For more than three years now, bikers have been prohibited from parking in the city parking garages. The reason for this restriction is so that Charleston can limit any possible motorcycle liabilities. Specifically, the city of Charleston fears that motorcyclists won’t be seen around the sharp corners that garages are so famous for.

Unfortunately, these restrictions limit motorcycle parking options drastically. If you’ve ever tried parking downtown, you know how difficult it can be—especially in busy commercial areas. There are, however, a handful of metered lots located near King Street and Market Street—these lots can be found as black or grey squares on the City of Charleston Parking Guide.

Motorcyclists and motor vehicle drivers, alike, can now use a new system call SmartCard, which enables them to use prepaid cards to pay metered spots.

And a little side note for motorcyclists in Charleston, according to the Municode Section 19-256, the city allows up to 6 motorcycles in each metered spot, so long as all the vehicles are parked within the boundaries of the space.

Have you had issues parking your motorcycle in Charleston?