Where can I park my car near a DC metro stop for the next few days?

October 10, 2008 11:18 AM

Where can I park my car near a DC metro stop for the next few days?

We just moved to the Columbia Heights neighborhood in Washington DC. We had our car shipped, and it arrives tonight, but we haven't had a chance to take the steps necessary to be able to legally park on the street in our neighborhood (acquiring DC registration, DC insurance, and DC resident parking permit).

I don't think I'll be able to get to these things until the middle of next week. Ideally, I'd be able to legally park my car somewhere in the meantime, probably in Virginia or Maryland, that is somewhat near a metro stop, free, and relatively safe. Any ideas?

posted by medpt to travel & transportation (9 comments total)

Looks like the closest station with parking is Fort Totten.
posted by exogenous at 11:26 AM on October 10, 2008

Check your MeFi mail.
posted by BobbyVan at 11:42 AM on October 10, 2008

You prefer VA or MD, but Brookland in NE DC is also an option. Last I checked it was still unzoned, and near a metro.
posted by inigo2 at 11:52 AM on October 10, 2008

I'm pretty certain that most of the parking near the Brookland Metro is zoned, except a little parking on the west side of 13th Street between Newton and Lawrence
posted by Flaming_Suppository at 12:18 PM on October 10, 2008

Well, you have until Tuesday morning just about anywhere, since Monday is a holiday. And you can get a temporary permit at a DC police station in about 5 minutes--it's a lot easier than getting all the other paperwork, and it'll give you 30 days to get everything formalized.
posted by MrMoonPie at 12:51 PM on October 10, 2008

I'm sending you an mefi mail also.
posted by divka at 12:54 PM on October 10, 2008

Thanks to everyone who responded and mefi-mailed me. We're going to go to our local police station and get a temporary parking permit.
posted by medpt at 12:57 PM on October 10, 2008

Seems like you got it settled, so, welcome to Columbia Heights!
posted by General Malaise at 1:38 PM on October 10, 2008

Ditto General Malaise - welcome. For anyone who's searching for information in the future, though, you can usually get away without going through the temporary permit thing for a bit (although, it's pretty easy) if you use unzoned parking. After they see your car with an out-of-state license hanging around a few times, they'll usually leave a warning or two encouraging you to get registered and threatening a fine.

In/around Columbia Heights, there's unzoned parking along 15th street next to Meridian Hill park, and some on Fuller between 16th and where it runs into Columbia. Well, 17th.

And, of course, if you end up parking along Meridian Hill park, go ahead and walk the three blocks down to the V St. police substation and get yourself a temporary permit.
posted by averyoldworld at 9:57 AM on October 16, 2008