How many parking zones are there in Edinburgh?

Edinburgh has more than 20 controlled parking zones, grouped into three families: central zones (1, 1A, 2, 3 and 4), inner zones (5, 5A, 6, 7 and 8), and the extended zones to the north (N1 to N8) and the south and west (S1 to S8).

What is the difference between Edinburgh's central and outer parking zones?

Central zones (1 to 4) cover the city centre and are charged Monday to Saturday 8:30am to 6:30pm and on Sunday afternoons, at around 6.80 to 9 pounds an hour. Inner and extended zones (5 to 8 and the N and S zones) are charged Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm only, are free in the evenings and at weekends, and cost around 4.20 to 4.60 pounds an hour.

Which Edinburgh parking zones charge on Sundays?

Only the central zones (1, 1A, 2, 3 and 4) charge on Sundays, from 12:30pm to 6:30pm. The inner zones (5 to 8) and all the N and S zones do not operate at weekends, so they are free all day Saturday and all day Sunday.

How do I find out which parking zone a street is in?

Every zone is signed on the street. You can also check any of the 2,670 streets in our database with the Can I Park Here tool, or see the zones laid out on the Edinburgh parking map.

Do residents' parking permits work across different zones?

No. A residents permit is specific to its zone. A Zone S6 permit, for example, is only valid in Zone S6, not in neighbouring zones such as S4 or S5.

Edinburgh Parking Zones Explained: All Zones, Hours & Prices (2026)

Edinburgh's on-street parking is split into controlled parking zones. The zone you're in decides three things: the hours you have to pay, the price, and which residents' permit works. Here's every zone, grouped into the three families, with a link to each neighbourhood and the live map.

🧭 The three families, in one line Central (zones 1–4): city centre, charged Mon–Sat and Sunday afternoons, £6.80–£9/hr. Inner (5–8): the ring around town, Mon–Fri only, ~£4.60/hr, free evenings & weekends. Extended (N & S): outer residential, Mon–Fri only, ~£4.20/hr, free evenings & weekends.

How Edinburgh's parking zones work

The single most useful thing to know is the split between central and everywhere else. In the central zones you pay six days a week plus Sunday afternoons, at the city-centre rate. In every other zone — inner, N and S — you only pay Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm, and it's free every evening and all weekend. Get that right and you'll rarely overpay.

Every Edinburgh parking zone

Central zones (1–4): the city centre

All central zones share the same hours — Monday to Saturday 8:30am–6:30pm, plus Sunday 12:30pm–6:30pm. What changes is the price:

Zone	Area	Price/hr
1	West End	£6.80
1A	New Town (George St, Charlotte Sq)	£9.00
2	St James Quarter & St Andrew Sq	£9.00
3	Royal Mile & University (Old Town)	£8.00
4	Old Town & Grassmarket	£6.80

Central zones are the most expensive and the most heavily enforced, and they are the only ones that charge on a Sunday (12:30pm–6:30pm). Many central bays also have a maximum stay.

Inner zones (5–8): the ring around the centre

Zone	Area	Controlled hours
5 & 5A	Stockbridge & Dean Village	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
6	Broughton, Bellevue & Canonmills	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
7	Southside & St Leonard's	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
8	Tollcross & Fountainbridge	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm

Inner zones cost about £4.60 an hour, run Monday to Friday only, and are free every evening and all weekend.

Northern zones (N): Leith and the north

Zone	Area	Controlled hours
N3	Comely Bank	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
N6	Abbeyhill & Meadowbank	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
N7	Leith Walk & Pilrig	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
N8	Leith	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm

Southern & western zones (S): the south and west

Zone	Area	Controlled hours
S1	Marchmont & The Grange	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
S2	Bruntsfield & Morningside	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
S3	Polwarth & Merchiston	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
S4	Dalry	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
S5	Shandon	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
S6	Gorgie (Gorgie Road)	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
S8	Mayfield & Blackford	Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm

The N and S zones cost about £4.20 an hour or less, run Monday to Friday only, and are free in the evenings and at weekends. A few small zones without their own guide cover Bellevue and Inverleith (N1, N2), Craigleith and Ravelston (N4, N5) and Craiglockhart (S7).

How to find your zone

Every zone is signed on the street, but the fastest way is to look it up. Use the Can I park here? tool to check any street's zone, hours and price (and whether you can park right now), or see the whole city laid out on the Edinburgh parking map.

💡 The permit catch A residents' permit only works in its own zone. A Zone S6 permit is no good in S4 or S5, and a central permit won't cover an inner zone. Always match the permit to the zone on the sign.

Quick recap

Central (1–4): Mon–Sat 8:30–6:30 + Sun 12:30–6:30, £6.80–£9/hr, often with max stays.
Inner (5–8): Mon–Fri 8:30–5:30, ~£4.60/hr, free evenings & weekends.
Extended (N & S): Mon–Fri 8:30–5:30, ~£4.20/hr or less, free evenings & weekends.
Sundays: only the central zones charge (afternoons); everywhere else is free.
Double yellow lines apply 24/7 in every zone.

Not sure which zone you're in?

Check any Edinburgh street to see its exact zone, charges and hours — and whether you can park there right now.

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Edinburgh parking zones explained