The answer changes after 6 p.m., after 1 a.m., on Saturday and during a snow event.
Direct answer
On-street parking is not allowed from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. unless you have a valid exemption, a Citywide residential permit, or a sign that says otherwise. Downtown lots and the 414 Locust Street garage are generally free after 6 p.m. weekdays, all day Sunday, and in most lots on Saturday. Lots 1, 4 and 5 and on-street meters stay paid on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
RULES
Downtown parking
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: paid in municipal lots and the Waterfront Parking Garage.
After 6 p.m. weekdays: those lots and the garage are free.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: pay in Lot 1 (431 Elizabeth), Lot 4 (421 John), Lot 5 (391 Brant) and at on-street meters. Three-hour maximum on-street. Other lots and 414 Locust Street are free.
Sundays and holidays: downtown on-street, lots and the garage are free. The waterfront lots at 1286 Lakeshore Road are not free on holidays.
Overnight and exemptions
Most residential streets have a five-hour limit and a 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. overnight ban. A parking exemption covers up to 15 days per plate per year. A Citywide On-Street Residential Parking Permit allows overnight parking for up to 48 hours in a row. Neither is valid during a declared snow event.
The City posts snow-control updates at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. during significant winter storms. During a declared event, on-street parking is prohibited until the City ends it. Overnight parking in municipal lots from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. is also banned during and after a snow event.