RESIDENT PARKING PERMITS are available for purchase by Town Residents & Property Owners, through the following:

 • APP: www.surfcast.us

 • WEB: surfcast.ottoconnect.us/pay

 • CALL: 910-200-1497

Resident Permits allow Residents & Property Owners to park in BOTH Town Parking spaces and regular Paid Parking spaces. Each property is allotted up to three (3) permits at a cost of $10 each.

REMINDER: There is NO purchase deadline or total cutoff limit for Resident Permits, and enforcement doesn't start until April 1. Gather the needed information, and login or call when YOU are ready!

When purchasing a Resident Permit:

• Create a new account or login using previous account information (NOTE: If you do not remember your password, request a reset email or text, depending on your ID type).
• Once logged in, use the Resident Setup button to proceed.
• Enter your specific Authorization Code: 
  • On-Island Resident: Water Utility bill account number (entered without dashes)
  • Off-Island Resident: Solid Waste or Stormwater bill account number (entered without dashes)
  • Property Owner: Authorization Code previously received from Otto Connect (case sensitive)
  • Multi-Unit Properties: Authorization Code previously received from your HOA or Management company (case sensitive)
• Enter your vehicle License Plate & State of Registration (up to 3 vehicles)
• Enter Payment Information via debit / credit card.

Need more help? CLICK HERE for a tutorial from Otto Connect

DECALS vs. PERMITS

UPDATE: A Decal program is NOT in use for the 2024 season.

During their regular meeting on February 13, 2024, the Town Council determined that Decals will NOT be issued for 2024.

Enforcement of resident-only parking spaces during the paid parking season will be extended to the Paid Parking afterhours, from 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM (NOTE: Paid Parking hours will remain from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM daily).

• CLICK HERE to view the meeting video 

If ever in use, differences between Parking Permits and Parking Decals are: 

• Parking Permits: Virtually identified through the registration of a vehicles license plate, enforced by the contracted parking services provider, Otto Connect.
• Parking Decals: A physical sticker, placed in the lower driver side of a vehicle's front windshield,  enforced by Town staff. 

DECALS WILL NOT BE USED IN 2024, BUT MAY BE EVALUATED FOR FUTURE USE AT A LATER DATE.

SEASON PARKING PERMITS are currently SOLD OUT for the 2024 Season. 

Parking Permits are still be available to purchase in Hourly, Daily, or Weekly increments.

BULK SEASON PERMITS are for multiple purchases of more than four (4) Season Parking Permits.

Bulk Permits are valid for the entire Paid Parking season, from April 1 - September 30 and are available at the following cost:

 • Permits 1 - 4 will be $175 each
 • Permits 5 and above will be $325 each

PURCHASE INFORMATION

To request a bulk purchase permit, send an email to surfcast@ottoconnect.us and include the following information:

 • NAME (company and/or individual)

 • Email

 • Phone number

 • Address

 • List of the vehicles to be registered

(NOTE: include the license plate and state of registration)

Once received, the Otto Connect team will contact you directly for payment. 

The preferred payment for Bulk Permits will check, payable to:
Otto Connect, Inc.
P.O. Box 2448
Surf City, NC 28445

The Otto Connect team will also be available in the Oak Island area to arrange for check pickup, and can coordinate directly if alternate arrangements for payment are needed.

The Town of Oak Island currently provides 1,366 parking spaces across 65 Beach Access Locations, more than any other island community in the Carolinas! The program is managed by contracted vendor, Otto Connect through their proprietary SurfCast application.

• Parking Permits must be purchased through one of the options listed on this page, and are NOT available to purchase in-person at Town Hall.
• The program DOES NOT use physical Decals or Stickers; permits are linked to a vehicle's license plate number; which staff use onsite to confirm permit status. 

Paid Parking is:

• Only enforced from April 1 - September 30, between the hours of 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (NOTE: the Resident-Only Parking spaces are enforced until 9:00 PM daily)
• NOT CHARGED at the Middleton Park Complex from SE 46th St to SE 49th St  during special Town-organized events such as the Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market (NOTE: Parking is still charged during events hosted by private organizations).
• NOT CHARGED in the Oak Island Pier parking lot at 705 Ocean Drive, where parking is limited to 2 hours.
• Only in the Paid Parking Zone, consisting of the beachfront areas south of the Davis Canal (up to SE 40th St) and E Oak Island Drive (for areas EAST of SE 40th St), unless otherwise noted.
• At spaces marked by BUMPERS: Vehicles must be parked straight & centered at a either a YELLOW or BLUE (handicapped) parking bumper (sometimes referred to as a "curb," "stub," or "stop block"). 
  • Parking is not permitted in unmarked or right-of-way (streetside) areas.
  • All unmarked areas in the Paid Parking Zone are assumed to be a “no parking” area; the absence of “No Parking” signage does not indicate parking is allowed.
  • NO BUMPER = NO PARKING

Parking tickets are civil citations issued in the form of a physical note affixed to the windshield. There is NO direct vehicle owner notification provided. If applied to a rental vehicle, it is up to vehicle owner and driver to establish and agree upon personal notification responsibility in the event a ticket is issued.

PARKING FINES

$25 if paid on the same day by Midnight (NOTE: this discount only applies to violations within a valid parking zone but without a valid parking permit. All other citations are ticketed at the full $50 rate.)

