In 2026, drivers in Bucharest are facing an adjustment in the cost of using residential parking spaces, as part of the city’s annual review of local taxes and fees. The changes are not dramatic, but they follow a broader pattern of aligning tariffs with inflation and rising urban management costs.

Here is what you are required to pay, how the fees are set, and what to expect if you already have—or plan to apply for—a residential parking space in Bucharest in 2026.

Increase in residential parking fees

For 2026, the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest approved an average increase of around 5.6% in the annual fees for residential parking spaces located on public land. The decision was formally adopted at the end of 2025. The increase reflects higher maintenance costs, inflation indexing, and the administration’s effort to balance demand with the limited supply of parking spaces.

The annual fee for a residential parking space in Bucharest in 2026, depending on the area, is as follows:

• Zone A: 796 lei per year
• Zone B: 663 lei per year
• Zone C: 530 lei per year
• Zone D: 397 lei per year

These rates apply to parking spaces officially allocated to individuals by the sector administrations. While the difference compared to 2025 is not substantial, it becomes relevant in the context of households’ fixed annual expenses.

How the fees are set and applied

Residential parking fees are established annually by the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest as part of the local tax and fee regulations. Once approved, the rates apply across all sectors and are collected by the sector-level city halls that manage the parking spaces.

The 2026 increase is moderate and broadly in line with general price trends, but it illustrates how local fiscal decisions directly affect the budgets of Bucharest residents and drivers.

Additional charges for drivers without a parking space

Beyond the cost of a residential parking permit, some sectors have introduced or adjusted fees for car owners who do not have an officially allocated parking space. In Sector 4, for example, this fee was indexed to 593 lei per year in 2026 for vehicle owners without a designated residential parking spot. The measure reflects ongoing shortages of parking spaces and broader urban mobility costs.

This type of fee is not applied uniformly across all sectors, but it is something residents without a reserved parking space should be aware of.

Payment and allocation procedures

Applications for residential parking spaces and payment of the associated fees are typically handled through online platforms operated by the sector administrations. In Sector 5, for instance, residents can apply digitally, submitting the required documents such as proof of property ownership, vehicle registration, and valid insurance.

While eligibility criteria and procedures may differ slightly from one sector to another, the financial terms are aligned with the decisions adopted at the level of the General Council.

Impact on Bucharest residents

The increase in residential parking fees does not radically change overall costs, but it fits into a wider trend of adjusting local taxes. For many urban drivers, this fee is one of several predictable annual expenses that must be planned for—especially in a year when other local taxes, including property-related charges, were also revised.

In 2026, residential parking spaces in Bucharest are more expensive than in the previous year, following an increase of nearly 5.6%. Fees vary significantly by zone, but the system for setting them remains preadictable and transparent, based on decisions taken by the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest. Car owners and city residents should factor this cost into their annual budgets, while those without an officially allocated parking space should be aware that additional charges apply in certain sectors, further increasing the local tax burden.