Inverness has no low-emission zone, so a foreign car registers nothing. The thing that costs visitors is the council's £100 Penalty Charge Notice (£50 if paid within 14 days), and a pavement-parked car can be towed for another £150.
How I'd park: one night or less, Rose Street multi-storey at £5 for ten hours. Heading on to Loch Ness or Skye, Torvean Park and Ride on the A82, where cars are invited, not made, to pay.
Parking in Inverness: Inverness: £3 for two hours, £12 a day under a roof
1. Use Rose Street for anything over two hours
Rose Street is the council's big multi-storey, open 24 hours, pay on exit by card or cash. The council's car park record (updated April 2026) gives £3 up to 2 hours, £3.50 for 4, £4 for 6, £5 for 10, £5.50 for 12, then a jump: £10 for 18 hours, £12 for 24, and £10 for each further day. Height limit 2.03 m. Public parking is on levels 3 to 10.
2. Don't trust the older Rose Street page
An older council page still shows the April 2023 prices: £2 for two hours, £9 for 24. A 2024 council tariff sheet gives £9 for 24 hours too. The April 2026 record is the newest of the three, so I'd budget £12 a night.
3. Pick Cathedral or Council HQ all day
West of the river, Cathedral car park (72 spaces) and Council HQ car park (200 spaces) both charge £3 up to 4 hours, £4 up to 10, £5 up to 24, every day, around the clock. That's £7 cheaper than Rose Street for a full day, and Council HQ explicitly allows campervans.
4. Treat the centre as short stay
Raining Stairs is £3 for up to 3 hours, 08:00–18:00 every day, and you can't stay longer. Kerb bays such as Castle Street are £2 an hour, £3 for two, Monday to Saturday 08:00–18:00. Each bay has a Ringo zone number on the council record; Ringo's own fees are unpublished, so I'd use the machine.
5. Know Eastgate's hours before you use it
The Eastgate Shopping Centre car park starts at £3.50 for up to 4 hours and climbs to £15 for 24. It closes at 19:00 Monday to Saturday (last car in at 18:00), card only, height 2.10 m. Good for shopping, wrong for a night.
The classic mistake is two wheels on the pavement on a narrow street. It's illegal here, and the council can tow for it.
Car parks worth knowing
| Car park | Price | Height | EV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rose Street multi-storey (council)Railway Terrace, IV1 1NQ, opposite the bus station. Open 24/7, pay on exit (cash or card); public levels 3–10 | Council record, updated April 2026: £3 up to 2 h, £3.50 4 h, £4 6 h, £5 10 h, £5.50 12 h, £10 18 h, £12 24 h, then £10 a day. Height 2.03 m. An older council page still shows the 2023 rates (£2 for 2 h, £9 for 24 h). | 2.03 m | Ground floors reserved for contract parking and Tesla charging; not open to the public. |
| Cathedral (council)15 Bishops Road, IV3 5SB, west bank; 72 spaces; charged 24 h, every day | £3 up to 4 h, £4 up to 10 h, £5 up to 24 h; max 24 h. Height not published. | not published | Not published. |
| Council HQ (council)Glenurquhart Road, IV3 5NU (also from Bishops Road); 200 spaces; charged 24 h, every day; campervans allowed | £3 up to 4 h, £4 up to 10 h, £5 up to 24 h; max 24 h. Height not published. | not published | Not published. |
| Raining Stairs (council)Ardconnel Street, IV2 3AD, above the centre; 78 spaces; charged 08:00–18:00 every day | £3 up to 3 h, max stay 3 h. Ringo zone 23451. | not published | Not published. |
| Portland Place (council)Portland Place, IV1 1NB; 21 spaces; charged 24 h, every day | £3 up to 2 h, £4 up to 10 h, £5 up to 24 h. | not published | Not published. |
| Eastgate Shopping CentreEntrances from Millburn Road (level 1) and Crown Road (level 3). Mon–Sat 07:30–19:00, Sun 09:00–18:00, last entry 18:00; cashless | £3.50 up to 4 h, £4 6 h, £5 10 h, £6 12 h, £10 18 h, £15 24 h. Height 2.10 m. | 2.1 m | None listed here; the chargers are in the Falcon Gallery car park. |
| Falcon Gallery (Eastgate)Entrance from Millburn Road, by Morrisons. Open 06:00–21:00 every day | Tariff not published separately. Height 2.10 m. | not published | Level 2: 4 × 25 kW DC and 2 × 22 kW AC, 60p per kWh plus the parking fee, contactless. |
