To keep everyone moving safely - pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and transit users - the City enforces parking regulations through education, signage, and enforcement of parking rules. The City's Municipal By-law officers patrol 24/7, year round. 

On-street parking on City streets is permitted for up to 3 hours at a time. 

*Note: A two-hour grace period is allowed on City streets (for a total of 5 hours of consecutive parking). Time limits are enforced between 6 a.m. and midnight.

Note: This does not apply to Regional roads.

General Rules: 

You cannot park on City streets, even without signs: 

  • For more than 3 consecutive hours*
  • Between 2:30 - 6 a.m. from January 1 - March 15 (all streets)
  • Between 2:30 - 6 a.m. year-round in the downtown (Galt), core areas (Hespeler, Preston) or on a regional roads
  • On or over curbs, boulevards, sidewalks, or trails
  • Facing the wrong way or more than 15 cm from the curb
  • Within 3 meters of a fire hydrant
  • Within 15 meters of a railway crossing
  • Within 9 meters of any intersection
  • Within 15 meters of signalized intersections or roundabouts
  • Within 1 meter of a driveway
  • Within 15 meters of a bus stop
  • In a bike lane 
  • A vehicle that is a truck over 4,500kg or a trailer over 10 meters
  • If unlicensed
  • During a snow event

For full details, view the Traffic and Parking By-law

 Administrative Penalty System (APS)

The City of Cambridge's APS offers a faster, fairer way to handle by-law violations like parking tickets. 

Instead of going to court, disputes are reviewed the City with independent Screening and Hearing Review Officers who can uphold, reduce, or cancel penalties. 

This system makes it easier to resolve tickets, reduces court congestion, and improves customer service. 

As of March 27, 2024, all parking and by-law tickets (also referred to as penalty notices) will follow the APS process. Tickets issued before that date will still go through the court system under the Provincial Offences Act.

Learn more about the APS program.

 

Parking Tickets
Tickets are issued when there is a violation of a municipal by-law. A parking ticket can be served by:
  • Attaching it to the vehicle at the time of the violation.
  • Being handed to the operator of the vehicle at the time of the violation.
  • Being handed to the registered owner of the vehicle.
  • Being sent by mail to the registered owner of the vehicle.

Parking ticket options:

  1. Pay the ticket within 15 days for parking violations and 30 days for non-parking by-law violations.
  2. Request a meeting with a Screening Officer to dispute the notice. You have 15 days for parking violations and 30 days for non-parking by-law violations to do this from when the notice was issued. 

If you are disputing a ticket, you must book a screening review appointment. Failure to appear for a scheduled screening will result in a $25 “Non-Appearance Fee” in accordance with Schedule “C” of the Administrative Penalty By-law.
Preparing for a screening review meeting

Screening review meetings take place on pre-determined dates as outlined in the online scheduler. Screening appointments are conducted virtually, over the phone, or via email and occur between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. Each penalty notice will be afforded a 10–15-minute appointment. Penalty Notice screenings cannot be scheduled for the same day that a penalty notice is received.

 

Please Note:

  • Failing to appear for a scheduled Screening will result in the Penalty Notice being affirmed and the addition of a $25 administrative non-appearance fee will be added to the Penalty Notice.
  • The City of Cambridge does not provide language interpreters, should you require one, you will be responsible for providing your own.
  • If you attend a screening review and are not the registered owner you must complete the authorization to act as an agent form, signed by the registered owner.
  • Alternate formats, communication supports, and accommodations are available. For more information, please contact accessibility@cambridge.ca or 519-623-1340 Ext. 4292.

 

Screening review procedure

The screening officer will review all the documents and evidence with you before making a decision and may:

  1. Cancel the penalty notice, including any administrative fees
  2. Confirm the penalty notice, including any administrative fees
  3. Reduce the amount owed, including any administrative fees
  4. Extend time for payment of the penalty notice, including any administrative fees

The Screening Officer will discuss their decision with you at the end of their review or provide the decision by mail/email.

Failure to pay the amount set out in the screening decision within 15 days of the due date will be subject to additional administration fees.

If you are not satisfied with the screening review decision, you can request a hearing review at the conclusion of the screening review.
Preparing for a hearing review meeting

To request a hearing review, you must have completed a screening review as outlined above in the screening review procedure. You must submit a hearing review request form within 15 days of receiving the screening decision. Once you have completed the form the City will confirm the date and time of your hearing review through email or mail.

You may request an extension of time if 15 days have passed, and extenuating circumstances exist. This process is outlined in the hearing request form.

If you are attending the hearing review and are not the registered owner/accused you must complete the authorization to act as an agent form, signed by the registered owner/accused.

