How to Rent Out Your Unused Parking Space: A Beginner's Guide

Ready to list your space? Follow our step by step guide to listing a parking space on Parksy. It takes about 5 minutes and it is free.

Renting out a driveway, carport, garage or a spot in your building comes down to five steps: confirm you are allowed to rent it, work out a fair price, get the space ready, post a clear listing, and agree the terms in writing with your renter. This guide covers each step for first-time space owners, with real price examples from Parksy's calculator and the tax rules in the main countries where people rent out parking.

Step 1: Check You Are Allowed to Rent It Out

If you own a house with a driveway or garage, you can usually rent the space without asking anyone. Other situations need a check first:

• You rent your home. Your lease may ban subletting any part of the property, including parking. Ask your landlord for written permission.
• You own in an apartment building or a community with an HOA or strata scheme. Some rules limit leasing car spaces to people who live in the building. Ask the building manager or read the by-laws.
• Your space is on a title or lease with conditions. Deeded or assigned spaces sometimes come with use restrictions.

Renters increasingly ask for proof that you control the space. Our guide on how renters check a space owner controls the space shows what they look for, and can you sublease your parking spot covers tenants in more detail.

Step 2: Work Out What Your Space Is Worth

Parking rent follows home rent. In Parksy's pricing model, calibrated in September 2026 against about 42,800 priced Parksy listings, a private space in the US typically lists for about 8 percent of the local monthly rent for a home. The free car space value calculator uses that link, plus the type of space and how it is accessed. These were its suggestions in September 2026:

• Brooklyn, New York (11201), indoor with a key or remote: about US$305 to US$455 a month, suggested US$380.
• Lincoln Park, Chicago (60614), outdoor with open access: about US$155 to US$235 a month, suggested US$195. The same space indoors with a key came out at US$250.
• Parramatta, Sydney (2150), indoor with a key: about A$180 to A$270 a month, suggested A$225. The median of 217 Parksy listings in that postcode was A$200.
• Manchester, indoor with a key: about £95 to £145 a month, suggested £120, next to a median of £125 across 107 Parksy listings in the city.
• Toronto, indoor with a key: about C$170 to C$255 a month, suggested C$215.

Two features move the price most. Covered spaces are priced about 7 percent above their suburb's median and uncovered ones about 7 percent below. Gated or key access adds about 8 percent, while open access sits about 3 percent below. An outdoor space with open access usually comes out about 20 percent lower than the same spot indoors with a key. Most owners start slightly below nearby listings to find a renter quickly, then raise the price at renewal.

A driveway with room for a second car is the most common space people rent out for the first time. Photo: Pexels

Step 3: Choose How You Want to Rent It

Monthly rentals bring the least work: one renter, one handover and a regular payment. They suit spaces near train stations, hospitals, universities and dense streets where residents have no off-street parking. Daily and hourly rentals suit spaces near stadiums, beaches and event venues, and they earn more per day but need more handovers. The Parksy listing form has hourly, daily, weekly and monthly price fields, so you can offer more than one. In Australia and New Zealand renters often think in weekly prices, so the form fills in a weekly figure for you.

You can also rent part-time. A driveway that is empty during working hours can be rented to a commuter on weekdays from 7am to 7pm, as long as you both agree the hours in writing.

Step 4: Get the Space Ready

• Measure it. Note the length, the width and any height limit. Say whether it fits an SUV or a van, because many garages and underground bays do not.
• Clear it. Remove bins, bikes and anything a renter could hit. Fix lighting on the path to the space.
• Sort out access. Decide how the renter gets in: an open driveway, a spare remote, a fob or a keypad code you can change later.
• Take one good photo. Shoot in daylight and show the entrance and the space itself. Parksy accepts PNG, JPG or WebP up to 2 MB.

Step 5: Post a Clear Listing

Posting on Parksy is free, there is no commission and you keep what your renter pays you. The 6-step posting guide covers the form: address, space details, price, photo, title and description, and contact options. Tick every feature that applies, such as Covered, Gated, Key / Remote / App, CCTV, Lighted and Electric Charging, because drivers filter by them.

A good description answers the questions renters ask most: access hours, how they get in, the nearest station or landmark, and any size limits. Four short sentences are enough, and they bring fewer back-and-forth messages and more serious enquiries.

If you have room for more than one car, say how many spaces are free and whether they can be rented separately. Photo: Pexels

Step 6: Agree Terms, Payment and Paperwork

Parksy does not take payments for private rentals. You agree the price and the payment method directly with your renter, and a bank transfer or a payment app gives both of you a record. Many owners ask for the first month in advance. Put the deal in writing: the price, payment date, notice period, access hours and what happens if the renter's car blocks yours.

Your free Parking Provider Kit does most of this for you. It includes a rental agreement filled in from your listing, a printable tear-off poster with your own contact details for a building noticeboard, and clear steps if something goes wrong, from talking it through to the formal options in your country.

To stay safe, show the space in person or by video before any money changes hands. Be wary of anyone who offers to pay more than you asked, wants to pay by gift card or tries to move the conversation to another app straight away. The Parksy Safety Guide covers the rest.

Tax on Parking Income by Country

• United States: parking rent is generally rental income. See the IRS guidance on rental income, deductions and recordkeeping.
• Australia: the ATO says income from sharing a car parking space must be declared. Our guide to renting out a car space in Australia covers strata rules and GST.
• United Kingdom: HMRC's £1,000 property allowance can cover small amounts of property income. Our UK driveway guide has more.
• Elsewhere: check your tax office's rules on rental income and keep a record of every payment.

If you have a garage rather than a driveway, our guide to earning income from an empty garage covers storage and event parking too. Businesses with a car park can read how to list business parking spaces online.