Parking validation is a process where a business offers free or discounted parking to its customers as a perk. It is usually offered in busy commercial or downtown areas where there is limited space availability and paid parking becomes a necessity. When a business validates parking, they bear a portion or the full parking fee, and the validation is usually time-limited. Parking validation is common in bigger cities, and it is offered by stores, malls, outlets, and other shopping centers, as well as on-site service providers like salons, spas, and gyms.

To get parking validated by a business, there are a few steps to follow. In most cases, validated parking is offered in the form of stickers or coupons, which must be presented in conjunction with the parking ticket to reduce the parking payment due. Some businesses use automated machines to give free parking, while others stamp the parking ticket as proof. Most garages offer a limited amount of free parking with validation, usually between one and four hours. Not all merchants offer parking validation, so customers should check with the business they are visiting before leaving.

Parking validation is a co-operative effort between businesses and local parking laws that gives customers the ability to waive parking fees. Garages and parking lots will often offer validation to participating merchants, and most cities or towns charge merchants by the number of times the validation is used or impose a monthly fee for the service. There are several different types of parking validations, including virtual validations and validation codes.

In summary, parking validation is a way for businesses to attract more customers by offering free or discounted parking, and it is usually offered in busy commercial or downtown areas where paid parking is a necessity. To get parking validated, customers must follow a few steps, and most garages offer a limited amount of free parking with validation.