Melrose snow emergency and parking ban rules
Melrose already bans overnight street parking all year. A snow emergency stretches that ban, and the usual overnight exemptions stop. Here is how to stay legal and how to find out first.
Melrose at a glance
- Everyday rule
- No parking on the street overnight, 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. every night
- Who declares it
- Melrose Police declare the snow emergency
- Alerts
- Everbridge by phone, text and email, plus the city website
- In an emergency
- Overnight exemptions are suspended. Cars off every street when the ban starts
- No driveway?
- Residential Overnight Permit for set lots, $30 to $120 a year
- Sidewalks
- Owner is responsible; the city names no deadline or fine
Storm day in Melrose, in order
- BeforeRegister for Everbridge. Know your lot.
- DeclaredPolice announce the ban. Street parking stops on their clock.
- DuringCars stay off all streets. No exemptions.
- LiftedCity announces it by Everbridge and online.
- AfterClear the sidewalk in front of your property.
How a Melrose snow emergency is declared
The Melrose Police Department declares it. In the January 2026 storm the city said: "The Melrose Police Department has declared a snow emergency. NO PARKING is permitted on any streets beginning at 12 p.m. Sunday until the ban is lifted."
On top of the normal overnight ban, the city says a declaration "may extend the hours in which cars must be removed from the roadway." It announces emergency alerts and parking restrictions on its website and through Everbridge.
Source, checked November 2026: Melrose: Preparing for Winter Weather (city notice, Jan 22, 2026)
Get the alert: Everbridge
Melrose uses Everbridge to reach residents by text, phone and email. You can register, and change your registration later, online.
Snow or ice problem? Call DPW at (781) 665-0142 on weekdays, or the Melrose Police non-emergency line at (781) 665-1212 evenings and weekends. Emergencies are 911.
- Register on the city's Everbridge page, linked below.
- Power out or a wire down: National Grid, (800) 465-1212
Source, checked November 2026: Melrose: Everbridge Emergency Alerts; Melrose: Preparing for Winter Weather (city notice, Jan 22, 2026)
The everyday overnight rule
There is no overnight parking on the street in the City of Melrose, and anyone who parks there risks a ticket. The city's February 2026 storm notice put it plainly: "The city's normal overnight parking ban remains in effect from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. every night."
Guest or one-time need, such as a repaved driveway? Ask the Police Department for an exemption. Each resident gets 12 overnight days a year, the license plate on the form must match exactly, and the form is open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. For a multi-day exemption, fill in the form each day. A construction project needing more than 7 days goes to the Police Traffic Office, 781-979-4485.
Source, checked November 2026: Melrose: Parking Office; Melrose: street parking ban notice (Feb 24, 2026); Melrose: Residential Overnight Permit; Melrose Police: Overnight Parking Exemption
Where to park if you have no driveway
The Residential Overnight Permit is for Melrose residents with no off-street parking. It allows parking in certain municipal and commuter rail lots from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. The permit page says cars must be moved by 6 a.m. The police page adds detail: the three commuter rail lots must be empty by 6 a.m., and the other municipal lots switch to their posted time limits at 8 a.m. (the Dills Court lot, the CVS and Shaw's lot, has a 3-hour limit, so out by 11 a.m.). It does not allow overnight on-street parking or all-day parking, and it is not for guests or commercial vehicles.
- City Hall lot
- Field's Court lot
- Friends lot
- Larrabee lot
- Livermore lot
- Municipal lot between Franklin Street and Belmont Street
- East side of Belmont Street and west side of Berwick Street (marked spaces)
- Wyoming, Cedar Park and Highlands commuter rail lots
Source, checked November 2026: Melrose: Residential Overnight Permit; Melrose Police: Overnight Parking Exemption
Overnight permit price by month
The price drops through the year. Every permit expires December 31. Pay at City Hall with cash, money order or a check to the City of Melrose. Cards and third-party checks are not accepted.
| Buy in | Price |
|---|---|
| January to March | $120 |
| April to June | $90 |
| July to September | $60 |
| October to December | $30 |
Source, checked November 2026: Melrose: Residential Overnight Permit; Melrose: Parking Office
Renters, landlords and new cars
Renters
A lease counts as proof of residency for the overnight permit, along with a car registration or a utility bill. The registration must show the car is garaged in Melrose.
