Parking zones in Prague are the city's paid street-parking system, officially called zóny placeného stání. Streets are marked with three colours: blue zones are for residents with long-term permits, purple zones are mixed and open to anyone who pays, and orange zones are for short stops only. Visitors typically pay 40 to 80 CZK per hour depending on the price band, while a district resident with a valid residence permit buys an annual resident permit for 600–1,200 CZK.
The system got a notable update for 2026: as of January 1st, the popular MPLA app was switched off (replaced by the Online parkovací automat web service), and cars with "eco" EL plates no longer park for free. Here's how the zones work, what visitors and residents pay, and where you can still park cheaply.
Marked with a solid blue line along the edge of the road. Here, residents, business owners and property owners of that particular district can park without time limits, provided they hold a long-term permit. Visitors can also park in a blue zone, but for a maximum of 3 hours (just 1 hour in the very centre) and only by paying online — there are no parking meters in blue zones at all.
Marked with a broken purple-and-blue line. Open to everyone: residents park under their permit, everyone else pays the hourly rate, up to a maximum of 24 hours in a row. This is your main option if you're visiting a different district than your own.
Marked with a broken orange line. For short visits only — typically a maximum of 2–3 hours (the exact limit is on the sign). Long-term permits don't apply here: everyone pays, residents included. These zones are becoming rarer — Prague 1 has already scrapped its orange zone entirely.
| Zone | Who can park | Limit for visitors |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | Permit holders; visitors — briefly | Up to 3 hours, 1 hour in the centre |
| Purple | Anyone who pays; residents by permit | Up to 24 hours |
| Orange | Anyone who pays, permits don't apply | Usually 2–3 hours |
The zone's operating hours are always listed on the sign underneath the marking. In residential districts, paid parking usually applies on weekdays roughly from 8:00 to 20:00; in the centre, it runs daily and longer — in Prague 1, the blue zone operates from 8:00 until 6:00 the following morning, and the purple zone from 8:00 until midnight. Outside these hours, parking in the zone is free for everyone.
Rates depend on the price band — the closer to the centre, the more expensive. The official price list sets a ceiling for visitor parking:
| Price band | Maximum rate | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | 80 CZK per hour | Historic centre (Prague 1 and adjacent streets) |
| Band 2 | 60 CZK per hour | Wider centre (Prague 2, 3, 7 and others) |
| Band 3 | 40 CZK per hour | Outlying districts with zones |
Actual rates in specific areas can be noticeably lower than the cap: for example, in Prague 1's purple zone, visitors pay 40 CZK per hour even though the maximum is 80. On public holidays and over the Christmas break, in areas where the paid regime doesn't run all week, a discounted daily rate of 20 to 80 CZK per 24 hours applies, depending on the band (blue zones don't get this discount). Motorcycles, mopeds and motor-scooters park in the zones for free and without registration.
There are no paper tickets under the windscreen in Prague — payment is linked to your licence plate (SPZ), and enforcement is done by camera-equipped vehicles that scan number plates. Payment options in 2026:
Important: the MPLA app has stopped working in Prague's zones as of January 1, 2026. If you still have it installed from before, you can no longer use it to pay for parking — switch to Online parkovací automat or PID Lítačka.
A long-term parking permit (parkovací oprávnění, POP) lets you park in your district's blue and purple zones without limits. There's no physical card — your car's plate number is registered in the system.
Requirements for the car itself are flexible: your own car, a leased or financed vehicle, an employer's company car (with confirmation), and even a long-term rental all qualify. If you're still shopping for a car, check out our guide on buying a used car in Czechia. Ukrainian registration plates are more complicated — see the details in our article on cars with Ukrainian plates in Czechia.
| Category | Whole district | Sub-area (smaller zone) |
|---|---|---|
| Resident's first car | 1,200 CZK | 600 CZK |
| Resident over 65, ZTP | 360 CZK | 180 CZK |
| Second car | 7,000 CZK | 3,500 CZK |
| Business owner, property owner | 7,000 CZK | 3,500 CZK |
| Third car and beyond | 24,000–36,000 CZK | 16,000–24,000 CZK |
Sub-areas apply in some districts (Prague 5, 8, 9, 10, 18): the permit is half the price, but it's only valid in your specific "pocket," not the whole district. There are also six-month and quarterly options, plus monthly and weekly ones for the pricier categories. As of January 1, 2026, free parking for low-emission EL plates has been scrapped; zero-emission vehicles registered in the system get a 50 percent discount on their permit.
There are two routes: in person at your district's permit office (výdejna parkovacích oprávnění — addresses and hours are on parking.praha.eu) or online through your personal account, Osobní stránky uživatele. Non-EU nationals can only apply for or renew a permit in person at the výdejna. Changes (such as updating your plate number) incur a 100 CZK handling fee. If you're having trouble with residence documents, migration lawyers can help.
Park and Ride (P+R) car parks near metro and train stations are the best option if you need to be in the centre for the whole day. Leave your car and continue by public transport.
| Rate | Conditions | Example car parks |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 12-hour limit | Běchovice, Braník, Radotín, Troja, Zahradní Město |
| 50 CZK per 24 hours | Most paid P+R car parks | Černý Most, Chodov, Opatov, Letňany, Zličín |
| 100 CZK per 24 hours | Highest-demand locations | Holešovice, Ládví, Skalka 1 |
Free spaces are shown online at parking.praha.eu — check before you set off, as popular car parks fill up by morning and you can't reserve a spot in advance. Payment is on site.
Cameras on monitoring vehicles record your plate, and if there's no payment or permit on file, you'll receive a fine notice. If you park somewhere you shouldn't, your car can be towed (odtah) — in which case towing costs are added to the fine. We've covered the amounts and how to appeal in a separate article on traffic fines in Czechia. While you're at it, make sure your mandatory car insurance (povinné ručení) and STK roadworthiness inspection are up to date — these are also checked by plate number.
Owning a car in Prague is its own separate expense category: for a full breakdown of what it costs to live with or without a car, see our overview of the cost of living in Prague. And if your car needs some attention before the season starts, browse our directory of trusted auto repair shops.
Yes, for a maximum of 3 hours (1 hour in the historic centre), paying via Online parkovací automat or an app. There are no meters in blue zones — payment is online only, tied to your plate number.
No. Support for MPLA ended on December 31, 2025, and as of January 1, 2026, it can no longer be used to pay for parking in Prague. The official replacement is the Online parkovací automat web service at parking.praha.eu (no surcharge); the PID Lítačka app also works.
Not anymore. As of January 1, 2026, the discount for EL-series plates has been cancelled, and everyone pays. Zero-emission vehicles registered in the zone system get a 50 percent discount on the resident permit — 600 CZK a year instead of 1,200 CZK.
Outside the zone's operating hours listed on the sign: in many districts, that's weekday evenings after 20:00 and weekends. In the centre, the paid hours run longer — in Prague 1, the blue zone applies daily from 8:00 to 6:00 the next morning. Motorcycles and mopeds always park for free in the zones.
There's an interactive map at parking.praha.eu showing the boundaries of blue, purple and orange areas, along with each area's operating hours and rate. Zones don't cover every district in the city — where there's no marking or signage, street parking is free.
No. A permit is tied to the specific area or sub-area where you're registered. In another district, you're just a regular visitor: you pay the hourly rate in a purple zone or look for a P+R car park.
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