Charleston County to raise downtown parking garage rates

Charleston County is changing rates for two downtown parking garages after a market analysis of the county’s monthly and short-term parking rates to be below market value.

Cumberland garage, located at 90 Cumberland St., and King and Queen garage, located at 85 Queen St., will have increased rates beginning Oct. 1, according to a news release. Funds from the raise are intended to help with maintenance and repairs, as well as costs of credit card fees.  

The new rates for all county garages will be $1 per 20 minutes with a $24 daily max. According to the release, a lost ticket will be a $50 fee. Prior to the change, the charge was $1 per 30 minutes, going from $2 to $3 per hour.  

Monthly rates for King and Queen garage will be $215 and Cumberland garage’s monthly rate will be $175, according to the release. Charleston County no longer offers a Daytime Parking Access rate, any prior daytime rate contracts will be converted to the new 24/7 rates.  

Anyone with an automatic credit or debit card on file will have payments processed on Nov. 1 for the new rate, the release said. Canceling any existing parking contracts will have to be done before Sept. 30.