State Beach Parking FAQs

RI State Parks has worked with our beach parking vendor to launch a website that allows customers to buy online gift certificates and season parking passes. Customers with a season pass are able to use the Express Lanes at larger state beaches.

State beach entrances use license plate recognition technology to scan the rear license plate of prepaid customer vehicles to operate gate entrances.

The daily beach parking fee for residents is $6 on weekdays and $7 on weekends and holidays. The fee for a season pass for residents is $30 and, through September 2, will be available for purchase at state beaches. Non-resident parking is $12 on weekdays and $14 on weekends and holidays. A season pass is $60 for non-residents. A 50% discount on daily parking fees and season passes applies for senior citizens 65 years and older. All Rhode Island-registered vehicles will be subject to resident parking rates; non-Rhode Island plates will be subject to non-resident rates. Fees are based solely on the vehicle registration (i.e. license plate) of each vehicle entering beach facilities. (By law, a "vehicle" is defined as any street-legal equipment, motorized or non-motorized, properly registered for over-the-road travel.)

NOTICE: New fees are in effect for daily parking at Misquamicut State Beach; there are no changes to fees at any other state beach location or to the cost of season passes. The new rates are as follows: The daily parking rate for non-residents is $20 on weekdays and $30 on weekends & holidays; The daily parking rate for RI residents is $10 on weekdays and $15 on weekends and holidays. The additional funds raised from the new fees will be reinvested in DEM's Division of Parks and Recreation and will also increase the amount of revenue provided to the Town of Westerly, which is the host community. Under RI law, a municipality that has a state beach within its jurisdiction receives 27 percent of the daily beach parking fees annually. DEM held a public comment hearing on the proposed changes on April 26, 2021. Learn more about the fee changes at Misquamicut State Beach here.

As part of DEM's Beach More, Wait Less initiative, we are working hard to reduce traffic and wait times. It takes several minutes to purchase a season pass in person, which adds up to significant delays with thousands of cars on busy summer weekends. By having pre-purchased season passes on the cars when they approach the entrance, traffic will lessen, and you'll get to the beach faster!

Yes. Passes are still available to purchase in-person at the Scarborough State Beach overflow lot located across the street from Scarborough State Beach (on Burnside Avenue, Narragansett) on May 11, 12, 18, and 19 and weekdays starting May 28 from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM through August 9. Or you can purchase your pass online. Season passes are not sold at beach entrances.

Note To prevent traffic back ups on busy days, in person sales are not available when the overflow lot is being used for beach parking.

No. Paying the daily parking rate only allows you entry into one beach parking lot for the day. It does not allow you to leave and return or visit multiple locations in a single day for the same cost. However, a season pass does allow multiple entries in a single day.

While seeing open spaces in beach lots can be frustrating, it's not an accurate sign of whether there's available space on the sand. RI State beaches are popular destinations that fill up very quickly – especially during holiday weekends, with many thousands of people all going to the same beaches at the same time. They’re also sensitive areas impacted by erosion and tidal flows. For the safety and enjoyment of beach patrons, DEM staff monitor the available space on the sand and may close parking lot entrances to prevent overcrowding, ensuring lifeguards and first responders have space to respond to water emergencies and that beach facilities can support the number of people on a given day. These lot closures are at the discretion of beach staff, who closely monitor available space on the beach and reopen lots as space becomes available.

We encourage beachgoers to check beach capacity before heading to the beach and to be patient and courteous to others as they enter beach parking lots. If you arrive at a favorite beach and find that the beach is full, please consider visiting a different location or returning at another time of day.

As part of DEM's Beach More, Wait Less initiative, we are working hard to reduce traffic and wait times. It takes several minutes to purchase a season pass, which adds up to significant delays with thousands of cars on busy summer weekends. By having pre-purchased season passes on the cars when they approach the entrance, traffic will lessen, and you'll get to the beach faster! This new policy is set and structured to keep beach entrances free from traffic and reduce any confusion or frustration among our patrons and our workers.

