GULF SHORES, Ala. — Gulf Shores residents who park free at the city’s paid beach lots would soon be recognized by their license plates instead of a windshield sticker under beach parking ordinance changes the City Council is reviewing this week.
The proposed amendments are on the agenda for the council’s work session on Monday, Sept. 21. Along with the new plate-based exemption, the changes would require front-end-in parking in most spaces and set a $50 fee to remove a parking boot.
City staff has recommended approval. The changes would amend the beach parking rules the council adopted earlier this year.
Proposed beach parking ordinance changes at a glance
According to the agenda, the amendments would:
- Require front-end-in parking, except in areas where parallel parking is used.
- Establish a boot removal fee of $50.
- Replace the Hurricane Re-Entry sticker as a beach parking pass with exempted license plates and vehicles verified by Gulf Shores Police Department staff.
- Limit the parking use of current Hurricane Re-Entry stickers, which would be valid for parking only through Dec. 31, 2026.
The agenda lists the budget impact as minimal, limited mainly to additional signage.
How the plate exemption would work
Under the proposal, residents would register their vehicles with the Gulf Shores Police Department to receive a plate exemption. According to the agenda, drivers would need to show:
- A driver’s license listing a City of Gulf Shores address.
- A vehicle registration listing a City of Gulf Shores address, or proof of a fleet vehicle associated with a Gulf Shores resident.
Once a plate is registered, the exemption would be valid for two years. Plate exemptions would take effect Jan. 1, 2027, the day after current stickers stop working as parking passes.
The agenda also says short-term placards would be issued as temporary exemptions when necessary.
Where residents could register
The city plans to make registration available in several ways. According to the agenda, plate exemptions would be handled:
- At the Gulf Shores Justice Center.
- At scheduled times in neighborhoods around the city.
- At City of Gulf Shores special events.
The agenda says registration would begin soon, with police staff visiting neighborhoods and special events. Specific dates and times had not been announced as of the work session agenda.
What changes for current sticker holders
For years, the city’s Hurricane Re-Entry decal has done double duty. In an emergency evacuation, the decal identifies residents and property owners who should be allowed back into restricted areas when it is safe. It has also served as a pass for free parking at all of the city’s paid public beach lots and at the resident-only lot at East Gulf Place.
Under current rules, residents and property owners within the city limits receive two decals at no cost every two years, mailed to the billing address on file with Baldwin EMC. New residents can pick up two passes at City Hall, and up to three additional passes can be bought for $5 each with proof of residency. The decal must be permanently attached to the inside of the windshield on the driver’s side.
If the amendments are approved, current stickers would still be honored for beach parking through the end of 2026. Starting in 2027, free parking would depend on a registered plate rather than a sticker.
The listed requirements for a plate exemption are tied to a Gulf Shores address on both a driver’s license and a vehicle registration. The agenda summary does not specifically address property owners who live elsewhere, who have been eligible for decals under the current system.
Building on this summer’s beach parking overhaul
The proposal is the latest in a series of beach parking changes in Gulf Shores this year.
On June 8, the council approved an updated beach parking ordinance and fee schedule that took effect July 1. Those rules set non-resident rates at $2 an hour north of Beach Boulevard and $3 an hour south of Beach Boulevard from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., with overnight parking at $4 an hour from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. in designated areas.
The July rules also set a $75 fine for parking violations, with an additional $75 for every 24 hours a vehicle remains in violation. Vehicles can be towed or booted if parked illegally or if fines go unpaid, and overnight parking after 2 a.m. is prohibited in beachfront lots and at Lagoon Pass Park.
The paid parking areas include Gulf Place, West Gulf Place, Lagoon Pass Park, public parking north of Alabama 182 between East Third Street and West Second Street, and designated areas along West Fifth, Sixth, 10th and 13th streets. Paid parking runs from March 1 through Nov. 30 each year, and visitors can pay through the ParkMobile app, at pay stations or by scanning posted QR codes.
When the summer changes were announced, Mayor Robert Craft said the city worked with beach-area businesses to shape them. “Listening to our business community has been essential in shaping these updates,” Craft said. “Improving parking turnover helps support local shops and restaurants while creating a more efficient and user-friendly experience for everyone enjoying our beachfront.”
What the boot fee means for drivers
Booting, which locks a wheel so a vehicle cannot be driven, is already among the enforcement tools allowed under the city’s beach parking rules. The proposed $50 removal fee would add a set cost for getting a boot taken off.
The agenda summary does not say whether the boot fee would be charged in addition to any outstanding parking fines.
What happens next
The council will review the amendments during its Sept. 21 work session. Gulf Shores typically discusses items at a work session before taking formal action at a regular meeting, so a vote would come later.
Key dates in the proposal include:
- Soon: Plate exemption registration begins through the Gulf Shores Police Department.
- Dec. 31, 2026: Last day current Hurricane Re-Entry stickers are valid for beach parking.
- Jan. 1, 2027: Plate exemptions take effect.
- Two years: Length of time a registered plate exemption remains valid.
Residents with questions about beach parking can contact the Gulf Shores Police Department at 251-968-2431 or [email protected]. More information about current rules is available on the city’s beach parking webpage.