Startup cost
$100k–$1.0M
TRUiC Business Ideas
How to Start a Parking Lot Business
Decision Snapshot
Parking Lot
Idea Score
49
Profit margin
21%
Break-even
4 mo–12 mo
Time to launch
2 wk–8 wk
Demand trend
Stable
5-yr failure rate
—
Capital intensity
Very high
Time commitment
Full time
Part 1 - How to start a Parking Lot business - Background
Parking lots are located in places where street parking is limited and there is plenty of automobile traffic. Parking may be offered in exterior open lots or in interior secured garages.
Parking lots are found in commercial areas, next to airports, near hospitals, adjacent to schools, and near event spaces that attract a large crowd.
There are two facets in the parking lot business. One is the owning and operating the parking lots and the other opportunity is managing the parking lots on behalf of other owners.
Our guide is in 3 parts:
- Part 1 - How to start a Parking Lot business - Background
- Part 2 - Our planner tool to see if this idea is the right fit for you
- Part 3 - Action plan to get started
What are the costs involved in opening a parking lot business?
Initial startup costs include the rental or purchase of the lot/garage, purchase or lease of equipment, such as transaction machines, lift gates, and security cameras. Garages are more expensive, and costs are much higher for multilevel garages equipped with elevators.
In smaller cities, it is possible to start with a single small outdoor lot for less than $10,000 in startup capital if you lease the land. An indoor garage can cost many hundreds of thousands of dollars and upwards to millions depending on its size and location.
What are the ongoing expenses for a parking lot business?
Parking lots are relatively low-maintenance businesses. The majority of work that goes into maintaining a parking lot involves repainting lines, replacing signage, and paying for lighting (and possibly heat) if it is a garage.
Typical monthly expenditures for a small outside lot will be around $5,000 per month consisting of:
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Rent or Mortgage payment $2,000 per month ($0.50 per square foot per month).
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Wages for parking lot attendants – $2,240 per month ($10 per hour = 56 hours per week) Double this amount if open at night as well as in the day.
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Employer’s portion of employee taxes $336 per month
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Utilities – $200 per month (lighting)
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Insurance – $100 per month
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Supplies – $100 per month (parking lot receipt tickets)
Who is the target market?
Parking lots are used by customers because of the convenience of parking near something else. The customers are those that drive by the parking lot.
How does a parking lot business make money?
Most parking lots make money by filling up the empty spaces with cars that pay an hourly rate or flat rate for the parking. Parking lots are especially profitable during peak traffic in larger cities. For example, many lots take advantage of the number of drivers in town during sports games and those attending other big events.
For a parking lot company that offers parking lot management services, they are paid a monthly fee that is based on the revenues produced by the parking lots they manage for other owners.
How much can you charge customers?
The price you can charge depends on the demand for parking and the nearby competitive prices. In rural areas, $1 per hour is very common. In major metropolitan areas that are very congested, with extraordinarily high real estate prices, such as New York City, it is possible to charge up to $15 for fifteen minutes ($60 per hour).
How much profit can a parking lot business make?
One small lot with 20 spaces that earns, on average, $10 per space per day will have $200 per day in gross revenues and earn $73,000 in gross revenues per year. If the lot is outdoors and 4,000 square feet at $0.50 per square foot per month rent, the annual rent will be $24,000. Wages paid at minimum wage level for parking lot attendants will be about $20,800 per year, leaving $28,200 in gross profits before taxes from a single, small parking lot.
Large parking lots can have many hundreds of parking spaces, which is a multiplication of these basic profit estimates.
How can you make your business more profitable?
The parking lot business becomes more profitable through economies of scale. Owning more parking lots that use the same back office and support services is the key to growth and increasing profits. In addition to management of parking services, the business can expand to offer other support services to commercial building owners such as energy monitoring, facilities engineering, HVAC, janitorial, maintenance, and landscaping.
Day-to-Day and Growth
What happens during a typical day at a parking lot business?
Once setup, this business runs almost automatically. The business owner’s concerns are hiring staff and making sure the parking lot attendants show up on time to do their job. Another duty of the owner is to manage the cash deposits, get change from the bank, and create the accounting records for the daily proceeds.
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful parking lot business?
Success in this business comes from identifying the opportunities that are profitable. The ability to analyze each situation to determine potential parking demand and calculate the revenues versus the expenses is the key factor in becoming a success.
What is the growth potential for a parking lot business?