No, your pass is non-transferable. It is tied solely to the vehicle information you provided when you purchased your pass and cannot be used for more than one vehicle.

Unfortunately, each season pass is required to be registered to only one vehicle. Season passes may not be switched between different vehicles. Your vehicle's license plate is your credential into the lot. If you'd like more than one season pass, you will have to purchase each additional pass individually.

The season beach passes available online at www.beachparkingri.com are for state beaches only. These beaches include: Charlestown Breachway, East Beach, East Matunuck, Misquamicut, Roger Wheeler, Scarborough North and South, and Salty Brine.

Moving the sale of beach passes online is an effort to make the process of obtaining a season pass as convenient and efficient as possible. DEM is also responding to requests from local town authorities to help reduce traffic build ups at state beach entrances for safety purposes. Passes are still available to purchase in-person at the Scarborough State Beach overflow lot located across the street from Scarborough State Beach (on Burnside Avenue) weekdays from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Note To prevent traffic back ups on busy days, in person sales are not available when the overflow lot is being used for beach parking.

No, season passes are not sold at beach entrances. We are working hard to reduce traffic and wait times. Passes are still available to purchase in-person at the Scarborough State Beach overflow lot located across the street from Scarborough State Beach (on Burnside Avenue, Narragansett) on May 11, 12, 18, and 19 and weekdays starting May 28 from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM through August 9. Or you can purchase your pass online.

It’s easy! Just go to www.beachparkingri.com to purchase a resident, non-resident, or senior season parking pass at any time and follow the instructions. Online credit card purchases are charged a 6% transaction charge; the total for a $30 RI resident season parking pass purchased online is $31.80. Your license plate will be your way into state beach parking lots.

Passes can be purchased online annually beginning in January. It can take up to 7 to 10 days to verify your account if your pass is purchased prior to Memorial Day. After Memorial Day, it takes up to 24hours to verify your account. We highly recommend you plan ahead and purchase your pass BEFORE you plan to go to the beach. You will be required to pay the day rate if your pre-paid pass has not been activated. Follow the instructions in the email to finish your pass purchase and then you're ready to head to the beach!

The cost of a parking pass online and in-person is the same. A 6% convenience fee is charged on online purchases to offset the cost of the system.

Passes can be purchased online annually beginning in January. It can take up to 7 to 10 days to verify your account if your pass is purchased prior to Memorial Day. After Memorial Day, it takes up to 24-hours to verify your account. We highly recommend you plan ahead and purchase your pass BEFORE you plan to go to the beach. You will be required to pay the day rate, if your pre-paid pass has not been activated.

If you have questions or need assistance purchasing an online parking pass, please contact LAZ at (401) 408-6554 or ribeaches@lazparking.com, or you can contact RI Parks at (401) 667-6200, weekdays from 8:30 AM - 4 PM.

After a competitive bidding process, Rhode Island DEM contracted with LAZ Parking to operate and modernize parking at state beaches. The company - which manages more than a million parking spaces across the country for clients including California State Parks and Beaches and TF Green Airport - is using better technology to speed up entrance booths, expand online purchasing options, and track revenue in real time to ensure that fees are being collected accurately.

During the beach season, gift certificates purchased online can be redeemed for a season beach pass at any state beach entrance on weekdays only.

The vehicle must be registered in Rhode Island. For the purpose of administrating these fees, resident and non-resident vehicle fees shall be based solely upon the state of registration. Vehicle shall mean any street-legal equipment, motorized or non-motorized, properly registered for over-the-road travel.

Both for residents and non-residents, must be 65 years of age or older to qualify for a senior beach parking pass.

By Rhode Island State Law 32-1-17, no fee shall be charged to any person with a disability regardless of age, or to automobiles transporting a non-driver with a disability at any recreational facility owned by the state, provided, however, proper identification is presented as prescribed by the Department of Environmental Management. For the purpose of this section "person with a disability shall mean an individual who has a physical or mental impairment and is receiving: [A] Social Security disability (SSDI), [B] Supplemental Security Income benefits (SSI) or Veterans benefits and who shall be determined under applicable federal law by the Federal Department of Veteran's Affairs to be 100% disabled through a service connected injury.

