City of Boston moving permit, you’ll be able to reserve a parking space for your moving day. That means you’ll have 100% certainty that you have a parking space free and close to your destination. Whether you’ll be completing your move yourself or having Esquire Moving do it all for you, this one simple step can save you time, money, and energy.

A Boston moving permit means you don’t have to worry about competing with other drivers to find a parking spot on moving day. It means you don’t have to settle for a spot that’s too far away. It means there’s no reason for concern over double parking or blocking other drivers. With a Boston moving truck permit, you can go into moving day with total peace of mind.

If you’ve never done this before, don’t worry. We’re here to walk you through the process of how to get your hands on a City of Boston moving truck parking permit.

5 Easy Steps to Your Moving Permit

Step 1: Start at City Hall

When you need a Boston parking permit for moving, the first place to go is City Hall. For an even easier path, you can get your permit from the comfort of home by applying online! No matter which route you take, you’ll need to be mindful of a few things in order to get exactly what you need.

How Many Parking Meters Will You Need to Block Off?

Due to the size of moving vehicles, you’ll need to block off parking meters for a comfortable fit that doesn’t interfere with traffic or emergency vehicles. So, you’ll need to determine how many you’ll be blocking off. For example, you’ll block off two meters for a single moving truck. If you’re not sure what to fill in, you can ask the clerk or rely on your Esquire Moving team.

Cost & Payment

If you’ll be paying in person, you can use cash, personal checks, Visa, or Mastercard. But how much will it be? City of Boston permit fees start at $69 for a single spot, but you’ll need to add $20 per meter you’ll block.

Time Expectations

To ensure a smooth moving day, be sure to get your Boston permits at least 2-3 days in advance, especially if you’ll be moving to a residential area. If you’ll be heading to City Hall, expect to wait a few hours. If applying online, see the next section for more information.

Notes

If you’ll be moving to or from a state-owned road, the rules may be different for you. You won’t fall under the City of Boston if you reside on Boylston St., Charlesgate East and West, Park Drive, Fenway, and Riverway, or Jamaicaway. In this case, you’ll apply to the Massachusetts Department of Recreation and Conservation.

Step 2: Meet Guidelines to Get Your Permit

Whether you’ll be applying in person or going online to get your permits emailed to you, you’ll want to make sure you check every box.

First, you’ll need to post all signs in an authorized spot. Of course, make sure you’re not posting in handicapped spaces, bus stops, or no-parking zones.

Second, post your signs 48 hours before your move. This informs others of your reservation and tells you exactly where you’ll park.

Third, when applying online, you’ll have to be within 14 to 28 days of your upcoming move.

Fourth, if you’re moving to the North End in June, July, or August, you’ll need to make sure you’re not interfering with any parades or other events. So, you’ll want to get in touch with the special events liaison to sort out your permit.

Fifth, you can apply online if you’re looking for a single-day permit, which is good for 7am to 5pm. Apply in person for differing hours.

If you’re the type of person who prefers to get things done all at once, you can apply in person at City Hall. When you do, keep a few things in mind:

Signage is $4 each.
If you’ll be moving on Sunday, meter fees may be waived. Ask the clerk about this.
You’ll be given flyers to distribute to neighbors, which gives them a heads up about the upcoming move.

Expect a security screening when you arrive at City Hall.

Step 3: Keep Your Permit Posted

Unless you’re in a metered spot, you’ll need to post your “No Parking” signs and moving permit 48 hours before your move. For metered spots, this time requirement is just 24 hours. Make sure to post this information within 40 feet of your reserved space.

Where can you post the signage?

Poles
Trees
Fences
Parking Meters

If you need additional signage, you can create your own. If you do so, make sure to…

Make your signs weatherproof
Include the permit date
Place them close to your space

Remember to hand out flyers before you move. You can simply place them under the windshield wipers on nearby vehicles for an efficient process. This lets your neighbors know that there might be a minor inconvenience due to your move, allowing them to make proper arrangements.

Boston actually requires these flyers to be posted at least once a day, starting two days prior to your move.

This will make moving day easier for you and them.

Remember, you paid for this parking permit and have every right to that space on moving day. This will be made clear to neighbors with the flyers. If there’s any argument in which someone else is in your space, that person will have their vehicle towed.

Step 4: What to Do On Moving Day

Moving day has finally arrived. It’s now time to transport your belongings, set up your new home, and enjoy life in this new area. It’s an exciting time! And here at Esquire Moving, we want you to be able to enjoy this process without any headaches or inconvenience.

In that endeavor, we have a few tips for you…

To be extra careful with your parking space, you can place cones with flyers attached. This, in addition to the distributed flyers, makes it 100% clear to neighbors that you’ll be in this spot on the date given.

Keep a note in your phone or on a piece of paper just in case someone is in your reserved place on moving day. On that note, write the following information: Boston Police Department Non-Emergency Line – 617-343-4911.

If someone is in your space on moving day, here’s what you do:

Call the non-emergency line above.
Let them know someone is parked in your moving permit space on the date reserved.
Give them the license plate number on the vehicle. This allows them to attempt to get in touch with the vehicle owner.

If the owner is unreachable or unwilling to move the vehicle, call the local towing company to have the vehicle removed.

Step 5: After the Move

First of all, the moving process may sometimes involve small accidents that result in damage when you attempt to move everything yourself. If this happens during your move, simply get in touch with the Public Works Department of Boston to let them know the details.

If everything goes smoothly, it’s time to pick up after yourself to leave the area and parking place just as it was before your moving process. First, remove all the signage and permits from the area. You don’t want to leave your neighbors with an unpleasant perception of you because there’s unwanted trash lying around after you’ve moved in.

Second, return any city property that may have been used during the move. This may include cones, traffic signs, and more.

Third, feel encouraged to thank your neighbors for their understanding while you moved. While this is not necessary, it’s a great way to endear yourself to neighbors who may have experienced some inconvenience while a moving truck and movers blocked streets, spaces, or hallways.

Once the cleanup is complete, it’s time to enjoy your new home! Go out and explore, get unpacked and set up, or simply relax for a while now that the “hard part” is done.

While the moving permit process can be straightforward, the truth of the matter is that it may seem complicated or like a hassle you don’t want to deal with. If so, Esquire Moving is here to make your life easier.

Simply add our permitting service to your move. We’ll get the permits for you, post them, and even remove them after the move is complete.

We’ve been doing this for a long time, so we know what sort of permit to get, how many meters we’ll block off, and much more.