The cheapest way to park, by how long you stay
| If you stay | Cheapest | Cost | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours in the centre | Torvean Park and Ride (invitation to pay) | Free | The council record lists £3 for 4 h and £5 for 24 h but labels them "invitation to pay"; its campervan page calls day parking free with voluntary donations. Bus 16 to the centre in about 5 minutes, £2 fare cap pilot. A July 2026 draft order lists Torvean as pay and display; whether it was made is unpublished. Max 24 h, no return within 72 h. |
| …and the cheapest central garage | Rose Street multi-storey (council) | £3 ≈ €3.6 | height 2.03 m · £12 for 24 h; £10 each extra day |
| …and the kerb, for comparison | Kerb, Castle Street (2 h) | £3 ≈ €3.6 | Council record for Castle Street: £2 up to 1 hour, £3 up to 2, Mon–Sat 08:00–18:00. Some bays allow only 1 hour (Church Street, Hill Place). Ringo zone numbers are listed; Ringo's fees are unpublished. A PCN is £100, £50 within 14 days. |
| A full day (10 h) | Torvean Park and Ride (invitation to pay) | Free | The council record lists £3 for 4 h and £5 for 24 h but labels them "invitation to pay"; its campervan page calls day parking free with voluntary donations. Bus 16 to the centre in about 5 minutes, £2 fare cap pilot. A July 2026 draft order lists Torvean as pay and display; whether it was made is unpublished. Max 24 h, no return within 72 h. |
| …and the cheapest central garage | Cathedral (council) | £4 ≈ €4.8 | |
| 24 hours | Torvean Park and Ride (invitation to pay) | Free | The council record lists £3 for 4 h and £5 for 24 h but labels them "invitation to pay"; its campervan page calls day parking free with voluntary donations. Bus 16 to the centre in about 5 minutes, £2 fare cap pilot. A July 2026 draft order lists Torvean as pay and display; whether it was made is unpublished. Max 24 h, no return within 72 h. |
| …and the cheapest central garage | Cathedral (council) | £5 ≈ €6.0 |
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Towed in Inverness: Pavements cost £250 in Inverness
1. Keep all four wheels off the pavement
The council says parking on pavements, at dropped kerbs or more than 50 cm out from the kerb is against the law. You can get a PCN, and the car "might be uplifted", which costs £150.
2. Pay the ticket inside 14 days
A Highland PCN is £100, cut to £50 if you pay within 14 days of issue. Pay online or on the automated line, 0343 224 1888. Towed off a pavement and paid late, that's £150 plus £100: £250, before any storage.
3. Ring Parking Services if the car's gone
The council publishes no car pound address, no storage fee and no opening hours. Call Parking Services on 01463 239786 (Rose Street offices). With a hire car, I'd ring the rental firm too.
I'd rather pay £5 at Cathedral than test the uplift.
If your car has disappeared
- Who took it
- The Highland Council, which enforces parking itself (decriminalised parking enforcement) and has powers to remove vehicles; it says a car parked on a pavement or dropped kerb "might be uplifted"
- Phone
- Highland Council Parking Services, Rose Street car park offices: 01463 239786
Automated PCN payment line: 0343 224 1888 - Collect it at
- No car pound address is published. Parking Services is at the Rose Street Multi-Storey Car Park Offices, Faraline Park; ring them first.
- Hours
- Not published.
- What it costs
- Uplift £150 (council pavement-parking page). PCN £100, £50 if paid within 14 days. Storage fee unpublished. Pavement tow plus a late-paid PCN: £250.
- Bring
- Not listed by the council. I'd bring a passport, driving licence and the registration document; with a hire car, ring the rental company first.
EV charging in Inverness: Highland chargers at 70p, Eastgate at 60p
1. Learn the council's two prices
Highland Council's public chargers cost 70p per kWh on journey chargers (43–50 kW) and 35p on destination chargers (7–22 kW), minimum £1. The council says signage is still being updated.