View the factsheet below for steps to obtain this pass:

Yes, if you have the specific documentation required for this fee exemption. To obtain this pass, you must provide either your Social Security Administration Benefit Verification Letter for the CURRENT YEAR or your Disable Veteran’s Administration Certificate for the CURRENT YEAR. You must also bring a current photo ID.

Disability passes are available exclusively at RI State Parks Headquarters, located at 1100 Tower Hill Road, North Kingstown Monday-Friday, from 9:00 AM- 3:00 PM.

For questions, call 401-667-6200.

View the factsheet below to learn how to obtain this pass:

No, the vehicle must be registered in Rhode Island.

Yes, military personnel whose permanent duty station is located in Rhode Island can be issued resident season passes or pay the resident day rate. You must provide a copy of your orders and drive and own the vehicle.

State Law 32-1-18: No entrance fee shall be charged to any person who is sixty-five years of age or older and who is eligible to participate in the RI Pharmaceutical Assistance to the elderly program. You must be driving and be eligible for the 60% income level indicated on the card. RIPAE Card must be marked 8018 not 8019 or 8020. Daily confirmation only, season passes are not issued for this program.

Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) is now processing all Beach Vehicle Permits/Trail passes ONLINE: http://www.crmc.ri.gov/offroadvehicles.html.

*Please Note: Once you've finished completing your online Beach Vehicle/4x4 Permit application, the CRMC will contact you to make an appointment to pick up your Beach Vehicle/4x4 Permit sticker.* Parking on East Beach is on a first come first served basis. Therefore purchasing a Beach Vehicle Permit does not guarantee access to the East Beach Sand Trail. For information on pricing, equipment requirements and other regulations regarding barrier beach permits, visit the CRMC website.

All state beaches with pavilions are equipped with ramps that allow access from the parking area up to the pavilion and down to the beach. To help navigate to the water, some locations also offer beach-accessible wheelchairs, walkers, and access mats designed to help people with limited mobility access the beachfront. All are available without charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more

RV parking, outside of designated campground areas at RI State Beach locations such as Charlestown Breachway, is only available at Scarborough South and Misquamicut State Beach.

No, not at this time. There is no public property that is available for ATV use in the State of Rhode Island.

The RI Department of Environmental Management and the RI Department of Health ask all visitors to refrain from using tobacco at Rhode Island state beaches to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke and litter from tobacco use.

Lung health is important now more than ever. Smoke free spaces are key when protecting your lungs. The associated litter from smoking is also a threat to children, wildlife and the environment. We ask for your participation in helping to keep our beaches clean, healthy, and smoke-free.

If you are at a state beach and concerned about active smoking activity, report it to a Park Ranger or the Beach Manager located at the beach pavilion. Please do not report non-emergency activity to lifeguards.

Everyone who enjoys parks, beaches, and public outdoor spaces has a responsibility to keep them clean. The carry-in, carry-out policy asks visitors to take personal responsibility by disposing of their trash responsibly by discarding it in receptacles, if available, or taking it with them. We agree with the National Park Service and most state park systems across the country that this is a best practice because it promotes conservation, fosters a sense of stewardship, and leads to better visitor experiences. Learn more about the Carry In, Carry Out Policy.

More than 1 million patrons visit state beaches between Memorial Day and Labor Day every year, and the sheer volume of customers during peak season inevitably strains services and creates challenges related to trash management. DEM rangers clean up trash on beaches and in the parking lots throughout the day; after hours, DEM beach-cleaning contractors send out crews to pick trash. By the next morning, contractors send other crews out combing the beaches and parking lots along with tractor rakes cleaning up excess litter and seaweed and smoothing the sand for the new day. 

Learn about the Trash Program at Misquamicut