Can you park in school zones during the summer in Philly?

Worried about getting fined for parking in a school zone this summer? Don’t open your wallets just yet.

If you get caught parking in a school zone between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. during the school year, you’ll likely have to dig in your pockets for some cash to pay a ticket. But what about during the summer when Philadelphia schools are not in session?

That is what one reader asked through Curious Philly, The Inquirer’s forum for answering questions about the city and region.

You shouldn’t, unless a school has summer programming. Parking fines apply only if school is in session. Philadelphia schools must notify the Philadelphia Parking Authority if they are in session, which includes summer programs or classes, said PPA spokesperson Marty O’Rourke. If a school has active programs or classes in the summer, drivers must abide by parking enforcements.

The Philadelphia School District offers summer programs, including summer school for 9th through 12th graders who failed a previous course. This year, summer school began on June 25 and will run until Aug. 2. Start and end dates may be different depending on the program.

The regular school year typically runs from the end of August to the beginning of June.

The PPA does not announce what schools are in session on its website. Drivers are expected to figure out if schools are in session on their own. The Philadelphia School District lists locations for summer school and programs on its website.

Twenty district schools and five charter schools will be part of the pilot program that starts this fall. Schools included in the pilot will notify the PPA to enforce parking rules, but that doesn’t start until the 2024-25 school year opens.

Drivers have to pay $36 for a parking violation. You can pay a parking ticket by mail, over the phone, or in person.