DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — More changes are coming for those looking to visit Volusia County Beaches in the new year.

Starting Jan. 1, beachgoers will be charged to park in any of the county’s more than 60 off-beach parking lots.

What You Need To Know

  • Starting Jan. 1, beachgoers will be charged to park in any of the county’s more than 60 off-beach parking lots.

  • Volusia County residents are encouraged and have been encouraged to register their vehicles to maintain their complimentary parking on both the beach and off-beach lots since Oct. 1, 2024

  • Non-residents and unregistered residents will pay a $20 daily fee or purchase annual passes to park in county-owned off-beach lots

This comes after Volusia County residents were encouraged to register their vehicles starting Oct. 1, to keep their complimentary parking status.

Most people that come to the beach do so for pleasure, especially in Volusia County, where they have some of the most well-known beaches in the country.

But for others, they come for business, and with changes to parking being imminent in the new year, business owner like Ryan Ragan are taking a closer look at how they might go about it.

In Daytona Beach, it’s typical to see cars driving on the sand or seeing people learning how to catch waves in the water.

Teaching the latter is how Vast Oceans Surf owner Ryan Ragan has been earning his keep over the years.

“I have been teaching for 12 years," he said. "I used to compete all around the world for 15 years and then I started as an amateur here, moved to California and now I’m back."

Ragan said he has deep roots in Daytona Beach and has been giving surf lessons near Sun Splash Park for as long as he can remember.

He cites the convenience of it for his clients as one of the main reasons he loves it so much.

“So we come here and my students loved it because they can come park for free, they can shower and use the bathrooms,” Ragan said.

But with the addition of parking fees coming to Volusia County Beaches and off-beach lots in the new year, Ragan said some of that convenience will take a hit.

“But I just think that it’s kind of tough to just charge them for the beach and the park,” he said. “Just (charging for) both is going to crush them. We want to bring tourists back, we don’t want to run them off.”

The county started making changes on Oct. 1, by encouraging residents to register their vehicles in order to drive on the beach and park in off-beach, county-owned lots.

But for non-residents, a $20 daily parking fee will be administered for parking at one of the more than 60 off-beach lots owned by the county, and on the beach itself.

Signage is already up to inform beach-goers of the change, which is one that Ragan fears may impact the way he does business.

“It makes it tougher, because they’re trying to afford surfing, or kite boarding for all these wonderful people and so it just makes it tough on everyone,” he said.

Non-residents can also register their vehicles for an annual fee of $100 for off-beach parking and $150 for beach parking.

Volusia County officials say 40,000 residents and counting have already registered ahead of the new year, and they encourage more to do so to avoid the fees.

The county-owned, off-beach lots will be monitored by Volusia County Beach Rescue as well as license plate readers found in certain lots.

Volusia County officials say they want residents to know that vehicle registrations are only valid at county-owned, off-beach lots, as fees may still apply for lots owned by other municipalities.

To learn more about parking in any county-owned lots or beaches and operated off-beach parking locations, or to register for ParkVolusia, you can visit their website.