Please have legible copies available of any documents you intend to rely on and use as evidence related to the penalty notice. For example:

  • Photographs
  • Condominium letter/lease
  • Accessible parking permit
  • A witness

If you wish to receive the City’s documents related to your penalty notice which may include officer's notes or photos, please complete a request for disclosure form at least 10 days prior to your scheduled hearing review date.

Officers are not required to be present at the hearing review and may rely on certified evidence as set out in the Administrative Penalty By-law. Hearing review appointments may be audio and video recorded for review purposes only.

Please email the City at bylaw@cambridge.ca if you require an accessible accommodation to attend your screening.

Failure to appear for a scheduled hearing will result in a $50 Non-Appearance Fee in accordance with Schedule “C” of the by-law.

Hearings are to take place by way of video conference or telephone call. Please email the City at accessibility@cambridge.ca or call 519-623-1340 Ext. 4292 if you require an accessible accommodation to attend your screening so that arrangements can be made.

 

Hearing review procedure

Hearing reviews may take place virtually or in person at City Hall. The Hearing Officer is not bound by the decision of the Screening Officer. The decision of the Hearing Officer is final and is not appealable. 

Please bring to the hearing legible copies of all documentation you intend to rely on during the hearing for the Hearing Officer and the other parties.

Below is the general steps taken at a hearing meeting:

  1. Meeting called to order and the Hearing Officer shares opening remarks.
  2. The Hearing Officer will ask the accused what they would like reviewed.
  3. The City will present information pertaining to the file and be able to call witnesses if required
    • The accused and hearing officer will have an opportunity to ask questions of any witnesses 
  4. The accused will present information pertaining to the file and be able to call witnesses if required.
    • The City and the Hearing Officer will have an opportunity to ask questions of any witnesses
  5. Closing statements

 

The Hearing Officer will review all the documents and evidence before making a decision and may:

  1. Cancel the penalty notice, including any administrative fees
  2. Confirm the penalty notice, including any administrative fees
  3. Modify the amount owed, including any administrative fees
  4. Extend time for payment of the penalty notice, including any administrative fees

 

Please Note:

  • Failure to pay the amount set out in the screening decision within 15 days of the due date will be subject to additional administration fees.
  • The City of Cambridge does not provide language interpreters, should you require one, you will be responsible for providing your own.
  • If you fail to appear on the date and time of your hearing review, you will be charged an administration fee of $50
  • Please arrive five to 10 minutes before your scheduled hearing time. You will be placed in a virtual waiting room until your matter is called. Please be prepared for the hearing review process, including wait times, to take up to two hours.
How to reschedule or cancel my screening or hearing meeting

You can request to reschedule a hearing by providing written notice in person or via email no later than three business days in advance of the hearing. Please send emails to bylaw@cambridge.ca or provide notice in person to:

City of Cambridge Municipal By-law Compliance
50 Dickson Street,
Cambridge, ON, N1R 5W8

If you change your mind and decide to pay the penalty notice up to the day prior to the hearing, as a courtesy please email bylaw@cambridge.ca so that your hearing can be cancelled. Please include your penalty notice number, name, and address. 
Paying or disputing a ticket

If your vehicle is found to be in violation of the City's parking by-laws, you may be issued a parking ticket (also known as a parking infraction notice), and your vehicle may be towed at your own expense.

Learn more about paying or challenging parking tickets.

 

To pay a non-parking by-law ticket online please visit our non-parking ticket payment portal.
Parking enforcement

Parking regulations are enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How to report a parking violation:

  • During business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.):
    Call us at 519-623-1340 ext. 7907

  • For non-urgent issues: Email us anytime to report a concern.

  • Outside of business hours:
    If the violation poses an immediate safety hazard, please contact Waterloo Regional Police Service at 519-570-9777 and press 1.

We’ve also introduced new parking enforcement technology that uses licence plate scanning to improve efficiency and accuracy.
Parking permits

Daytime and residential parking permits are available for the City's core areas.

For accessible parking permits visit Service Ontario.
Parking (short term) exemptions

On-street parking exemptions are available to allow vehicles to park past the 5-hour limit and overnight between 12:01 a.m. and 6 a.m. for up to 15 days per calendar year, per licence plate.

 

To request an exemption, create an account on our online parking portal.

 

Exemptions are not available in the core areas with 2-hour (or less) limits. Instead, you can buy temporary parking permits for these spaces.

All exemptions are cancelled automatically during snow events.

 

For questions around eligibility or for assistance, contact By-law at 519-623-1340 ext. 7907 or bylaw@cambridge.ca (Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

 
Parking in core areas 

In general, there is free 2-hour parking in Cambridge's three core areas of Galt, Preston and Hespeler. Residents can park for more than 2 hours in paid parking lots or by parking in areas around the cores with 3-hour on-street parking or 12-hour free lots. Parking in the core areas is not permitted from 2:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. year-round. 

Visit the Core Area Parking page for additional information.

