How much does apartment parking management cost?

A straight answer for property managers · Updated 2026

In short: self-serve parking software starts around $50/month plus low per-permit fees. Full-service management is custom-priced because it includes labor — patrols, support, signage and towing. The important part: a well-designed program usually pays for itself, and can be revenue-positive, through permit fees.

The two pricing models

1. Self-serve software

If you run parking yourself, you only pay for software. OpenParking, for example, is about $50/month plus roughly $1.50 per monthly permit and $0.35 per guest permit, with volume discounts. No contract, 14-day free trial. Your staff handle signage, enforcement and resident questions.

2. Full-service management

If a team runs it for you, pricing reflects the work involved and is quoted per property. Common structures include a per-unit fee (often in the $10–$20/unit/month range), a flat management fee, or a revenue share of permit and citation income. Which one fits depends on your size and how hands-off you want to be.

What drives the cost

• Property size — number of units and spaces.
• Enforcement intensity — how many patrol hours, and whether overnight coverage is needed.
• Scope — signage, towing coordination, guest parking and resident support all add value (and cost) versus software alone.
• Billing model — whether the operator collects from residents or the property pays a fee.

Does it actually cost the property anything?

Frequently, very little. In revenue-share and resident-billed models, the permit fees residents pay cover the program, so the property gains managed parking and often net revenue rather than a new expense. Enforcement adds to this: roughly one in three citations converts into a paid permit, compounding the recurring revenue. Try the revenue calculator to estimate your numbers.

Bottom line

Cheapest on paper is self-serve software. Best value for a hands-off property is full-service, because the labor it replaces (and the compliance it drives) usually outweighs the fee. Compare both side by side, or get a custom quote.