Boston street sweeping runs April 1 through November 30 on most streets, and a car left on a posted route gets ticketed and towed by a private company. The tow is $108 with storage at $35 per day. Three neighborhoods, the North End, South End, and Beacon Hill, keep sweeping through December 31. When a posted sign says something different from any schedule you read online, the posted sign controls.
When street cleaning happens
The general season is April 1 to November 30. The North End, South End, and Beacon Hill continue through December 31 and resume March 1, because those dense colonial neighborhoods need the extra weeks.
Each street has its own posted day and time, usually monthly by side of the street. The city posts the schedule, but the sign at the curb is the authority. If the website and the sign disagree, follow the sign, because that is the version the enforcement crew reads.
Who tows and what it costs
Street sweeping is enforced by private tow companies under contract, not by the city lot. That changes both the fee and where the car ends up. The tow runs $108 and storage is $35 per day, and the car sits at the tow company’s lot rather than 200 Frontage Road.
Because a private company holds the car, confirm the location and the payment methods before you travel. A ticket usually rides along with the tow, so budget for both.
The neighborhoods that catch drivers out
The biggest surprise is the December extension. A driver in the North End, South End, or Beacon Hill who assumes sweeping ended November 30 can lose a car in mid-December. Mark those three neighborhoods differently from the rest of the city.
Resident permits do not help here. Permits are free, valid two years, and zone-specific, but they do not override street cleaning any more than they override a snow emergency. On narrow streets in Beacon Hill and the North End, where every space is taken, a sweeping day means the whole side of the street has to move.
Why an unpaid sweeping ticket costs more later
The tow and storage are only the first bill. A street-cleaning tow usually arrives with a parking ticket, and that ticket does not disappear when you pay the $108 to the private company. It becomes overdue 21 days after it is issued, and overdue tickets are what feed the city boot list.
Five overdue tickets put a car on that list, where it can be booted and then towed to the city lot at 200 Frontage Road on top of everything else. So a single missed sweeping day, ignored, can compound into a boot months later. Pay or dispute the ticket in that 21-day window rather than only settling the tow.
How to avoid the tow
Learn your street’s posted day and set a recurring reminder for the night before. On a two-side street, that often means moving the car across once a month. During the April to November season, a missed sweeping day is one of the most common avoidable tows in the city.
If you park in the North End, South End, or Beacon Hill, extend your reminder through December. When you are new to a block, read the sign carefully before you leave the car overnight, because the printed schedule can lag a sign change.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Boston street cleaning tow? The private tow is $108 and storage is $35 per day, plus the parking ticket that usually comes with it.
When does Boston street sweeping end? November 30 on most streets, but the North End, South End, and Beacon Hill continue through December 31 and resume March 1.
Does my resident permit exempt me from street cleaning? No. Resident permits are zone-specific and do not override street cleaning, snow emergencies, or meters.
The sign and the website say different days. Which one wins? The posted sign always controls. Follow the sign, because that is what the enforcement crew and the tow company use.
When to call us
Call when your car is back but will not start, or when it broke down and needs a local operator sent. Quick Tow Boston connects drivers with independent operators across Greater Boston, with the price quoted before dispatch. Calls are recorded after a notice. Reach the dispatch line at (857) 858-5057.