The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has launched new paperless parking payment systems across San Francisco, including advance garage reservations and two new mobile meter-payment apps aimed at making parking faster and easier for drivers.

In a statement, the SFMTA said drivers can now reserve and prepay for parking spaces at most city-owned garages up to six months in advance, expanding a pilot program first introduced in 2025 at the Civic Center and Performing Arts garages.

The reservation system allows drivers to enter garages using QR codes stored on their phones, helping customers avoid paper tickets and long waits at payment kiosks, SFMTA officials said.

Cars parked at the Metropolis public parking lot at 1050 Front St. in San Francisco, across from The Exploratorium, in an undated Google Street View image. The lot (in Zone 7106) is one of several where drivers can reserve space via the ParkMobile parking app. (Google image)
A screenshot from the ParkMobile app shows two public lots where drivers can book space in advance. The lots are represented in the app by blue numbers called “zones.” You select your zone, tell the app how long you want to park and provide it with your vehicle’s license plate and a credit card, and complete your purchase without ever needing to visit a physical meter or kiosk. (Screenshot via ParkMobile app)

At the same time, the SFMTA introduced two new parking meter apps — ParkMobile and HotSpot — for use at roughly 27,000 on-street paid parking spaces across the city. The new apps will replace PayByPhone, which is scheduled to be phased out by the end of May for city-controlled parking meters.

“Modernizing our parking infrastructure and network of city garages and meters is an important piece of our commitment to a smarter, more efficient San Francisco,” said Julie Kirschbaum, the SFMTA director of transportation.

Transportation officials said the changes are intended to reduce congestion by reducing circling for parking and to improve convenience during busy events and peak travel times.

City garages are generally 30 to 40% cheaper than private parking lots, according to the SFMTA, and some facilities offer flat-rate pricing during major events.

According to the SFMTA, PayByPhone would continue operating at locations outside the city jurisdiction, including areas managed by the Presidio Trust, University of California San Francisco, University of San Francisco, and San Francisco State University.

Additional parking and electric vehicle charging upgrades are planned in the coming months as part of broader efforts to modernize San Francisco’s transportation network, according to the SFMTA.