Parking enforcement helps reduce illegal parking, encourages the turnover of street parking spaces near local businesses, and improves street safety. 

Parking regulations are being enforced in Old Town.

The contracted vendor for the City of Alexandria is Reimagine Parking. 

The City of Alexandria began a parking enforcement pilot program with a contractor to enforce parking regulations in December of 2023. 

As part of public safety, parking enforcement is handled by the Traffic Safety Division of the Alexandria Police Department (APD). Contractors are overseen by an on-site APD staff supervisor during the duty shift.

This parking enforcement pilot program, utilizing a contractor, allows the City of Alexandria to make the best use of police personnel and resources.  

For the past five years, the city has experienced steady attrition in the roles of parking enforcement officers and is challenged to fill these positions. By contracting with an outside firm, the City is able to supplement City staff resources with parking enforcement personnel, allowing sworn officers of APD to continue focusing on public safety concerns. 

No, parking contractors are compensated an hourly, fixed, wage, regardless of the number of tickets issued. 

Contractors are trained through their employer, Reimagine Parking,  and also receive field training by an Alexandria Parking Enforcement Officer. Through ongoing coordination with APD, contractors receive training updates as needed.

Parking contractors are trained to circulate the area and are instructed to avoid remaining stationary in their patrol. The intention is to achieve a balance between enforcement, deterrence, and accommodating community concerns.  

Parking enforcement contractors are identified with a Reimagine Parking badge visible to the front of their attire. Each contractor on duty wears a reflective vest marked with “City of Alexandria Contractor” and is identified by an employee badge issued by Reimagine Parking. 

Parking contractors are authorized to issue citations for parking regulation violations, such as sign violations, expired safety inspection stickers, and parking meter violations. and similar offenses. They do not handle issues of expired license plates, towing, vehicle relocation, or booting. 

Most parking tickets incur a $40 fine. 

Funds from parking enforcement are allocated to the City’s general fund.  

Although the City receives revenue from enforcement efforts, it is not its primary objective. An effective parking enforcement program protects and fairly apportions scarce parking spaces for all legitimate users by ensuring that those who violate parking regulations are accountable and are induced to voluntarily abide by regulations in the future. 

The city convenes a formal meeting with the contractor, Reimagine Parking, twice a month to review public concerns and resolve issues. The APD Sergeant in charge of the parking enforcement division is in constant contact with Reimagine Parking to address any issues, concerns, or operational needs on an ongoing basis. The contractor coordinator can address needs with the parking enforcement supervisory staff as necessary. 

For questions or concerns about parking enforcement, you can speak to a parking supervisor by calling the APD non-emergency number, 703.746.4444. 

Please call Alexandria 311 at any time to voice concerns, leave comments, or ask questions. 

The Parking Enforcement Program is being piloted to understand its feasibility. While in this phase, the program utilizes a limited number of contractors focused in specific areas.  

If you suspect you received a citation in error or wish to appeal your citation, follow the instructions on the back of the ticket. Appeals can be addressed by the City of Alexandria Adjudication Office or you can request a court date. Vehicle owners may also choose to submit a formal appeal to the General District Court. Hearings must be scheduled in advance and cannot be scheduled by physically appearing at General District Court.  Please visit the Common Parking Violations webpage for more information.