Space Savers Banned in Most Massachusetts Towns Outside Boston

Drivers may face fines up to $100 for using space savers in cities that prohibit the practice.

Feb. 25, 2026 at 7:41pm

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While Boston allows the use of space savers after a declared snow emergency, most other cities and towns in Massachusetts have banned the practice, with some issuing fines up to $100 for anyone caught trying to save a parking spot. Communities like Haverhill, Cambridge, Somerville, Malden, Medford, Brookline, Fall River, Lowell, and New Bedford have all prohibited the use of space savers, citing the need for shared responsibility during bad weather.

Why it matters

The use of space savers after a snowstorm is a longstanding tradition in Boston, but it remains controversial and is banned in many surrounding communities. This highlights the differing approaches towns and cities take to managing limited parking resources during winter weather events, and the potential for conflict between residents trying to protect their hard-earned spots.

The details

Drivers in Boston are allowed to use space savers only when the city declares a snow emergency, and only for up to 48 hours after the emergency ends. However, the practice is banned in certain Boston neighborhoods like Bay Village and the South End. Outside of Boston, cities like Haverhill, Cambridge, Somerville, Malden, Medford, Brookline, Fall River, Lowell, and New Bedford have all prohibited the use of space savers, with some issuing fines up to $100 for violations. These communities argue that the practice is inconsiderate and that 'we are all in it together' during bad weather.

  • Boston allows space savers only during declared snow emergencies.
  • Space savers are banned in Boston's Bay Village and South End neighborhoods.

The players

Haverhill Police

The police department in Haverhill, Massachusetts, which does not permit the use of space savers and has warned residents that the city 'is not South Boston'.

City of Somerville

The city of Somerville, Massachusetts, which bars the use of space savers and states that 'we are all in it together when bad weather strikes, so please be considerate'.

City of New Bedford

The city of New Bedford, Massachusetts, which not only bans space savers but also imposes fines of up to $100 for violators.

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What they’re saying

“'Winter is a team sport, parking wars are not.'”

— Haverhill Police

“'Shovel out your own space … and don't take a spot shoveled out by someone else.'”

— City of Somerville

The takeaway

The differing approaches to space savers in Massachusetts highlight the ongoing tension between individual efforts to protect hard-earned parking spots and the need for shared responsibility and community-mindedness during winter weather events. While Boston maintains a more permissive stance, most other cities and towns in the state have banned the practice, underscoring the broader challenges of managing limited public resources.