City of San Jose Clean Air (parking) Permit

[kishkaru]

The City of San Jose has a Clean Air Program which provides a Clean Air Parking Permit to park for free in any city operated parking meters and specific parking garages downtown. There's a post about this from a very long time ago and I figure I bring it up again since the program has since changed slightly.

City of San Jose Clean Air Program
Clean Air Parking Permit Application

To obtain this parking permit, you must either:

1a) Have your vehicle registered in the city of San Jose (Provide a copy of vehicle registration), or
1b) Purchase your vehicle from any dealer in San Jose. (Provide a copy of bill of sale)
And:
2) Your vehicle must qualify for the CA HOV sticker. Currently, this means colors: Red (2018), Purple (2019), Orange (2020), Blue (2021)
And:
3) Pay a $37 application fee.

Note: For 1b), I'm not sure if all Tesla's qualify since they don't have "dealers" in San Jose, and ship directly from the factory in Fremont. I qualified via 1a).
Note: For 2), you only need to qualify for the HOV sticker, not possess one. I still don't have mine yet (DMV backlog).

Perks of the Clean Air Permit:

• Free parking at all City of San Jose parking meters.
• Free parking at all City of San Jose parks and recreation facilities.
• Free parking at 4 selected City-owned parking garages:
  • Second & San Carlos St. Garage (280 S. Second St)
  • Market & San Pedro Square Garage (45 N. Market St)
  • Third Street Garage (95 N. Third Street)
  • Fourth Street Garage (44 S. Fourth St)
• All 4 of the garages above have Chargepoint EV chargers.
  • $1.25 per session and $0.25 per kWh during the day
  • $1.25 per session and $0.20 per kWh overnight (9:30 p.m. – 8:30 a.m.)
  • You can stay parked up to 72 hours without moving the vehicle (could be useful for charging, or staying plugged-in)

Using the Clean Air Permit:

• Display the Clean Air Parking Permit when parked at a parking meter, garage, or facility/park.
• For parking garages, you must visit the cashier to get parking validated before exiting. Although I'm not sure how this is supposed to be done, given the parking permit must be attached to the windshield. Are we supposed to remove it every time for validation? Or maybe they look you up and validate via license plate?

Whether this parking permit is worth it to you depends on how often you visit downtown San Jose. I live near downtown, so all my errands require parking meter use, which adds up quickly over time. It also relieves the stress of having to touch/feed a parking meter each time. The program is currently set to expire 6/30/21, but likely will be extended as it has been in the past.

 

[lnguyen28]

My car is tesla model Y and purchased new in 2021 from Tesla Com/Dealership in Fremont and I live in Milpitas. Am I qualify for this program?
Thanks,

 

[Russell]

My car is tesla model Y and purchased new in 2021 from Tesla Com/Dealership in Fremont and I live in Milpitas. Am I qualify for this program?
Thanks,

To be eligible, your car needs to be either purchased in San Jose or registered in San Jose.

 

[RitaJ]

The City of San Jose has a Clean Air Program which provides a Clean Air Parking Permit to park for free in any city operated parking meters and specific parking garages downtown. There's a post about this from a very long time ago and I figure I bring it up again since the program has since changed slightly.

City of San Jose Clean Air Program
Clean Air Parking Permit Application

To obtain this parking permit, you must either:

1a) Have your vehicle registered in the city of San Jose (Provide a copy of vehicle registration), or
1b) Purchase your vehicle from any dealer in San Jose. (Provide a copy of bill of sale)
And:
2) Your vehicle must qualify for the CA HOV sticker. Currently, this means colors: Red (2018), Purple (2019), Orange (2020), Blue (2021)
And:
3) Pay a $37 application fee.

Note: For 1b), I'm not sure if all Tesla's qualify since they don't have "dealers" in San Jose, and ship directly from the factory in Fremont. I qualified via 1a).
Note: For 2), you only need to qualify for the HOV sticker, not possess one. I still don't have mine yet (DMV backlog).

