Beaches

A beach pass (also called a “permit”) is a parking sticker issued for use in public beach access lots at:

• Ferry Beach (50 Ferry Road, Scarborough)
• Higgins Beach (41 Ocean Avenue, Scarborough)
• Pine Point Beach/Hurd Park (63 King Street, Scarborough)

Your season pass is valid at all three town-operated beaches:

• Ferry Beach (50 Ferry Road, Scarborough)
• Higgins Beach (41 Ocean Avenue, Scarborough)
• Pine Point Beach/Hurd Park (63 King Street, Scarborough)

It is also valid for 1-hour parking along Bayview Avenue at Higgins Beach.

The 2026 beach season runs May 22 through September 7.

General Beach Access
Beaches are open dawn to dusk, with the exception of Pine Point Beach, which remains open later for Old Orchard Beach fireworks viewing on Thursdays and the 4th of July.

Operating Hours
Beaches operate daily from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm, including parking enforcement and access to flush restrooms. Portable toilets are available outside of these hours during the beach season.

Beach passes must be purchased in person beginning April 30 at:

• Town Clerk’s Office -- 259 US Route 1 -- Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Revenue Office -- 259 US Route 1 -- Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm 
  (only if completing other business, such as vehicle registration)
• Community Services Office -- 418 Payne Road (Fridays only, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, beginning May 1)

All beach passes must be obtained in person. This includes any of the free season passes for residents (seniors, veteran, active duty military, income restricted).

The following items are required to purchase a season pass:

• Vehicle registration (required)
• Registrations for all household vehicles, if purchasing multiple passes
• Payment (cash/check recommended; cards accepted with an additional 2.49% surcharge)

Photocopies or photos of registrations are acceptable, especially in the case where one family member is purchasing passes for all of the household vehicles.

There is no limit for resident season passes, as you pay per registered vehicle. Only vehicles registered to homeowners on the tax bill or vehicles registered to a physical Scarborough address are entitled to purchase residential beach permits.

Non-resident passes are limited to 350 total passes for the 2026 season. There is no limit to how many passes a non-resident may purchase (you pay per registered vehicle), just limited in the total amount we have to sell.

As of 4/30/26, all non-resident passes for the 2026 have been sold. Please be sure to add your contact information to our 2027 Beach Pass Interest List.

MasterCard, Visa, and Discover are accepted but do incur a 2.49% surcharge. Cash and checks are also accepted and highly encouraged. 

While there are no discounts for beach passes, the Town of Scarborough does offer free passes to the following categories of Scarborough residents:

• Seniors 60+
• Veterans
• Active Duty Military
• Income Restricted

All free passes still require in-person visits. Some require the completion of applications.

Yes, residents who are age 60+ may receive a free pass, but it still needs to be obtained in person.

Fees are based on the name on the vehicle registration. For example, if only one spouse qualifies for the free pass, only their registered vehicle qualifies. If a spouse is eligible BUT not on the registration, no discount will be applied.

For the 2026 season, there will be a limit of 350 passes sold to non-residents. Once they are sold out, the only remaining option will be daily paid parking at the beaches.

As of 4/30/26, all non-resident passes for the 2026 have been sold. Please be sure to add your contact information to our 2027 Beach Pass Interest List.

No. All beach season pass sales are final and non-refundable.

All three beaches charge a daily parking rate of $20 per vehicle. This fee is collected 7:00 am to 5:30 pm (May 22 through September 7).

There is a separate daily parking rate at Pine Point only for large vehicles, such as busses. If space permits, a bus can park for $50 for the day. Busses are not permitted at Higgins or Ferry Beaches.

While same-day re-entry is permitted, parking spaces cannot be guaranteed.

Yes, only at Higgins Beach. The hourly parking is located along Bayview Avenue. Meters charge $5 per hour and parking is limited to ONE HOUR per vehicle. Hourly fees are collected May 1 through September 15 at this location.

Yes, but only at Pine Point Beach. Large vehicles, such as busses, are charge $50 per day, if space permits. Busses are not permitted at Higgins or Ferry Beaches.

No, passes are connected to individual vehicles' registrations. Passes that are not secured to the front window of the vehicle will not be admitted.

Passes are connected to one vehicle's registration and must be affixed to the coordinating vehicle's windshield. Passes not secured as directed will not be admitted. If you are arriving in a different vehicle, such  as a friend's car, you must pay the daily parking rate.

No. Town permits DO NOT include parking or access to Scarborough Beach State Park.

For more information on Scarborough Beach State Park, please visit www.maine.gov/dacf/recreation for State park information or www.scarboroughbeachstatepark.com for hours and parking information.

No, but you must follow the ONE-HOUR parking limit.

