Parking Space Verification & Parking Space Regulations for Commercial Properties

Anyone planning a commercial property often has to demonstrate that they have provided parking spaces: The Parking Space Ordinance requires developers to provide a minimum number of parking spaces for new buildings. Location, public transportation access, and type of use determine the parking space allocation formula. Some states, such as Hamburg, have already abolished the parking space requirement for residential buildings.

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What do real estate operators need to know about the Parking Space Regulation?

 

But are parking space regulations still the appropriate tool for mobility planning, or are there viable alternatives?

 

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What is a parking space ordinance?

 

The purpose of a parking space ordinance is to ensure that a property has the required number of parking spaces for motor vehicles and bicycles. Building owners are therefore required to provide the appropriate number of parking spaces. In exceptional cases, a one-time fee may be paid to the municipality instead. Local governments then typically use this money to build appropriate alternatives, such as neighborhood parking garages. Some municipalities also allow developers to reduce the number of parking spaces if they have a corresponding mobility plan is submitted. The following factors determine which key is applied in the parking space regulation:

 

• Location of the property, e.g., city or rural area
• Connections to local public transportation
• Use of the property, i.e., residential, commercial, or mixed-use (e.g., in the case of mixed-use properties)
• Is this subsidized housing?

 

 

Figure 1: Transfer fees enable municipalities to provide alternative parking options

 

What are the rules in Germany?

 

Eine bundesweit einheitliche Stellplatzpflicht gibt es nicht. Die Musterbauordnung der Länder dient nur als unverbindliche Vorlage. Viele Länder überlassen die Details den Kommunen: Über Stellplatzsatzungen oder Bebauungspläne legen sie zum Beispiel die konkrete Anzahl der Stellplätze, die Höhe möglicher Ablösebeträge und die Zahl der Fahrradstellplätze fest. Maßgeblich ist daher immer die Regelung der jeweiligen Kommune.

 

• Parking Space Regulations in Brandenburg: There is no statewide uniform requirement for parking spaces here . Instead, municipalities have the option of enacting their own parking space ordinances. Accordingly, the requirement to build parking spaces applies only in those municipalities that have such an ordinance in place.

 

• Parking Space Regulations in Bavaria: Following a reform of the Bavarian Building Code effective January 1, 2025, the previous general requirement for parking spaces has been eliminated. As of October 1, 2025, a parking space requirement applies only where the respective municipality has expressly introduced it by ordinance. If a municipality enacts such a bylaw, it may not exceed the upper limits specified in the Garage and Parking Space Ordinance (GaStellV)—a maximum of two parking spaces per privately financed apartment or 0.5 parking spaces per apartment in subsidized housing.

 

• Parking space regulations in Berlin: Here, the requirement to provide parking spaces applies only to accessible parking spaces at publicly accessible buildings and bicycle parking spaces.

 

• Parking Space Regulations in Hamburg: In 2013, Hamburg abolished the requirement for residential units to have a designated parking space.

 

• Parking Space Regulations in Baden-Württemberg: The Baden-Württemberg State Building Code allows developers to reduce the number of parking spaces for motor vehicles by providing more bicycle parking spaces.

 

• Parking Space Regulations in Lower Saxony: As of July 1, 2024, the requirement for residential buildings to demonstrate that they have the necessary parking spaces has been eliminated—another example of the nationwide trend toward relaxing rigid parking space requirements in favor of local flexibility.

 

• Stellplatzvorschriften in Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW): Grundlage ist § 48 der Landesbauordnung (BauO NRW). Wie viele Stellplätze für Kraftfahrzeuge und Fahrräder nötig sind, legt seit dem 1. Juli 2022 die Verordnung über notwendige Stellplätze (StellplatzVO NRW) mit Richtzahlen fest. Eigene Regeln einer Kommune in einem Bebauungsplan oder einer Stellplatzsatzung gehen der Verordnung vor. Lässt sich die geforderte Zahl nicht herstellen, ist vielerorts eine Ablöse durch Zahlung an die Kommune möglich.

 

• Stellplatzvorschriften in Rheinland-Pfalz (RLP): § 47 der Landesbauordnung (LBauO) verlangt Stellplätze in ausreichender Zahl, Größe und Beschaffenheit, wenn eine Anlage Zu- und Abgangsverkehr erwarten lässt. Die Anbindung an öffentliche Verkehrsmittel und alternative Mobilitätskonzepte werden dabei berücksichtigt. Fahrradabstellplätze sind vorzusehen, wenn Radverkehr zu erwarten ist. Ist die Herstellung nicht oder nur schwer möglich, kann mit Zustimmung der Gemeinde ein Geldbetrag gezahlt werden, dessen Höhe die Gemeinde per Satzung festlegt.

 

 

Are parking spaces permitted to be arranged one behind the other under the Parking Space Ordinance?

