The short version
- Check the sign for the zone and the hours that apply.
- Register the plate in a parking app, at the machine, or on +45 33 66 18 18.
- Choose how long and pay: 45, 26 or 17 kr. an hour in the daytime depending on the zone, 18 kr. in the evening and 6 kr. at night.
- Nothing goes in the window. Wardens check the plate.
2026 prices by zone
Copenhagen has four paid street zones. The price depends on the zone and the time of day, and it is the same whether you pay in an app, at a machine or by phone. Apps add their own service fee.
| Zone | 08:00-18:00 | 18:00-23:00 | 23:00-08:00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | 45 kr. | 18 kr. | 6 kr. |
| Green | 45 kr. | 18 kr. | 6 kr. |
| Blue | 26 kr. | 18 kr. | 6 kr. |
| Yellow | 17 kr. | 18 kr. | 6 kr. |
The red and green zones cover the city centre and the inner districts, and the yellow zone runs along the outer edge. The price drop at 18:00 and again at 23:00 makes a big difference: three hours in the red zone cost 135 kr. in the afternoon and 54 kr. in the evening. Garages set their own prices, often higher than the street at night. The parking map shows the zone of each street and the price of each garage.
You pay every day, but the weekend hour is free
Since 1 April 2025 you pay in the paid zones on all seven days, including Sunday. From Saturday 17:00 to Monday 08:00, and on public holidays, the first hour of your first registered parking is free. The word that matters is registered: you must still start a parking in an app or at the machine, or you can be fined even within that hour.
Three ways to pay
- A parking app. The quickest option, and you can extend the time from wherever you are. The City of Copenhagen lists the apps that can be used on its paid spaces. FreeSpot is on that list.
- A payment machine. Enter the plate and pay by card. Machines stand along the paid streets.
- By phone on +45 33 66 18 18, open around the clock.
Paying with FreeSpot, step by step
- Download FreeSpot from the App Store or Google Play. The app opens in English on any phone not set to Danish.
- Sign in with Google, Apple or an email address.
- Add a card: Visa, Mastercard, Dankort or MobilePay.
- Add the plate. For a Danish rental car, the app looks the plate up in the Danish Motor Register and shows the car, so you know it is right. Foreign plates work too.
- Tap the street on the map, choose how long you are staying, and check the price. It includes FreeSpot's service fee of 15% (minimum 4 kr.), shown before you confirm.
- Extend or stop from the app if your plans change.
FreeSpot can be used to pay on the City of Copenhagen's paid parking spaces. It cannot be used for garages and private car parks, which have their own payment, or on Frederiksberg.
Or avoid paying altogether
Outside the paid zones, 17 districts have time-limited zones where you park free for up to three hours on weekdays with a parking disc, and without a limit at weekends. Parking there and taking the metro in is often cheaper and faster than looking for a space in the centre. See free parking in Copenhagen.
Frederiksberg is different
Frederiksberg looks like part of Copenhagen but is a separate municipality. Street parking there is free from Saturday 17:00 to Monday 07:00 and on public holidays, and on weekdays the first hour costs 10 kr. You cannot pay on Frederiksberg in FreeSpot yet; use the machine or an app named on the sign.
Sources: City of Copenhagen, prices and parking zones, Frederiksberg Municipality and borger.dk, checked 28 September 2026. The sign on the spot always takes precedence.
Copenhagen parking map
Every zone, garage and free street with its price.
Free parking in Copenhagen
Where you can park without paying, and the rules.
Rental car guide
Parking discs, fines and apps across Denmark.
Frequently asked questions
How do I pay for parking in Copenhagen?
Register the car's licence plate in a parking app, at a payment machine, or by calling +45 33 66 18 18 (24 hours). Payment is linked to the plate, so you do not put a ticket in the window. The City of Copenhagen lists the apps that can be used on its website; FreeSpot is one of them.
How much does parking cost in Copenhagen?
In 2026, street parking costs 45 kr. an hour in the red and green zones, 26 kr. in the blue zone and 17 kr. in the yellow zone between 08:00 and 18:00. From 18:00 to 23:00 every zone costs 18 kr. an hour and from 23:00 to 08:00 it costs 6 kr. an hour. Apps add their own service fee on top.
Can I pay for Copenhagen parking with a foreign card?
Yes. Parking apps take Visa and Mastercard. In FreeSpot you can pay with Visa, Mastercard, Dankort or MobilePay and sign in with Google, Apple or email, without a Danish ID or phone number.
Do I have to pay on Sundays in Copenhagen?
Yes. Since 1 April 2025, parking in Copenhagen's paid zones must be paid every day. From Saturday 17:00 to Monday 08:00 and on public holidays, the first hour of your first registered parking is free, but you must still register it.
Can I pay for parking on Frederiksberg with FreeSpot?
Not yet. Frederiksberg is a separate municipality with its own rules; parking there is free from Saturday 17:00 to Monday 07:00 and on public holidays. FreeSpot shows Frederiksberg on the map, but you pay there with the machine or one of the apps named on the sign.
What if I stay longer than I paid for?
You can extend a parking session from the app before it runs out. If the time runs out and the car is still there, you can get a parking fine of 510 kr. (2026). With a rental car, the rental company will charge the fine to you.
Pay for Copenhagen parking in English
Find the street on the map, choose how long, and see the full price before you pay by card. FreeSpot also shows the free and time-limited streets nearby.