According to Mairie de Paris, around 90% of Paris residents pay for parking, while 90% of visitors do not. It estimates that the loss of revenue for the capital is 300 million euros. With this in mind, the city is planning new parking rules that will come into force on January 1, 2018.
The biggest changes concern visitors. Whereas previously their parking time was limited to 2 hours, this will now be increased to 6 hours. While the rate for the first two hours remains unchanged (8 euros in the central zone and 4.8 in the peripheral zone), the rate for subsequent hours will be progressive. The third hour will cost 8 euros, the fourth 10 euros, and the last two 12 euros. This means that 3 hours of parking will cost you 16 euros, 4 hours 26 euros, and five hours or more 38 euros.
From now on, if you park for more than 2 hours, you'll have to opt for public underground parking lots to save money. More specifically, if you're in the central zone, i.e. the 1st to the 11th arrondissements. For example, 3 hours' surface parking in central Paris costs €16. For the same duration, the cost of parking in the Ile de la Cité public parking lot is €12, i.e. €4 less.
Under the MAPTAM law (Modernisation de l'action publique et d'affirmation des métropoles), parking management is changing hands. Henceforth, the State will no longer manage parking in the capital, but the Mairie de Paris. This means that parking enforcement will no longer be carried out by police officers, but by enforcement agents contracted by the City of Paris.
The €17 fine is also forgotten. From January 1, 2018, if you don't pay for your parking, you'll have to pay a post-parking fee (FPS). In central zones this fee is €50 (€35 if paid within 4 days), while in peripheral zones it's set at €35 (€24.50 if paid within 4 days). You will have one month in which to pay your FPS on the Paris.fr website, compared with 45 days previously for the fine. And while the fine used to be collected by the State, from now on the FPS will be collected by the City of Paris.
You'll also need to remember your license plate, as from now on you'll need to enter its number on the parking meter before paying. This means no more back and forth between the parking meter and your car, and no more paperwork, which is no longer compulsory.