Many investor/owners start with a single parking lot and then invest in other lots to grow the business. Parking lot opportunities include commercial office buildings, retail operations, shopping malls, mixed-use facilities, hotels, valet services, arenas, stadiums, events, medical centers, and hospitals.
One large parking lot management company called Ace Parking started in 1950 with a single parking lot. The company has steadily grown since then. Ace Parking now manages 450 parking lots across America and employs more than 4,500 people.
In the Unites States, Statistic reports that there are over US $10 billion in revenues earned each year from parking lot operations. IBISWorld reports that there are over 10,000 parking lot businesses in the USA that employ close to 160,000 people. The top three companies in this industry control a large share of the total market, earning 37.6% of the total industry revenues each year. Small operators make up the remaining 62.4% of the industry and mostly cater to the local market demand for parking.
Besides Ace Parking, the other largest operators include ABM Industries Inc. and Central Parking Corp., which merged with Standard Parking Corp. during 2012.
What are some insider tips for jump starting a parking lot business?
It is a good idea to work as a parking lot attendant for at least a short period to understand how this business works. This business is not complicated and virtually anyone can do it, as long as they have, or can raise, the capital necessary to get started.
How and when to build a team
This business operates with very few employees per lot. When the business grows, by acquiring more parking lots, it is time to add more parking lot attendants for each new lot added to the business. It is very easy to find minimum wage workers to be parking lot attendants because the job skills necessary are minimal.
Part 2 - Is a Parking Lot business the right fit for you?
Business Evaluation & Strategy Tool
We'll walk you through the four pillars every business needs: Points of Leverage, Marketing Strategy, Financial Model, and Personal Compatibility. At the end you'll see a personalized report and your action plan below will be tailored to your answers.
Step 1 of 4 — Points of Leverage
Every viable business has natural advantages. Below are common leverage points across four categories. Pick the ones that apply to your Parking Lot business. We've pre-suggested a few based on your idea — review and adjust.
Step 2 of 4 — Marketing Strategy
Without a way to connect with customers, even great businesses fail. Pick the channels you plan to use to reach your customers.
Step 3 of 4 — Financial Model
Enter your monthly baseline costs — the minimum overhead to keep the business running. Then we'll calculate how many sales per month you need to break even.
Step 4 of 4 — Personal Compatibility
A business that doesn't fit your life will fail no matter how good the numbers look. Tell us how this business fits you.
Your Parking Lot Evaluation Report
Complete the four pillars and your personalized summary will appear here.
Points of Leverage
Marketing Strategy
Financial Model
Personal Compatibility
Part 3 - Action plan to launch your Parking Lot business in 90 days
Nine concrete steps to take you from idea to open business, grouped into 30-day phases. Complete the planner above and we'll highlight what's most important for your situation.
First 30 days — Foundation
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Form your legal entity
An LLC keeps your personal assets separate from business debts and lawsuits — the most common reason small business owners choose this structure. Sole proprietorships and partnerships do not provide this protection.
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Get an EIN and register for taxes
Apply for your free Employer Identification Number through the IRS, then register for any state or local taxes that apply to your business (sales tax, franchise tax).
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Open a business bank account and credit card
A dedicated business account is required to maintain personal asset protection. Mixing personal and business finances ('piercing the corporate veil') can void your LLC's liability shield.
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Set up business accounting
Recording expenses and income from day one makes tax filing easier and lets you see when the business is actually profitable. Use software (QuickBooks, Wave) or a part-time bookkeeper.
Days 30–60 — Compliance & Risk
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Get permits and licenses
State and local requirements vary widely. Brick-and-mortar businesses typically need a Certificate of Occupancy; service businesses may need specific professional licensing; food businesses need health permits.
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Get business insurance
General Liability Insurance is the most common starting point. If you'll have employees, most states require Workers' Compensation. Specific industries need additional coverage (product liability, professional liability, etc.).
Days 60–90 — Launch
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Define your brand
Your brand is how customers perceive and remember you. A clear name, logo, and visual identity make every later marketing decision easier and protect you legally as you grow.
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Create your business website
Every legitimate business needs a website. Social media pages are not a substitute — you don't own the platform. Modern website builders mean you can launch a clean site in a weekend without a developer.
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Set up your business phone system
A dedicated business number keeps your personal life private, makes the business look legitimate, and lets you route calls professionally. Cloud phone services start under $20/month.