Community » Neighborhoods » Parking » Fees and Payments

Pay Downtown Parking Tax

The Downtown Parking District was created in 1976 to fund public parking and economic promotion in downtown Salem. Each business in the District pays a share of the costs to operate and maintain customer parking spaces. These tax dollars support both on-street parking and off-street parking at the Chemeketa, Liberty and Marion parking structures.

Payment Options

You can pay your Downtown Parking Tax using one of the following methods:

1. Online

2. By Phone

  • Call 1-844-739-1117 and have your credit card ready
  • Phone payments may take up to three business days to process
  • Get help with phone payments

3. By Mail

  • Mail your check to P.O. Box 14300, Salem, Oregon 97309

4. Drop Box

  • Drop off your payment at one of the secure drop boxes below. Allow three business days for processing:
    • 500 block of Liberty Street SE (bus turn out between Salem City Hall and Salem Library)
    • West Salem Library (395 Glen Creek Road NW)

5. Same-Day Posting

  • To have your payment posted on the same day, pay in person at the City’s Customer Service Center, 440 Church St SE, 5th Floor.

Payment Frequency

You can pay your parking tax in full or choose an optional payment plan. Payments are due on the following schedule:

  • Annual: July 30
  • Semi-Annual:
    • 1st installment: July 30
    • 2nd installment: January 30
  • Quarterly:
    • 1st installment: July 30
    • 2nd installment: October 30
    • 3rd installment: January 30
    • 4th installment: April 30
  • Monthly: Payments are due on the 30th of each month

Late Fees

  • A 10% penalty is added to overdue accounts
  • An interest charge of 1% per month is applied from the date of delinquency until the balance is paid
  • Late fees and interest apply even if an appeal or grievance is filed

Waiving Late Fees

To request a waiver of late fees:

  1. Pay the full invoiced amount
  2. Submit an appeal within 30 days of the invoice due date

Assessment Formula

Each business pays a share of the Parking District’s operating budget based on the number of customer parking spaces needed by the business according to the assessment formula. The formula is based on:

  • Business type
  • Gross floor area (includes walls, corridors, stairways, restrooms, closets, storage rooms, etc.)
  • Customer parking demand

The "demand factor" is the number of customer parking spaces required for a particular type of business for every 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.

Assessment Adjustments

Reduced Hours Credit

Businesses open to the public less than 20 hours per week (between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.) may receive a 50% credit on the basic tax. However, they must still pay the minimum tax due.

Partial Year Credits

  • New Businesses: If your business moves into the Downtown Parking District mid-year, you may receive a pro-rated credit for the partial year. Use the Partial Year of Operations for New Business Form C to calculate your credit.
  • Closed or Moved Businesses: If your business leaves the Downtown Parking District before the end of the year, your tax will be adjusted based on your closure date. Use the Partial Year of Operations for Discontinued/Moved Business Form D to calculate your adjustment.

Appeal Process

An appeal process for tax statement calculations is available. Instructions for requesting a tax redetermination or filing an appeal are available on Page 8 of the Downtown Parking Tax Information Booklet.

Additional Information

For more details about the Downtown Parking Tax, refer to Chapter 7 of the Salem Revised Code. Additional information about the Downtown Parking District Tax is available in our July 2025 message.