City of Ottawa Parking Card

The City of Ottawa introduces a $25 and $50 rechargeable parking card which can be used to pay for parking at parking meters in the City of Ottawa.

NOTE:  a $10.00 one time administration fee is applicable. 

1. Insert and push the card into the angled parking meter slot. Ensure that the gold chip is inserted on the left side of the slot (face down).
2. The parking meter will display the dollar value on the card.
3. After a few seconds, time will be added to the parking meter in 10 minute intervals, until the card is removed.
4. NOTE the MAXIMUM time limit at the parking meter before the card is inserted. Meters may have a one hour limit (grey top) or a two hour limit (green top). Remove the card when the desired parking time limit is obtained or the MAXIMUM time limit is achieved at the parking meter.
5. Each time 10 minutes is added to the parking meter, the parking card will debit 0.25 cents from the dollar value previously displayed.
6. When your card has no more money left on it, return the card to the distribution point and purchase a new card.

Cards may be purchased at:

• Ottawa City Hall (Client Service Centre, City Hall Client Service Centre
  110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1
• Byward Market Information Kiosk
• Bank of Nova Scotia locations: 
• 186 Bank Street 
• 366 Elgin Street 
• 117 Rideau Street
• 118 Sparks Street
• Royal Bank, at the following locations:
  • 99 Bank Street
  • 745 Bank Street
  • 1535 Bank Street
  • 1309 Carling Avenue
  • 117 Centrepointe Drive
  • 211 Centrum Boulevard
  • 200 Elgin Street
  • 500 Hazeldean Road
  • 303 Moodie Drive
  • 90 Sparks Street
  • 1930 St. Laurent Boulevard
  • 125 Sussex Drive
  • 1145 Wellington Street

What should I do if my Parking Card does not work?

If your card does not work, please bring the card to Ottawa City Hall or one of the City's Client Service Centres. There, you will need to hand in your card to a Client Service Representative who will then send it to Parking Operations for verification. A Parking Operations representative will then reimburse you for the remaining value on your card. Reimbursements are provided in the form of parking meter tokens or in a letter of credit that can be put towards your next Parking Card purchase.

It is not possible for Client Service Representatives to reimburse you for the amount of money left on your card. They do not have the appropriate technology to verify the amount of money left on your Parking Card. If you wish to have a replacement card immediately, you must purchase a new card for $25.00 or $50.00. In this case, no $10.00 administration fee is required.
 

What do the different codes mean?

• ERFD, ERFC
  These codes may indicate that your Parking Card needs to be repaired if the code appears on several different meters. If it only appears on one meter, the meter’s card reader is defective. To avoid receiving a parking ticket, please make payment using coins or park at another space. Please record the meter number and call 580-2400 to report it.
• ERFE, ERFA, ERF0, ER40 and ER70
  These codes indicate that the card reader in the meter is defective. The card reader in the meter is unable to read the data inscribed on your card. To avoid receiving a parking ticket, please make payment using coins or park at another space. Please record the meter number and call 580-2400 to report it.
• ERF3
  The error code ERF3 indicates that the chip on your parking card is damaged. You need to return the card to a Client Service Centre.  To avoid receiving a parking ticket, please make payment using coins or park at another space.