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Complete parking guide to Martha's Vineyard: free lots, time limits, beach stickers, ferry lots, park-and-ride strategy, EV charging, and how to avoid the 4,500+ tickets written every summer.
Martha's Vineyard has no parking meters and almost no paid municipal lots. That sounds good until you learn that time-limit enforcement writes thousands of tickets every summer. Oak Bluffs alone issues roughly 4,500 parking tickets per year, nearly half of all tickets on the island.
The real cost of parking here is tickets, not meters, and you get them by not knowing the rules. This guide covers every parking area in all six towns, plus mainland ferry lots, EV charging, and park-and-ride strategy, all verified for 2026.
Filmed May 2026
For a complete transportation overview, pair this with our car-free Martha's Vineyard guide.
Table of contents [Show]
Edgartown has the most aggressive parking enforcement on the island. From mid-May through mid-October, seasonal Community Service Officers patrol on foot, while reserve officers patrol by bike and cruiser.
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Street parking time limit | 1 hour (summer) |
| Lot parking time limit | 2 hours (summer) |
| Overnight ban | 2:00 AM – 5:00 AM, year-round |
| Overtime fine | $25 |
| Overnight fine | $30 |
| Accessible-space violation | $100 |
The small municipal lot on Church Street, one block off Main Street next to the Old Whaling Church, is free but limited to 2 hours in summer. It doubles as the downtown VTA bus hub and houses the only public restroom in Edgartown. Roughly 20–30 spaces, fills early on summer mornings.
The Church Street shelter: the downtown VTA hub, the town’s only public restrooms, and the two-hour lot behind it that fills early on summer mornings.
On-street parking only (no lot). Standard 1-hour street limit applies in summer. This road is also the approach route for the Chappy Ferry. Vehicles turn right onto Simpson's Lane to reach the Daggett Street ferry line.
The commercial intersection near the Edgartown Post Office and Edgartown Pizza has free, longer-duration parking with a roughly 10-minute walk to Main Street. The Edgartown School parking lot on Robinson Road works as informal overflow. Walk through the cemetery to reach downtown.
This is the Edgartown lot to use.
Park here, take the free bus downtown, spend the day without watching a timer. Route #11 is always free regardless of VTA's general fare status.
Public parking lot on the stone wharf adjacent to the Chappy Ferry slip at 53 Dock Street. Time-limited. No dedicated Chappy Ferry parking on the Edgartown side; the vehicle line forms on Daggett Street and extends onto Simpson's Lane. A parking lot exists on the Chappaquiddick side where visitors can park and walk back to town.
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Oak Bluffs issues the most parking tickets on the island, roughly 4,500 per year. All current public parking is free time-limited street parking (no meters, no paid lots). In September 2025 the town voted to start permitting a paid lot at 0 Uncas Avenue; we have not confirmed that it has opened. Call Oak Bluffs Town Hall to confirm.
The free parking that fills first: angled spaces on a residential street running down to the Sound, a short walk from the town beaches. Read the time-limit signs; this is the town that writes the tickets.
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Street parking limit | 2 hours (summer) |
| Enforcement hours | Until 8:00 PM |
| Overtime fine | $20 |
| Overnight violation | $25 |
| Illegal beach parking | $50 |
| Accessible-space violation | $100 |
There is no parking at the Oak Bluffs Steamship Authority Terminal (1 Seaview Avenue). The SSA FAQ explicitly states this. If you're arriving with a car via ferry, don't expect terminal parking. Find street parking elsewhere in town.
The Oak Bluffs Steamship terminal on Seaview Avenue: drop-off and pick-up only, no parking.
Free on-street parking along Ocean Avenue and Seaview Avenue, 2-hour limit in summer. No formal lots. Overnight parking reportedly possible in some areas along Ocean Park and nearby residential streets (Massasoit Avenue near the Catholic church), but ask locally to avoid tickets.
Ocean Park from the front seat of a VTA bus in September: the free two-hour spaces run along Ocean Avenue with the park on one side and the cottages on the other. In July they are gone by ten.
Parallel parking on the lower section (converted from diagonal in 2022) and diagonal parking on the upper section. Standard 2-hour limit. Lake Avenue gained ~12 angled spots during the 2022 streetscape project, worth checking if Circuit is full.
Free on-street parking along Seaview Avenue is your access for Inkwell Beach and the waterfront. No dedicated lot. Walkable from the ferry terminal.
Seaview Avenue toward the terminal in summer, cars along both sides: the free on-street spaces that serve Inkwell Beach.