Residential Parking Programs

Only City streets are eligible for Residential Parking Programs.  Regional Roads and streets in new developments that have yet to be assumed are not eligible.

 

Residents may request changes to the parking regulations on their street through our three parking programs:

  • Lower Driveway Boulevard Parking - allows residents to park vehicles on the paved or concrete portion of their driveway between the curb and sidewalk.
  • Extended On-Street Parking - allows residents to park on-street for a maximum of 24 hours
  • Cul-de-sac Centre Parking - allows residents to park in the center of a cul-de-sac bulb outside of the winter months

These programs require the support of the majority of homeowners on the affected street. The roadway and boulevard must also meet minimum geometric standards.

 

The application process includes the following steps:

1. Previous approval check

Your street may already be a part of one or more parking programs.

View the map in full screen.

Applications are street specific and should include the full length of the street.

If you live on a long street and feel that the full length of the street exceeds the limits of your neighbourhood, email our parking operations staff or call (519) 740-4680 ext. 4077 to discuss an application for a shorter section of your street. Only extremely long roadways would be considered for smaller application areas between major intersections.

 
2. Eligibility

Check the rules and conditions for the program(s) you wish to apply for to ensure that your street or boulevard meet the criteria.
3. Petition

To apply for a Residential Parking Program, you must fill out a parking petition. 

The petition must have signatures by the majority (51%) of all property owners with frontage on the requested street in the application area. This includes corner lots where the driveway is on an intersecting street. 
 4. Official questionnaire

Once we receive and process a completed petition, the City will mail an anonymous questionnaire to all property owners in the application area to confirm their support of the parking program. This step ensures residents understand the conditions of the program they are supporting and provides an opportunity to identify any of their concerns.
 5. Implementation
If a program is approved, a notice will be sent to residents to inform them of the start date for the program.

 
Winter parking

To reduce the impact of on-street parking on winter maintenance activities the City has two parking restrictions specific to winter parking.

Snow events

Parking is prohibited on any City street at any time (day or night) when the City of Cambridge declares a snow event. Vehicles parked on-street during a snow event can be ticketed and possibly towed. 

Snow events are not limited to certain months.

Declaring a snow event

Snow Events are in effect only when posted on the City website as such. Not all snowfalls that result in plowing warrant a snow event.

Staff will give as much notice as possible of an impending snow event, attempting to make the declaration no later than 4 p.m. on the subject day whenever possible, providing time for the media outlets to broadcast the information on their 6 p.m. newscasts.

Snow Events remain in effect until the posted end time or until a cancellation is issued.

See the Snow Event Declarations page for event status and subscribe for warnings, declarations and cancellations directly to your inbox.
Snow event enforcement 

Enforcement will done proactively overnight and in conjunction with clearing operations during the day. Vehicles will not be tagged and/or towed based on calls from the public. The fine amount for parking on-street during a snow event is $80.

Towing will only occur to the degree necessary to allow the snow clearing equipment access to the street to perform required duties. As such, it is possible that some cars will be towed from a street while others are not, even though all the cars are in violation of the by-law. Vehicle owners are responsible for all fees associated with towing in addition to the fine amount.
Late night parking prohibition

Between January 1 and March 15, parking is not permitted on-street from 2:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. citywide. On-street parking is still permitted after 6 a.m. and before 2:30 am for up to three hours (unless otherwise posted) so long as a snow event is not in effect.
Keeping school zones safe

Dropping off or picking up students can cause traffic and create safety risks—especially when cars stop or park illegally near schools. Signs for No Stopping and No Parking are in place to protect children and improve visibility for all drivers.

Help reduce traffic by encouraging students to walk or bike to school. It’s healthier, safer, and better for the environment.

Learn more about safe travel options at the Region of Waterloo's Active and Safe Routes to School page.

Parking rules around school zones

 

 

Frequently asked questions: 

I have a parking ticket, what if I don't do anything with it?

If you do not respond to a ticket by the due date (by paying the penalty or scheduling an initial screening meeting), you automatically waive your right to a review and you will be held responsible for paying the penalty.

Failure to respond also results in additional administrative fees. The fees are used to offset the costs of processing penalties.

 

Administrative fees for processing parking penalty notices

  • After 15 days, a $12 Ministry of Transportation (MTO) search fee applies.
  • After 45 days, an $25 late payment fee applies.
  • After 105 days, a $25 MTO plate denial fee applies.
  • A $25 screening no-show fee applies for failing to appear at a scheduled initial screening.
  • A $50 hearing no-show fee applies for failing to appear at a scheduled hearing.
  • A $12 fee applies for service by mail.

Administrative fees for processing non-parking by-law penalty notices

  • After 30 days, a $50 late payment fee applies.
  • A $25 screening no-show fee applies for failing to appear at a scheduled initial screening.
  • A $50 hearing no-show fee applies for failing to appear at a scheduled hearing.