$50 if paid within the following 30 days

$75 if paid after 30 days (after 45 days, unpaid citations will be referred to a collection agency)

$250 fine for Special Violations - these  include parking within 15 feet of / or blocking a Fire Hydrant, Fire Lane, or Emergency Access (Section 28-42.8.6), and parking in a designated handicap space without proper license plate or hangtag (Section 28-42.8.7).

PLEASE NOTE: Appeals to citations issued by the contracted service provider, Otto Connect must be contested with the vendor directly, through one of the methods listed below.

Town staff or elected officials are not involved in the appeal process. 

If you feel you were issued a ticket by mistake, please:

1. Send a request to Otto Connect Customer Service at surfcast@ottoconnect.us.

2. Be sure to use the same email the Paid Parking Permit was registered under.

3. Briefly explain the issue, along with a photo of the ticket (the license plate number and citation number at a minimum are required).

Staff will investigate, void the violation as appropriate, and confirm back.

Parking locations are available at most of the public Beach Access Locations, as well as the Middleton Park Complex (4610 E Dolphin Drive) and the public lot at 604 Ocean Drive.

EXCEPTION: The Oak Island Pier parking lot at 705 Ocean Drive is NOT CHARGED, but parking is limited to 2 hours.

HANDICAPPED license plates or hangtags allow for parking without a permit in marked handicapped spaces ONLY. All regular spaces within the Paid Parking Zone will require a parking permit, unless otherwise noted. 

• CLICK HERE to view the map below in a separate window

Parking is NOT CHARGED to vehicles parked in a designated handicap space while displaying a handicap license plate or hangtag; however the use of any regular paid parking space will require the purchase of a Parking Permit.

The Town of Oak Island currently has nine (9) designated Handicap Assist Locations, which include Mobi-mats provided through a combination of funding from the Town and community partners.

Staff work hard to maintain these features; however, due to tides and erosion, please check the suitability of each access before use.

In the event that repair or maintenance is needed, please contact the Public Works Department at 910-201-8008, or through the CONTACT FORM.

• Keziah Street

• 705 Ocean Drive (Pier Complex)

• SE 74th Street

• SE 55th Street   

• SE 40th Street

• 19th Place East

• 10th Place West

• 27th Place West

• 57th Place West

CLICK HERE to view the map below in a separate window

OVERNIGHT PARKING

In general, overnight parking is not allowed in the Public Beach Access Locations, nor is it allowed in the public right-of-way (“streetside”) for areas in the Paid Parking Zone. For areas NOT in the Paid Parking Zone, right-of-way parking is permitted for up to 24 hours.

STREETSIDE PARKING

The public Right-Of-Way (ROW), also known as the "streetside" is the real property acquired for public use to construct, maintain, and improve streets and utility infrastructure.

The ROW is typically measured from the centerline of the street, towards a property. 

ROW PARKING NOTES 

• REMEMBER: "NO BUMPER = NO PARKING"

• During the Paid Parking enforcement times, right-of-way parking is RESTRICTED in the Paid Parking Zone, or at any space not marked by a parking bumper 

• Starting at SE 40th Street, the ROW parking restrictions apply to all areas SOUTH of the Davis Canal (heading West) and all areas SOUTH of E Oak Island Drive (heading East) - see map below for details

• Temporary ROW parking during enforcement times is permitted for private contractors or public service vehicles performing legitimate services at a specific location (some exceptions apply: see Town Ordinance 28-42(D)(2))

• Outside of the Paid Parking enforcement times and in all other areas of Town, parking in the ROW is limited to 24 continuous hours.

CLICK HERE to view the map below in a separate window

CLICK HERE to view the FAQ

The Town of Oak Island currently provides 1,366 parking spaces across 65 Beach Access Locations, more than any other island community in the Carolinas!

In January 2023, the Oak Island Town Council voted to begin a Paid Parking program during the busier spring and summer months, to help fund the improvement, maintenance, and expansion of available spaces, as well as to reduce congestion from unregulated right-of-way (streetside) parking.

The program is managed by contracted vendor, Otto Connect through their proprietary SurfCast application. Using the software and staffing already in place by a dedicated vendor provides a more efficient use of Town resources, particularly in the Police Department and their Beach Services Unit.

PROGRAM TERMS USED

• PAID PARKING PERMIT: An as-needed purchase that allows for temporary parking in marked Paid Parking spaces, for anyone to purchase on-site at a cost of $5 / hour, $20 / day, or $80 / Week.

• SEASON PARKING PERMIT: A yearly purchase that allows for parking in marked Paid Parking spaces throughout the entire season, for anyone to purchase in advance at a cost of $175 per vehicle.

• RESIDENT PARKING PERMIT: A yearly purchase specifically offered to Town Residents & Property Owners, allowing for parking in ANY regular paid or reserved "resident-only" parking spaces. 

• Right-Of-Way (ROW) is the real property acquired for public use to construct, maintain, and improve streets and utility infrastructure. The ROW is typically measured from the centerline of the street, towards a property. The Town’s Planning Department may be able to provide an approximate distance based on the specific street, however a true on-ground location would require a survey.

PROGRAM REPORTS

• 2023 SEASON REPORT PRESENTAION (video)

• 2023 SEASON REPORT (PDF)