Wilmington, N.C.- It happens all the time. We’ve all heard the stories, and they almost always are about out-of-towners. Sometimes it’s the family that came down from Raleigh to spend an entire day at the beach. Other versions star someone who traveled a much greater distance. Maybe they drove from a landlocked state in the central of the country.
Regardless of where they’re from, the tales always end the same. After a fun day at the beach they pack up the coolers, lawn chairs, blankets and beach toys and start walking to the parking lot- only to discover that someone has stolen their car.
“I mean that must have been what happened! I left it right here eight hours ago!”
Of, course it wasn’t stolen. It was towed. The out-of-towners unknowingly left their car in a town owned space that required payment. If you don’t pay in advance, they will tow or ticket!
Figuring beach parking in the middle of the summer is complicated. There are private lots, and public lots, spaces that are free, and others that are metered. For those of you planning to explore the Carolina Coast this summer, the JFB team has done the parking research. The information below is only government owned lots, and is good from now until the end of October. However, each town has different hours of enforcement.
Carolina Beach
Hours of Enforcement 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Town Parking lots: $5 per hour or $25 per day
- Bus, limo, and oversized vehicles: $10 per hour or $40 per day
- On-street parking without time restrictions: $5 per hour or $25 per day
- On-street parking with time restrictions: $5 per hour (two-hour limit)
Holden Beach
Hours of Enforcement 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Hourly: $4 up to four hours
- Daily: $20 for duration longer than four hours
- Weekly: $80 per seven consecutive days
- Annually: $150
- Fines are $50 with a $25 late fee in effect after 30 days. A collection agency will take over citations that aren’t paid in 60 days.
Kure Beach
Hours of Enforcement 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Hourly: $5
- Daily: $20
- Weekly: $100
- Non-resident annual passes have $225.
North Topsail Beach
- Hourly: $5
- Daily: $25
- Weekly: $100
- Annual: $150 per vehicle if purchased one at a time (new for 2023)
- Annual: $250 for two vehicles purchased at the same time.
North Topsail’s 4×4 drive-on lot parking rates:
- Daily: $25
- Weekly: $100
- Annual: $150 per vehicle if purchased one at a time
- Annual: $250 per two vehicles purchased at the same time
- Fines $50 without a permit, reduced to$25 if paid the same day.
Oak Island
Hours of Operation not Specified
- Hourly: $5 up to three hours
- Daily: $20 per day or any duration greater than four hours
- Weekly: $80 per week for seven consecutive days
- Annually: $175, with a limit of 1,000 passes sold
- Fines: $25 if paid by midnight, to $50 through day 30, and $75 thereafter.
Ocean Isle Beach
Parking is free at town owned beach accesses, however overnight parking is not allowed.
At the Ocean Isle Pier
$10 daily
$45 weekly
$175 seasonally.
It’s free after 6 p.m.
Surf City
Hours of Enforcement 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Hourly: $5 per hour for spots closest to the beach; $3 an hour for outlying lots and spaces
- Daily passes: $25
- Weekly passes: $80
- Non resident season passes: $270 to $300
Sunset Beach
Parking is free at town owned beach accesses
Parking at Sunset Beach Pier
- Daily: $10
- Season Passes: Available through lottery
Topsail Beach
Hours of Enforcement: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Hourly: $5
- Daily: $25
- $25 if paid by midnight, $50 first 30 days. $75 if paid after 30 days of the citation.
Wrightsville Beach
Hours of Enforcement 9 a.m. to 6pm, 7 p.m. or 8.p.m depending on location
- Hourly: $5 (though some meters are $3 an hour with one-hour limits)
- Daily: $25
- Weekly: $150
- Fines are $50 if paid within 72 hours, $60 to be paid within a 10-days, and $70 after.