Unlike Edgartown and Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs has no dedicated park-and-ride lot. A 2015 plan was never implemented. The major VTA hub is at Ocean Park; Route #13 (Edgartown–OB–Vineyard Haven via Beach Road) is the most useful connector.
Tisbury (Vineyard Haven) has the most relaxed parking enforcement of the three down-island towns. The town was debating tougher bylaws as of July 2025. Check local news before visiting.
This is the only real long-term parking on Martha's Vineyard.
Tisbury Park and Ride sign at the Public Works entrance in Vineyard Haven.
If you're camping at Martha's Vineyard Family Campground or staying at an Airbnb without dedicated parking, this is where you leave your car.
The Vineyard Haven Steamship Authority terminal allows drop-off and pick-up only. Long-term parking spaces are limited to medical emergencies with Terminal Manager approval and documentation. Don't plan to leave your car there.
The Stop and Shop lot near Five Corners, the busiest stretch of downtown Vineyard Haven.
Main Street, Water Street, and Union Street have 1–2 hour time-limited street parking. Less aggressively enforced than Edgartown or Oak Bluffs, but tickets still happen. Vineyard Haven restaurants now pour beer, wine and cocktails (the old BYOB era ended years ago), but the town still has no liquor store: buy retail bottles in Edgartown or Oak Bluffs.
The island's most notorious intersection: five streets converging immediately off the ferry with no traffic light, only stop signs. No dedicated public parking. Summer congestion is significant. MassDOT began studying redesign options in 2023. Avoid driving through Five Corners in peak summer hours if you can.
Small free parking lot and on-street spots near the harbor, walking distance from downtown and the ferry. Provides access to Owen Park Beach. A good alternative when Main Street is full.
The Stop and Shop lot at 50 Water Street is private customer parking. Using it while visiting downtown risks a violation. Stick to municipal parking.
The upper overlook parking area at Aquinnah Circle provides free short-term parking with a 30-minute time limit. A police officer enforces this in summer. Enough for the cliffs, the shops and a snack. The town was considering extending to 90 minutes as of 2022. Confirm with Aquinnah Town Hall (508-645-2300).
The lower lot on Moshup Trail charges $35 per day, credit card only (the MV Land Bank confirms the flat rate). Payment is card-only since 2020.
The beach itself is free to access. You're paying for parking convenience. Walk-ins and cyclists enter free.
The small free lot on Basin Road near the harbor and fish markets is approximately 75–78 legal public spaces per the Chilmark Police Chief. Reports indicate a 2-hour time limit actively enforced with ticketing by two traffic officers during the day and a regular officer during sunset hours.
Sunset strategy: The lot fills 1–2 hours before sunset. North Road is closed to parking from 4–9 PM daily in summer. Use the satellite shuttle lot on Tabor House Road (~70 vehicles) with free intermittent VTA shuttle to the harbor, or take VTA Route #4 directly. See our guide to sunset spots on Martha's Vineyard.
No paid lots and no meters. Alley's General Store has informal free parking. The town is rural and parking is generally not an issue outside beach areas.
| Beach | Parking | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| South Beach (Katama) | FREE year-round, hundreds of spaces | No dogs, no permits needed |
| State Beach (Joseph Sylvia) | FREE roadside, ~500 spaces | No dogs Apr 1–Aug 31 |
| Inkwell Beach / OB Town Beach | FREE street parking (Seaview Ave) | Limited, arrive early |
| Owen Park Beach (VH) | FREE small lot + street | ADA accessible |
| Eastville Beach | FREE small lot | No fee, popular fishing |
| Moshup Beach (Aquinnah) | $35/day | Credit card only, free walk-in |
| Lambert's Cove | WT sticker required | Jun 15–mid-Sep, 7 AM–5 PM |
| Lucy Vincent (Chilmark) | Chilmark sticker required | Jun 1–Sep 15, 9 AM–7 PM |
| Squibnocket (Chilmark) | Chilmark sticker required | Jun 15–Labor Day, 9 AM–5 PM |
| Long Point | $25/carload, advance reservation | Free walk-in, library passes available |
| Norton Point OSV | $60/day non-MV, $30/day MV-registered | 4WD only, 15 PSI tires |
| Lobsterville Beach | Residential permit only | Effectively inaccessible by car for non-residents |
Passes are purchased at the West Tisbury Parks and Rec Shed at the school, open daily 9 AM–noon with Friday/Saturday evening hours. Not available online.