Replaced your car?
You can get a replacement permit in the same calendar year. Return the old sticker, or bring the bill of sale and the RMV plate return receipt or new registration.
Guests staying over
The permit is not for guests. Use the police exemption form, and not during a declared ban.
Sticker placement
Display it in the rear window, driver's side. With tinted glass, use the driver's side window.
Source, checked November 2026: Melrose: Residential Overnight Permit
Sidewalks
The city treats and plows public roadways and plows sidewalks next to City properties. It reminds residents and businesses that everyone is responsible for clearing the sidewalk in front of their property, and asks neighbors to help each other.
Public Works plows select sidewalk routes in a heavy storm and publishes route maps for the four sectors of the city. Questions go to Resident Services, 781-665-0142.
Source, checked November 2026: Melrose: Preparing for Winter Weather (city notice, Jan 22, 2026); Melrose: Snow Operations
Trash and recycling in a storm
In the January 2026 storm the city cancelled curbside trash and recycling on Monday and delayed it one day for the rest of the week. Holiday weeks follow the same one-day-late pattern, with Friday collected Saturday. Watch Everbridge and the city site for the call on each storm.
Source, checked November 2026: Melrose: Preparing for Winter Weather (city notice, Jan 22, 2026); Melrose: Curbside Collection guide
Towed or ticketed at 2 a.m.?
- Check the street for signs and that your car is where you left it.
- Call the Melrose Police non-emergency line, (781) 665-1212, which the city lists for evenings and weekends.
- Questions about a parking ticket: the Parking Clerk, 781-979-4144, or the Collector's window on the first floor of City Hall.
- The city pages we read do not publish a tow company or a tow fee. Do not trust a number from a neighbor; ask the police.
Source, checked November 2026: Melrose: Preparing for Winter Weather (city notice, Jan 22, 2026); Melrose: Parking Office
Melrose snow parking questions
Is there overnight parking in Melrose?
No. The city bans street parking from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. every night. Residents without off-street parking can buy a Residential Overnight Permit for set municipal and commuter rail lots.
Who declares a snow emergency in Melrose?
The Melrose Police Department. In the January 2026 storm it declared the emergency and banned parking on every street from noon Sunday until the ban was lifted.
Can I get an overnight parking exemption during a snow emergency?
No. Melrose Police say there are no overnight parking exemptions when a parking ban is in place during emergency situations.
How do I sign up for Melrose alerts?
Register with Everbridge on the City of Melrose website for text, phone and email alerts. You can update the registration online.
How much is the Melrose overnight parking permit?
$120 from January to March, $90 from April to June, $60 from July to September and $30 from October to December. It expires December 31 and is paid at City Hall by cash, money order or check.
How many guest exemptions do I get in Melrose?
Twelve overnight parking days a year. The police form is open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., the plate must match exactly, and a multi-day stay needs a new form each day.
Do I have to shovel my sidewalk in Melrose?
The city says everyone is responsible for clearing the sidewalk in front of their property. The pages we read give no deadline or fine, so we do not state one.
Is Melrose trash pickup delayed after a snowstorm?
It can be. In January 2026 the city cancelled Monday pickup and delayed the rest of the week by one day. Check Everbridge and the city website.
What Melrose does not say
- No residential sidewalk deadline or fine on the city pages we read. We are not quoting the city code because we could not read the current text.
- No tow company or tow fee on the city or police pages.
- No separate list of lots for snow emergencies. The January 2026 ban covered every street, so the permit lots are the published option.
How we checked: Read from the City of Melrose and Melrose Police websites on November 6, 2026. We leave a fact out when we cannot read it on an official page. Spot a change? Text us and we will re-check.
More from the Snow Day Book
Rather not shovel the driveway after the storm?
Reserve your Snow Pass. Pay the $100 deposit to reserve your season pass. Pass holders are plowed first once the snow stops.
Free: text me up to 48 hours before a storm, with my town's parking ban.
A season pass is 12 plows. See prices or pick your town.