2. Move after 45 minutes
On journey chargers overstay is £1 a minute after 45 minutes, up to £30, and a parking attendant can add a £30 PCN. Destination chargers have no overstay fee.
3. Charge on Falcon Gallery level 2
The Eastgate centre's Falcon Gallery car park has four 25 kW DC and two 22 kW AC points, 60p per kWh plus the parking fee, contactless. It opens 06:00–21:00 every day.
Rose Street's chargers are on the ground floors, reserved for contract and Tesla users, so I wouldn't plan on them.
Where to charge
- Highland Council chargers — Council-run public chargers across Highland; tariff also on ChargePlace Scotland. Journey (43–50 kW) 70p/kWh, destination (7–22 kW) 35p/kWh, £1 minimum. Journey overstay £1 a minute after 45 minutes, max £30, plus a possible £30 PCN
- Falcon Gallery car park — 6 points — Falcon Gallery, level 2, open 06:00–21:00. 4 × 25 kW DC, 2 × 22 kW AC, 60p per kWh plus parking, contactless
- Culloden Battlefield car park — Culloden, car park 08:00–18:00. One 22 kW post; price not published
Free parking in Inverness: Torvean, Sundays and two free hotel car parks
1. Leave the car at Torvean Park and Ride
Torvean Park and Ride has 160 spaces beside the A82. The council record lists £3 for 4 hours, £5 for 24 but labels it "invitation to pay", and its campervan page calls day parking free with voluntary donations. Council bus 16 runs to the centre in about five minutes under Transport Scotland's £2 fare cap pilot. A July 2026 draft order lists Torvean as pay and display; whether it's been made is unpublished.
2. Sleep at Torvean in a campervan
Fifteen marked bays take motorhomes overnight, 22:00–08:00, £10 for 24 hours, no return within 72 hours, no toilets. A 7-day Highland campervan permit is £40. Citylink 917 to Skye and 919 to Fort William stop there.
3. Park on the street on Sunday
Council kerb bays charge Monday to Saturday only, so Sunday is free unless the sign says otherwise. Raining Stairs and Rose Street charge every day.
4. Stay where parking is free
Premier Inn Inverness East says free on-site parking. Travelodge Inverness, on the A96 at Stonyfield, says limited free parking, first come, first served. Neither mentions charging.
Every price here was checked on 13 November 2026 against council pages.
Free or nearly-free spots
Torvean Park and Ride: pay if you like
Day parking is described by the council as free with voluntary donations; the record calls the £3–£5 tariff an invitation to pay. Bus 16 into town under the £2 fare cap pilot.
Sundays on council kerb bays
Council on-street bays such as Castle Street charge Monday to Saturday only. Check the sign.
Urquhart Castle: free, but book it
Historic Environment Scotland says parking is free but limited, guaranteed only when added to an online ticket booking.
Culloden: free for NTS members
Non-members pay and display (price unpublished); members park free.
Hotels and their parking
- Premier Inn Inverness East — Inverness East (address not given on the hotel page) Map. Its own page: free on-site parking; no charging mentioned
- Travelodge Inverness — Stonyfield, A96 Inverness Road, IV2 7PA Map. Its own page: limited free parking, first come, first served; no charging mentioned
⚠ The small print on 'free' parking
- Inverness has no low-emission zone. Scotland's four LEZs are Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, so check them if your route continues south.
- Parking on a pavement, at a dropped kerb or more than 50 cm from the kerb is illegal; the council can issue a PCN and uplift the car for £150.
- Rose Street prices disagree between council pages: the April 2026 record says £12 for 24 h, an older page £9 (2023 rates). I use the newest.
- Eastgate car park closes at 19:00 Monday to Saturday (last entry 18:00) and takes no cash or American Express.
- Motorhomes at Torvean: 15 overnight bays, 22:00–08:00, £10 for 24 h, no return within 72 h, no toilets. A 7-day Highland campervan permit is £40. Urquhart Castle takes motorhomes of 4.5–6 m only by online booking.
- Rose Street (2.03 m) and Eastgate (2.10 m) have height limits; a roof box is safer at Torvean or Council HQ, whose heights are unpublished.
Take these places with you
Every place on this page as a file you can keep — car parks with their prices, the free and park-and-ride spots, the chargers and the pound.