Lot holds ~35 spaces for 1,100+ sticker holders. Arrive early. Read our Lambert's Cove guide for full beach details.
Advance daily passes required: tickets are NOT sold on-site. Tickets release every Wednesday morning at tickets.thetrustees.org for the following Saturday–Friday. For free vehicle entry, check out a library pass (the Edgartown, Vineyard Haven, West Tisbury and Chilmark libraries hold them). With a library pass you do not need a reservation, per the Trustees.
Managed by Edgartown Parks and Beaches since April 2023 (not the Trustees anymore).
You can't park at the Woods Hole Steamship Authority terminal; all passengers use off-site satellite lots with free shuttle service. See our complete ferry guide for booking strategy, and if you're crossing with a rental truck, the moving-truck ferry guide covers where to leave one in Falmouth.
| Lot | Address | Capacity | Shuttle Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer Avenue | 286 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth | ~490 spaces | 15–20 min |
| Thomas B. Landers | 22 Technology Park Drive, East Falmouth | ~1,900 spaces | ~30 min |
| Cataumet | Route 28A, Cataumet | Overflow | Varies |
The SSA's posted 2026 rates match the table above ($25 a day April through October, $20 in winter). Always verify the current rate before parking. The new $37 million Woods Hole terminal building opened in June 2026; site work continues into 2027, so expect some congestion.
| Ferry | Parking | Peak Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hy-Line (Hyannis) | On-site at 220 Ocean Street | $30/day peak, $10–15/day off-season |
| Hy-Line off-site | 183 Iyannough Road | $20/day peak with free shuttle |
| Seastreak (New Bedford) | Valet at State Pier | $30/day ($40 holidays) |
| Seastreak budget lot | Whale's Tooth, 532 Acushnet Ave | $15/day, shuttle listed as free (2026) |
| Island Queen (Falmouth) | 75 Falmouth Heights Rd | $20/day, cash only |
The island has approximately 34 charging stations, overwhelmingly Level 2 (18–28 miles of range per hour). Only 3 DC Fast Chargers exist on the island, all at the Chilmark Fire/EMS Complex (399 Middle Road).
There is no Tesla Supercharger on Martha's Vineyard. The nearest are in Hyannis/Mashpee on the mainland. One Tesla Destination Charger (L2) exists at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown for guests.
Download PlugShare for real-time availability. Many municipal stations were transitioning from free to paid in 2023–2024.
The park-and-ride lot filling up, seen from aboard a VTA bus.
Martha's Vineyard's two dedicated park-and-ride lots solve most parking problems:
| Lot | Cost | VTA Route | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgartown Dark Woods Rd | Free | #11 | Downtown Edgartown (~8 min) |
| Tisbury High Point Lane | Free 3 days, $2/day after | #10 | VH SSA Terminal (~5 min) |
Both shuttle routes are always free regardless of VTA's general fare status. Combine with the fare-free VTA Routes #13 (beach road), #4 (Menemsha), #5 (Aquinnah), and #8 (South Beach) for full-island coverage without another dollar spent on parking or transit.
Heading up toward Five Corners: cars nosed in along the shops, a walker on the shoulder, the stop sign ahead.
On a storm tide the parking question becomes a driving question. Five Corners on September 26, 2026: detour sign out, cars waiting their turn and one pushing a wake toward the harbor. On a flood-warning day, go around the corner or wait out the high tide.
Each town enforces parking through its own police department. All tickets are processed centrally by the Martha's Vineyard Parking Clerk at 9 Airport Road, Vineyard Haven. Pay online via the Dukes County Parking Portal, by mail, or in person. Unpaid tickets block Massachusetts RMV registration renewals.
Evening in Oak Bluffs, the spaces full: the two-hour limit is the meter here.
| Town | Overtime | Overnight | Accessible space |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgartown | $25 | $30 | $100 |
| Oak Bluffs | $20 | $25 | $100 |
| Vineyard Haven | $25 | None | $100 |
| Chilmark | $30 | None | $100 |
| Aquinnah | $25 | $50 | $100 |
| West Tisbury | $10 | $15 | $100 |
Towing is uncommon for routine violations. It primarily happens during events (Oak Bluffs Fireworks Night), in blocked fire lanes, or on private property. Routine overtime rarely leads to towing.
There is no public overnight RV parking anywhere on Martha's Vineyard. The only option is Martha's Vineyard Family Campground on Edgartown Road in Vineyard Haven.