Perks of the Clean Air Permit:

• Free parking at all City of San Jose parking meters.
• Free parking at all City of San Jose parks and recreation facilities.
• Free parking at 4 selected City-owned parking garages:
  • Second & San Carlos St. Garage (280 S. Second St)
  • Market & San Pedro Square Garage (45 N. Market St)
  • Third Street Garage (95 N. Third Street)
  • Fourth Street Garage (44 S. Fourth St)
• All 4 of the garages above have Chargepoint EV chargers.
  • $1.25 per session and $0.25 per kWh during the day
  • $1.25 per session and $0.20 per kWh overnight (9:30 p.m. – 8:30 a.m.)
  • You can stay parked up to 72 hours without moving the vehicle (could be useful for charging, or staying plugged-in)

Using the Clean Air Permit:

• Display the Clean Air Parking Permit when parked at a parking meter, garage, or facility/park.
• For parking garages, you must visit the cashier to get parking validated before exiting. Although I'm not sure how this is supposed to be done, given the parking permit must be attached to the windshield. Are we supposed to remove it every time for validation? Or maybe they look you up and validate via license plate?

Whether this parking permit is worth it to you depends on how often you visit downtown San Jose. I live near downtown, so all my errands require parking meter use, which adds up quickly over time. It also relieves the stress of having to touch/feed a parking meter each time. The program is currently set to expire 6/30/21, but likely will be extended as it has been in the past.

So how about dates after 06/21?
Is it still eligible to apply for any Tesla?
Any expiration date after getting this permit?

 

[Russell]

So how about dates after 06/21?
Is it still eligible to apply for any Tesla?
Any expiration date after getting this permit?

The program has been extended until 6/30/22.
Any EV is eligible.
When the program finally ends. I got my permit nearly 3yrs ago and they keep extending the program.

Clean Air Program - ParkSJ

Breath easy and park for free Clean Air Permit Parking Program ends in July 2022 Click for more details Program benefits Those displaying a valid Clean Air Permit, which shows they have met the eligibility and paid a $40 fee – have the following benefits in San Jose: Park free at all City of...

parksj.org

 

[hellnoICE]

Does anyone know if the program has been or will be extended after June 30, 2022?
I use it and it's extremely convenient.

 

[Cheetos]

Does anybody know if they plan to extend this program after June 30th?

 

[kishkaru]

Instead of asking here, you guys can call the City DOT directly and ask? The phone number is listed on the application.
Post the response here so others can benefit.

 

[kishkaru]

Got an email today from the City of SJ, the program is discontinued as of 6/30/22:

June 15, 2022

- NOTICE -

Clean Air Vehicle Permit Holder;

This notice is to inform you that the City’s Clean Air Vehicle Parking Permit Program will not
be extended beyond the current annual term ending June 30, 2022.

Originally implemented in 2001 and extended each year at the discretion of the Director of the
Department of Transportation (DOT), the program was designed to encourage early adoption and
purchase of clean air vehicles in San José by providing free parking at city parking facilities and
on-street parking meters.

Staff made a recommendation to City Council on June 14, 2022 to sunset the program at the end
of the current term (June 30, 2022), which was unanimously approved by Council.

Please note that the City does offer a period of free parking to all customers (90 minutes)
regardless of vehicle type when parking at select downtown garages. For more information,
please visit our parking website at www.parksj.org.

If you have any questions, please email the parking division of DOT at [email protected].

 

[Russell]

One of the reasons the city decided to end the program...

• The City's equity efforts do not support a subsidy program tied to buying a premium product ($56,000 average price for a new zero emission vehicle).

Transportation News | City of San José

 

[kishkaru]

Wasn't that always the case from Day 1 though?
$56,000 in 2022 was equivalent to $33,900 in 2001 when the program first started. I'm sure most EVs and Hybrids that were available back then cost more than that.

Providing a subsidy program tied to the purchase of a premium product ($56,000 average
price for a new zero emission vehicle) is not in alignment with the City’s overall equity
efforts

seem more of a cop-out. They don't want the far left to see the City have any polices that benefit the "other". And its not like the Parking Permit was free, we paid for the parking upfront.
The New-vehicle Average Transaction Price is now $47,000 as of May 2022. This isn't far off from the "premium product" they consider.

In any case, the City has long lost its draw for families, especially in the last few years with its policies (and lack thereof).
I moved out of SJ late last year and won't ever look back. This gig was good while it lasted.