For years, one sticker in Gulf Shores did two jobs. The hurricane re-entry decal got you back across the bridge after a storm, and it got you a free spot at the beach. On January 1, 2027, the city splits those jobs. The decal keeps the re-entry job and loses the parking one. Free beach parking will depend on your license plate and on the name and address printed on that vehicle's registration.
That change matters more than it first looks. Under the old system, the question was whether you had a sticker. Under the new one, the questions are whose name is on the car and which address the state has on file for it. Those answers may differ for cars in the same driveway.
The Gulf Shores City Council approved the updated ordinance on September 28. The city called it a direct response to residents' concerns about "unauthorized use of parking decals and misuse of resident-only parking spaces." Your current decal still works for parking through December 31, 2026.
Why the City Is Taking Parking Off the Sticker
The decal system broke down at one lot. East Gulf Place, at 209 East Beach Boulevard, is the city's resident-only beach lot, and the adopted ordinance keeps non-exempt vehicles out of it. Gulf Coast Media placed the lot east of the Pink Pony Pub and the Phoenix All-Suites hotel. The outlet reported that the city uses hurricane re-entry stickers to decide who can park there, a setup city officials described as "rife with problems."
A sticker can be peeled off, handed to someone else, or left on a car that has changed hands. A license plate checked against a state registration record is harder to share. Police Chief Dan Netemeyer presented the amended ordinance. The city says the new system "gives officers more effective tools to manage high-demand beach parking areas."
To run it, the council voted on October 12 to approve a three-year agreement with Park Loyalty, capped at $102,600, for beachfront parking services. Gulf Coast Media reported that the package includes enforcement hardware, DMV plate lookup for collecting unpaid tickets, mailings to violators, a portal where drivers can pay outstanding tickets, and a separate portal where residents and property owners register exempt plates.
Two Classes of Owner, Two Sets of Paperwork
The first draft left part-time property owners out entirely. According to the city, part-time owners told the council at the September 21 meeting that the original proposal would shut them out of exemptions. The council changed the language before the final vote. The adopted version treats the two groups differently:
| Full-time residents | Part-time residential property owners | |
|---|---|---|
| What qualifies you | Valid driver's license and vehicle registration showing a Gulf Shores address, or affiliation with a qualifying fleet vehicle associated with a Gulf Shores resident | Ownership of residential property in Gulf Shores, shown with a property tax form or deed |
| Vehicle limit | No limit | Up to two vehicles |
| Whose name on the registration | Gulf Shores address required | Vehicle must be registered in the property owner's name |
| Where you park free | Anywhere in the city | Any beach access except East Gulf Place |
| How long it lasts | Two years from registration | Two years from registration |
The tradeoff shows up in that last row about location. Second-home owners can get free parking at Gulf Place, West Gulf Place and the other accesses, but not at the resident-only lot. Gulf Coast Media reported that most of the pushback came from owners of second homes or businesses in Gulf Shores who "were eventually left out of the resident-only lot." Netemeyer defended the line in comments to the outlet:
"I think this is the fairest thing we can do. I think everybody agrees that the current system is not working. Everybody believes the line should be drawn but I also believe that everybody feels that they should be within that line. That's just not possible."
For full-time residents, the license and the registration are what count. The city's list of qualifying documents names a driver's license with a Gulf Shores address and a vehicle registration showing a Gulf Shores address. For part-time owners, the name on the title is what counts. Each exempt vehicle must be registered to the person who owns the Gulf Shores property. If your household's paperwork has drifted over the years, the time to find out is before January.
What Still Applies After Your Plate Is Approved
An exemption covers the parking fee. It doesn't exempt you from the rest of the parking rules, and the ordinance adds a few new ones.
- Overnight hours south of Highway 182. Exempt vehicles still can't park there between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.
- Front-end-in parking. Vehicles must pull in nose first throughout beach parking areas, unless the space is a designated parallel spot.
- A $50 boot removal fee. The ordinance formally sets this fee for vehicles immobilized for parking violations.
- Two-year renewals. An approved plate exemption is good for two years from the date you register.
Front-end-in parking matters because plate-based enforcement reads plates. Most of the change is administrative, but that rule changes how you physically pull into a space.
What It Costs Without an Exemption
The fee you're exempt from is not small. Under the rate resolution the council adopted June 8, 2026, paid parking costs $3 an hour south of Alabama Highway 182 and $2 an hour north of it, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Overnight, it's $4 an hour north of the highway from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., and south of it from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fox10 reported that those rates took effect July 1, 2026.
At those rates, a six-hour beach day on the Gulf side runs $18 per car. For a household with three cars and no limit on full-time registration, the exemption is worth registering all of them before the summer season.
The ordinance's controlled areas include Gulf Place, West Gulf Place, and public parking north of Highway 182 between East 3rd and West 2nd Streets. They also include West 5th Street on both sides of the highway, West 6th Street south of it, West 10th and West 13th Streets north of it, and Lagoon Pass Park.
The Sticker Still Has a Job
Keep the decal on the glass. From January 1, the city will keep issuing hurricane re-entry decals, but they won't work as parking permits. Gulf Coast Media reported that the stickers will still be needed to get back into the city after tropical events. This fall made that point clearly. The 53rd Annual National Shrimp Festival was canceled because of then-approaching Hurricane Isaias, and Gulf Coast Media reported that Waterway Village merchants put together a Shrimp Fest Art Walk on October 24 to make up some of the lost sales.
Getting Registered Before December 31
The city has said residents will apply online through a new registration portal, and that approved plates go into the parking system automatically. You can also register at City of Gulf Shores special events, during GSPD neighborhood visits, or at the Justice Center. In its September release, the city said registration was expected to begin in October once the vendor agreement was approved. The council approved that agreement on October 12. For the portal link and any scheduled neighborhood visits, check the city's Beach Parking page and its news releases.
There are about eight weeks left before decals stop counting for parking. Here's how to use them:
- Pull the registration for every vehicle you plan to exempt. Full-time residents should confirm that the registration and driver's license show a Gulf Shores address. Part-time owners should confirm that each vehicle is registered in the name of the person who owns the property.
- Find your proof of ownership. Part-time owners need a property tax form or the deed.
- Choose your two vehicles. If you're a part-time owner with more than two cars, decide which two you'll register.
- Register as soon as you can. Exemptions run two years from the date of registration, and decal parking ends December 31, 2026.
- If January 1 arrives before your approval does, the Justice Center can issue a 24-hour temporary placard to residents who are waiting on verification.
This is general information drawn from the city's published ordinance and announcements, not legal advice. Confirm your own eligibility directly with the City of Gulf Shores or GSPD.
If you own a second home in Gulf Shores and want to talk through how rules like this affect the way you use, hold, or eventually sell it, The Legacy Group is glad to help. Schedule a private consultation, and we'll walk through what changes for your property and your timeline.