 

Parking spaces arranged one behind the other are permitted, but they must meet certain conditions. Each of the parking spaces arranged one behind the other must be freely accessible without having to use the other parking space. So, if both parking spaces have their own access, it works. 

 

Are there any alternatives to the parking space regulation?

 

Critics point out that rigid parking regulations also have drawbacks. Among other things, they lead to a Subsidies for Car Travel by users of other modes of transportation, since the actual cost of a parking space is not reflected in its price. Instead, the price per square meter of the associated apartments increases.

 

In the construction of commercial real estate, the high minimum number of parking spaces encourages businesses and companies to locate outside town centers. In this way, the parking space ordinance contributes to a The Decline of These Town Centers at.

 

In addition, the building density decreases, resulting in longer commutes and making the transportation network less efficient. Above all, however, the system for verifying parking spaces is often inefficient. In many cases, the required number does not meet actual demand. Many parking spaces go unused, while in some areas, drivers cannot find a vacant parking space. So here, Innovative Alternatives to the Parking Space Regulation asked. These might look like the following, for example:

• Neighborhood Garages: Some cities and municipalities are opting for neighborhood parking instead of designated parking spaces. These neighborhood parking garages are designed to reduce parking pressure in urban areas and are available to residents of the surrounding buildings. This way, only those who actually use a parking space pay for it. In addition, neighborhood parking garages can serve as mobility hubs , for example by offering car- and bike-sharing on-site.

• Parking Space Sharing: The Parking Space Ordinance applies to both commercial and residential properties. However, the parking spaces created under this ordinance are often not used very efficiently: While parking spaces at commercial properties sit empty at night, the same is often true for resident parking spaces during the day, when users drive to work. There are already several initiatives using apps and modern technologies to use parking spaces at commercial properties more efficiently and enable parking space sharing. Commercial and residential use can complement each other in this regard and lead to greater efficiency.

Why is proof of parking space a cost driver for builders?

 

Many cities in Germany face a shortage of affordable housing. Consequently, there is a high demand for housing construction, particularly for the subsidized construction of public housing. For housing projects, the requirement to provide proof of parking spaces can be an obstacle, as it drives up costs for many developers. This is especially true in the subsidized housing construction, where in many cities and municipalities—such as Munich—the parking space-to-resident ratio does not reflect actual demand. This is because low-income residents are less likely to own a car.

 

Since residential rent cross-subsidizes the cost of parking spaces, but rents in public housing cannot be raised accordingly, the parking space ordinance in many cities poses a Barrier to investment for social housing.

 

What opportunities does the development of innovative mobility concepts offer?

 

Innovative alternatives to parking regulations can present a major opportunity for the development of mobility in urban areas. Particularly in areas with good access to local public transportation, more and more people are choosing not to own a car. Corresponding Car-Sharing Concepts, supplemented by other modes of transportation such as bicycles and public transit, can be a much more efficient solution here than the traditional private car, which remains stationary 23 hours a day.

 

In addition, parking areas can be reduced and the space saved can be used for other purposes if parking spaces and parking garages are used more efficiently. Parking Space Sharing can play a key role in optimizing parking space utilization and thus contribute to modern and smart mobility.

 

 

 

Abbildung 2: Car- Sharing als Zukunftskonzept wird auch das Parken verändern

 

Conclusion: There are smart alternatives to the parking space regulation

The Parking Space Ordinance is a rather rigid instrument that does not always take into account all the circumstances of a new construction project. As a result, situations repeatedly arise where underutilized underground garages and parking areas. Furthermore, the requirement to provide parking spaces is a cost driver for developers and leads to lower investment in affordable housing. At the same time, cross-subsidization of parking spaces through housing prices is one of the consequences of the parking space regulation. Some federal states, such as Hamburg, have already responded to this issue and abolished the parking space requirement for motor vehicles.

 

Ein Blick auf innovative und smarte Alternativen zum Stellplatznachweis lohnt sich. Sowohl Quartiersgaragen als auch Parkplatz-Sharing-Modelle können einen wertvollen Beitrag zu einer vielfältigeren und umweltfreundlicheren Mobilität leisten.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions About the Parking Space Regulation

Does every federal state have to follow the same parking space regulation?

 

No, each federal state regulates parking space requirements in its own building code—and the differences between the federal states are correspondingly significant.

 

Is it possible to pay a fee to be exempt from the parking requirement?

 

In many cases, yes—through a transfer fee paid to the municipality, which usually invests it in alternative parking options such as neighborhood parking garages.

 

Why is the Parking Space Regulation considered a cost driver in housing construction?

 

Because it increases construction costs without allowing rents in public housing to rise accordingly—which makes investment more difficult.

 

What alternatives are there to the traditional parking space regulation?

 

Above all, neighborhood garages and parking-sharing programs, which make more efficient use of existing parking spaces and better align them with demand.

 

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