Outstanding tickets sent to MTO, collections or tax roll cannot be appealed or disputed. Although the MTO no longer requires vehicle owners to obtain annual validation stickers. Vehicle owners are still responsible for renewing their vehicle plate online and paying outstanding penalties, fines, and fees.
Is waiting allowed in a No Parking zone?
No. Waiting is not permitted in a No Parking zone - even if you remain in your vehicle.
Can I stop or park momentarily in a No Parking, No Stopping, or Fire Route to walk my child to the door or deliver packages?
No. Stopping or parking in these zones for those reasons is not permitted, even for a short time.
Can I stop momentarily in a No Parking, No Stopping or Fire Route while staying in my vehicle to drop off or pick up passengers?
  • No Parking Zone: Yes, as long as you are actively loading or unloading passengers.
  • Fire Route: Yes, only for the active pickup or drop-off of passengers.
  • No Stopping Zone: No, stopping is not allowed for any reason.
Can I park on the lower boulevard of my driveway?
No, parking is not permitted on the lower boulevard of your driveway unless you are part of the City's Lower Boulevard Parking Program. You can check if your street is included and learn more about the program here.

If your property is part of the program, you may park on the paved portion of your lower boulevard, parallel to the street and facing the direction of traffic. Please make sure you are not parked over grass, over the sidewalk, or into the roadway.

Important: If your driveway is close to an intersection or corner, you may not park on the lower boulevard - even if your street is included in the program - because it may block sightlines and create a safety hazard.

Does the City offer Parking Exemptions?

Yes. On-street parking in Cambridge is only permitted for up to three hours at a time. You can request an exemption to this restriction for a maximum of 15 days per license plate, per calendar year. As of July 2019, a 2 hour grace period on top of the 3-hour limit is in effect for City streets and time limits will only be enforced between 6am and midnight. These enforcement modifications do not apply to Regional roads. We don't provide on-street parking exemptions in the downtown core areas where there is a two-hour or less parking limit.

I need to park longer in the core areas, what can I do?

Permit parking is available in many parking lots in Cambridge's core areas (Galt, Hespeler, Preston). We issue permits that are only valid for one specific parking lot for up to one year. Only a limited number of permits are available for each parking lot, issued on a first come, first served basis. The City offers Daytime, Residential, Commercial(24H) and temporary permits. Temporary permits are available for as little as one day, and up to three months. Additionally, there are multiple pay-by-plate parking lots which can be used for extended daytime and nighttime parking.

Can I work on my vehicle in the street?

No. Repairing, washing, or maintenance of vehicles is prohibited on City streets. Vehicles must also be licensed and in working condition to use street parking.
Can parking be removed from my street?
To improve traffic operations, emergency response times and emergency access, the City applies its on-street parking standards. The standards require a minimum road width of 10 m to support parking on both sides of a road and a minimum of 8 m to support parking on one side of the road. 

The on-street parking standards do not allow for parking on streets less than 8 m wide, which (if implemented) would result in the removal of most on-street parking in the City's historic neighbourhoods. To balance traffic movement and parking the City adopted the On-Street Parking Standards Exemption Policy, which allows parking to be maintained on one side of existing streets with a road width greater than 6 m and traffic volumes below 500 vehicles per day.

If your street does not conform to the on-street parking standards, you can request a review of your street by emailing transportation@cambridge.ca
Where are the "no idling zones" in Cambridge, and what are the rules?
The City enforces "no idling zones" through its Anti-Idling By-law. These zones include all Cambridge public and Catholic school sites, City Hall (including adjacent streets and parking lots), as well as City-owned arenas, libraries, pools, seniors’ centres, and parks. The by-law limits engine idling to one minute, and violations can result in a $40 fine.
Why did the City of Cambridge move to the new APS program?

The use of the APS is a common practice amongst municipalities, the province, the federal government, and in other jurisdictions around the world. In Ontario, the use of municipal APS is legislated under the Municipal Act, 2001​​.

This measure was introduced to help the overburdened courts by streamlining the process and allowing municipalities to manage by-law matters. Cambridge City Council first adopted the use of APS on July 18, 2023.

 

Benefits: 

  • Citizens can resolve parking and other by-law matters in a more convenient and citizen-friendly environment;
  • The City is more capable in dealing with these infractions in a timely manner;
  • Citizens may request an extension of time in which to request a review by a Screening or Hearing Review Officer;
  • Citizens may request an extension of time to pay a penalty from a Screening or Hearing Review Officer;
  • It reduces congestion in provincial courts; and,
  • Better use of court time and other resources for more serious matters – the APS Program allows the over-burdened provincial courts to address more serious matters such as Highway Traffic Act offences.​