Standard open-air bike racks exist in all three down-island towns: near the waterfront and Main Street in Edgartown, near Circuit Avenue and the OB ferry terminal, and near the SSA terminal and Main Street in Vineyard Haven. Bike racks also installed at South Beach (both ends of Atlantic Drive) and Eastville Beach.
No secure bike lockers exist anywhere on Martha's Vineyard. Use U-locks or U-lock/cable combos, never cable alone. Store bikes at your accommodation overnight whenever possible. Read our complete bike routes guide for cycling strategy.
Step 1 · WhenMonth PickerTwelve months compared on NOAA numbers, crowds, prices and what is open. 
Step 2 · DaysDay-by-Day Trip PlannerMorning, afternoon and evening sketched for every day, events dropped in, emailed to you. 
Step 3 · CostTrip Cost CalculatorFerry, beds with the rooms tax, meals, getting around and activities in one honest range. No. The 2:00–5:00 AM overnight ban applies year-round, and tickets are $30. Use your hotel/rental driveway, the Dark Woods Park and Ride (status unconfirmed for overnight), or the Tisbury Park and Ride (free up to 3 days).
Rules and regulations sign at the Tisbury Park and Ride lot.
No traditional meters. The paid public lots we know of are Aquinnah's Moshup Beach lot ($35/day), the Trustees' Long Point and Wasque lots ($25 a car for non-members in season), and the Tisbury Park and Ride after 3 days ($2/day).
Arrive 1–2 hours early (before 6 PM in summer). Park at the free Basin Road lot (~75 spaces, 2-hour limit enforced), the Tabor House Road satellite lot (~70 spaces with free shuttle), or take VTA Route #4 from elsewhere on the island.
No. Neither the Woods Hole nor Vineyard Haven SSA terminals have long-term parking. Use the Palmer Avenue, Thomas B. Landers, or Cataumet satellite lots for Woods Hole, or the Tisbury Park and Ride after arriving on MV.
The New Bedford Whale's Tooth lot at $15/day is the cheapest mainland ferry lot. On the MV side, Tisbury Park and Ride is free for up to 3 days.
No. The VTA bus reaches all six towns and all major beaches. Combined with bike rentals and the park-and-ride lots, you can easily visit for a long weekend without a car. See our complete car-free guide.
Planning your trip budget? Our Trip Cost Calculator estimates ferry fares, lodging, dining, and transportation for any itinerary.
Island tip of the day Driving No. 16 of 86 New tip at midnight, island time
Driving an EV? The island's only DC fast charger is at the Harbor View Hotel and it is Tesla-only. Town Level 2 chargers: free in Aquinnah and West Tisbury, 25¢/kWh at the Oak Bluffs and Edgartown park-and-rides.
EV charging on Martha's Vineyard: about 34 public stations, nearly all Level 2, listed town by town with ports and prices (the Edgartown Park and Ride, town halls, libraries, the airport, the Aquinnah cliffs), the one fast-charging site in Chilmark and what we could not verify, no Supercharger, the ferry's EV rules, and how to run an electric week on a 20-mile island.
Parking for the Woods Hole ferry: there is none at the terminal, so here are the three Steamship Authority lots (Palmer Avenue, Thomas B. Landers, Cataumet), the 2026 rates ($25 a day April to October, $20 otherwise), the free shuttle timed to every sailing, when to arrive, the annual and off-season permits, the drop-off rule and the cheaper Island Queen lot in Falmouth Harbor.
Every public restroom we know of on Martha's Vineyard, town by town: the two ferry terminals (open year-round), Kennebec Avenue in Oak Bluffs, Church Street in Edgartown, the Stop and Shop lot in Vineyard Haven, West Tisbury Town Hall, the Menemsha beach lot and the Aquinnah cliffs, which beaches have them (not State Beach), what is seasonal, and the fallbacks that work in winter.
Renting a car, Jeep or moped on Martha's Vineyard: whether you need one at all, the airport and in-town agencies, what Jeeps and compacts cost by season, the 2026 Oak Bluffs moped rules (one rider, driver's license, fewer machines), the three moped shops and their conditions, beach-driving permits, Mokes and e-bikes.
Uber and Lyft work down-island on Martha's Vineyard in daylight; up-island in Chilmark, Menemsha and Aquinnah they are scarce, nearly impossible late at night and expensive, and there are stretches with no cell service. The ten taxi companies with phone numbers, published zone fares, the free bus and its last runs, and how to plan the ride home.
Going car-free on Martha's Vineyard is easy in 2026. Free buses, bike rentals by the ferry, and three walkable towns. Everything you need to know.
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