Boston Residents Told to Remove Snow Space Savers

City says space savers must be removed 48 hours after snow emergency ends

Jan. 28, 2026 at 10:39pm

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Boston residents have been instructed to remove any objects they've been using to save shoveled parking spaces on city streets, as the 48-hour grace period after the end of the latest snow emergency has expired. The city says space savers are no longer allowed, and failure to remove them could result in fines.

Why it matters

The heavy snowfall over the past week has created significant challenges for Boston residents, with large snow piles lining the streets and making it difficult for both drivers and pedestrians to get around. The space saver policy is intended to help manage the limited parking availability, but the city is now enforcing the time limit to ensure the streets are cleared.

The details

Boston allows residents to use space savers - objects placed in a cleared parking spot to reserve it - for 48 hours after the end of a declared snow emergency. That 48-hour period expired on Wednesday evening, January 28th, at which point the city says all space savers must be removed from the streets. Failure to do so could result in fines for residents. The city notes that space savers are never allowed in the Bay Village or South End neighborhoods.

  • The latest snow emergency in Boston ended on Monday, January 26th.
  • Residents had 48 hours, until 8pm on Wednesday, January 28th, to remove their space savers.

The players

Boston

The city of Boston, which manages snow removal and parking policies.

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What they’re saying

“You have 48 hours to use a space saver after the end of a declared snow emergency. By 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 28, you need to remove it from the street.”

— Boston (nbcboston.com)

“City gets rid of snow, I'll get rid of my space saver.”

— Boston Resident (nbcboston.com)

What’s next

The city has said it will issue citations to any residents who fail to remove their space savers by the Wednesday evening deadline.

The takeaway

Boston's space saver policy is intended to help manage limited parking during major snowstorms, but the city is now enforcing the time limit to ensure streets are cleared for both drivers and pedestrians as the city digs out from the latest winter weather event.