DELMARVA - As September winds down, beachgoers in Delaware and Maryland can finally start to put their parking apps away, for now. The paid parking season is coming to an end in most coastal towns across the region, signaling a shift into the quieter off-season.
Below is a breakdown of when parking enforcement ends for each town and what visitors experienced during the 2025 season:
Lewes
Lewes is one of the few coastal towns where parking enforcement remains active. Paid parking continues through Sept. 30, with rates of $1.50 per hour downtown and $2.50 per hour at the beach. Enforcement runs daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Beach also wraps up paid parking on Sept. 15, keeping its rate at $4 per hour, following a 2024 increase from $3. Although officials considered expanding enforcement through the end of October, they opted to maintain the traditional May 15–Sept. 15 window.
Dewey Beach
Paid parking in Dewey Beach ends Sept. 15, capping off another summer of increased fees. The hourly rate was raised to $4 this year, continuing a trend that started in 2023, when rates rose from $3 to $3.50. The season runs from May 15 through Sept. 15 annually.
Bethany Beach
Bethany Beach’s paid parking season ended Sept. 15, with hourly rates set at $4. Town leaders said the rate increase from $3 was necessary to fund salaries for seasonal employees. Parking enforcement here also follows the May 15–Sept. 15 schedule.
Fenwick Island
Fenwick Island continued to offer slightly lower rates at $3 per hour, with the season ending Sept. 15 as well. The town maintained the same enforcement period as neighboring beach towns: May 15 through Sept. 15.
Ocean City
Ocean City offers the longest and most complex paid parking season in the region. Parking fees are enforced through Oct. 31, with a tiered pricing structure and app-based system.
May 23–Sept. 30: Daily rates are $3.50 per hour, and $4.50 per hour at the Inlet Lot and ocean blocks.
Oct. 1–Oct. 31: Parking is free Monday through Thursday. On Fridays through Sundays, rates drop to $2.50 per hour, or $3.50 at premium locations.
The city is also phasing out most traditional kiosks in favor of a mobile app, with full implementation expected by 2026.