Parking in Jerusalem: Kerb Colours, Apps, Residents' Permits and Parking Near the Old City

25 Sept 2026 · 3 min

Blue and white means pay, red and white means don't. The rules, the apps, the residents' permit, and where to park when you're heading to the Old City.

Short answer: in Jerusalem, the kerb tells you the rule. Blue and white means paid parking, paid through an app such as Pango or Cello during the hours on the sign. Red and white means no parking. Red and yellow is for buses. An unmarked kerb is usually free unless a sign says otherwise. Residents can get a neighbourhood permit from the municipality that lets them park in their own zone. Near the Old City, use the car parks by Jaffa Gate (Mamilla and Karta), or leave the car and take the light rail.

Kerb colours

Blue and white: paid parking during the hours shown on the sign at the start of the street. Outside those hours it is free. In some zones, residents with a permit park free.
Red and white: no stopping or parking at any time.
Red and yellow: bus stops and public transport only.
Unpainted: free, unless a sign restricts it. Many residential side streets have signs reserving them for permit holders at certain hours.
Disabled bays: marked with the wheelchair symbol, for holders of a disabled parking card only; fines are high.

Paying: the apps

Street parking is paid by app. Pango and Cello are the most common: you start a session when you park and stop it when you leave, and pay for the minutes used. Set up the app with your car's number before you need it. Some car parks take the same apps at the barrier.

Residents' parking permit

If you live in a zone with residents' parking, the municipality issues a permit (tav chanaya) for cars registered at your address, and for leased or company cars with the right paperwork. You apply on the municipality's website with your ID showing the address, the car's licence and, for renters, the lease. New arrivals should update the address on their ID first. Buying a car and converting your licence cover the rest of the paperwork.

Fines

Inspectors are active, especially in the centre. A ticket arrives on the windscreen or by post, and you can pay or appeal online through the municipality's site within the deadline printed on it. Keep the parking app's receipt if you think a ticket is wrong.

Parking near the Old City

Mamilla car park. Under the Mamilla mall, a few minutes' walk from Jaffa Gate. Closed on Shabbat.
Karta car park. Right by Jaffa Gate on Yitzhak Kariv Street. Reported to be open on Shabbat.
Inside the walls. Parking is for residents and permit holders; don't drive in expecting a space.
The better option. Park further out and take the light rail to City Hall or Damascus Gate, or take a taxi.

On big days (Birkat Kohanim, Jerusalem Day, the Sukkot march) roads around the Old City close and the car parks fill early.

Other tips

Hills: turn the wheels to the kerb and use the handbrake properly.
Friday: the centre is full in the morning and empty by mid-afternoon.
Shabbat: in religious neighbourhoods, streets may be closed to traffic, and driving through them causes offence.
Hospitals, malls and the train station have paid car parks; the light rail is often quicker.

Common questions

Where can I park near Jaffa Gate?

At the Mamilla car park under the Mamilla mall (closed on Shabbat) or the Karta car park by Jaffa Gate on Yitzhak Kariv Street. On busy days it is often easier to take the light rail to City Hall.

How do I pay for street parking in Jerusalem?

Through a parking app such as Pango or Cello: start a session when you park on a blue-and-white kerb, stop it when you leave.

How do I get a residents' parking permit in Jerusalem?

Apply on the municipality's website with your ID showing your Jerusalem address, the car's licence and, if you rent, your lease.

What do the kerb colours mean in Israel?

Blue and white: paid parking during the hours on the sign. Red and white: no parking. Red and yellow: buses only. Unpainted: free unless a sign says otherwise.