Season passes are for parking purposes only. Anyone can get dropped off, ride their bicycle, or walk onto the beaches at no charge. 

For anyone requiring drop-off, please use the dedicated trolley stop at the top of the parking lot on the corner of King Street and Avenue 5. There is also a pedestrian walkway down Avenue 5 that follows the split rail fence line. Beachgoers who use this will enter through the sandy pedestrian path to the left of the parking lot.

Maine law does allow the holder of a vehicle that exhibits a disability placard or registration plate to park at a “parking area that is not a parking facility” without charge and for a length of time that does not exceed twice the limit otherwise allowed (29-A M.R.S. § 521(12).

If you wish to park at the Bayview Avenue meters, you can do so for up to two hours at no charge.

If you wish to park in the Town-operated lots at Pine Point, Ferry, and Higgins, a season pass or daily parking fee would be required. 

Please provide proof that your car is being repaired, with an estimated completion date. Upon acceptance of proof, a temporary parking pass will be issued for $5.

If preparing to sell your vehicle, please do your best to remove the pass from your windshield and stick it to a piece of paper or plastic. If you have already sold your vehicle, please provide proof of the sale, such as a bill of sale. In either case, upon acceptance of proof, a replacement pass will be issued to residents for $5.

If preparing to replace your windshield, please do your best to remove the pass from your windshield and stick it to a piece of paper or plastic. If this step was skipped, please bring proof of windshield replacement, such as a receipt. In either instance, a replacement pass will be issued to residents for $5.

In the event you need to replace your pass:

• Residents: Replacements are available for $5 each.
• Non-Residents: No replacements permitted due to pass limitation.

If your vehicle registration shows a non-Scarborough address, you must also provide one of the following supplemental documents:

• Scarborough tax bill
• Other proof of residency

Maine law requires updating your license and registration within 30 days. Address updates within Maine are FREE.

• Maine license updates and applications
• Register your vehicle in the Revenue Office at 259 US Route 1.

Yes, but you must also provide your Scarborough tax bill as proof.

If you use a employer-owned vehicle for personal use, the registration and additional information will be needed to obtain a beach pass. Please provide documentation from your employer stating your name, that you are able to use the vehicle for personal use, and the plate number. The registration, letter, and documentation tying you to Scarborough (driver's license, utility bill, etc.) will be needed when your purchase the pass.  

Yes, as long as you have the ALL of the household's vehicle registrations with you, we can process them together in one visit. If you don't have the original registrations, we can still accept photocopies or photos of registrations.

While it is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED that one family member act as proxy for all household members, the Town cannot enforce coordination between members.

No refunds will be issued if duplicates end up being purchased. Passholders are responsible for informing household members of purchases.

While it is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED that families purchase all passes together in one visit, the Town cannot enforce coordination between members.

No refunds will be issued if duplicates end up being purchased.

In the event you are purchasing all household members' season passes, please be sure to have all copies/photocopies/photos of ALL vehicle registrations with you.

All details regarding dogs and protected wildlife areas may be found in the Animal Control Ordinance. As a reminder, dogs in Scarborough must be licensing annually through the Town Clerk's Office.

The general rules about dogs on the beaches are as follows:

• A leash must always be in the owner’s possession
• Owners must clean up waste immediately
• Dogs must be licensed annually

Seasonal beach restrictions include:

May 15 – Labor Day

• ❌ No dogs: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• On-leash: 5:00 PM – Dusk
• Off-leash (under voice control): Dawn – 9:00 AM

Day after Labor Day – May 14

• Generally allowed
• Must be leashed 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Protected Wildlife Areas
Some beach areas have restrictions from April 1 – Labor Day to protect piping
plovers. Please see Piping Plover Protection Ordinance for details.

Horses are permitted on Pine Point Beach from October 1 through March 31. Permits are required for riders seeking to bring a horse onto the beach. These permits may be obtained in the Town Clerk's Office.

Please refer to the Horse Beach Permit Ordinance for details. 

Surfing is permitted at all three Town-operated beaches, with Higgins having date and time restrictions.

• June 15 to September 15
  Surfing restricted between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm
• September 16 to June 14
  Surfing permitted at any time

Please review the Surfing Ordinance for all rules and restrictions.

The following activities and actions are prohibited on all Scarborough beaches:

• Smoking/Use of tobacco products
• Fires, grills, open flames
• Fireworks
• Alcohol
• Camping
• Littering
• Motor vehicles, ATVs, e-bikes
• Uncollected animal waste
• Being in/on the dunes

All related ordinances (ATV, Fireworks, Piping Plover Protection, Use of Parks and Recreation Facilities) may be found under 600 | Public Safety