diff --git a/app/src/screens/MeterDetailScreen.tsx b/app/src/screens/MeterDetailScreen.tsx
index 4fb3199..72a62fa 100644
--- a/app/src/screens/MeterDetailScreen.tsx
+++ b/app/src/screens/MeterDetailScreen.tsx
@@ -17,10 +17,28 @@ function fmtMaxTime(m?: number): string {
   return `${m} min`;
 }
 
-/** Zone rate comes as a string that sometimes already includes a '$' and spaces. */
+/** Zone rate is a string that may include '$'/spaces, or be "NA" / a placeholder. */
 function fmtRate(r?: string): string | undefined {
   if (r == null) return undefined;
-  return '$' + String(r).replace(/^\$\s*/, '').trim();
+  const n = Number(String(r).replace(/^\$\s*/, '').trim());
+  return Number.isFinite(n) ? `$${n.toFixed(2)}` : undefined;
+}
+
+/**
+ * A human rate label from the CURRENTLY-active policy. Only "Hour" is a real
+ * hourly price; "Variable" carries a placeholder number (see-signs), so never
+ * render it as $/hr.
+ */
+function currentRateLabel(policy: SpacePolicy | undefined, zoneRate?: string): string {
+  const t = (policy?.RateType ?? '').toLowerCase();
+  if (t === 'hour' && typeof policy?.Rate === 'number' && policy.Rate > 0) {
+    return `$${policy.Rate}/hr`;
+  }
+  if (t.includes('variable')) return 'Variable — see signs';
+  if (t.includes('free')) return 'Free now';
+  if (t.includes('no parking')) return 'No parking now';
+  if (t.includes('prepay')) return 'Prepay';
+  return fmtRate(zoneRate) ?? '—';
 }
 
 /**
@@ -36,7 +54,10 @@ function policyMeta(p: SpacePolicy): { title: string; rate?: string; color?: str
       ? '#2e7d32'
       : undefined;
   const title = p.DisplayString || p.MessageHeader || p.RateType || 'Rate policy';
-  const rate = typeof p.Rate === 'number' && p.Rate > 0 ? `$${p.Rate}/hr` : undefined;
+  // Only a true "Hour" policy is an hourly price; "Variable" etc. carry a
+  // placeholder number, so don't render those as $/hr.
+  const rate =
+    rt === 'hour' && typeof p.Rate === 'number' && p.Rate > 0 ? `$${p.Rate}/hr` : undefined;
   return { title, rate, color };
 }
 
@@ -56,6 +77,7 @@ export function MeterDetailScreen() {
   };
 
   const firstSpace = z.Spaces?.[0];
+  const currentPolicy = firstSpace?.Policies?.find((p) => p.CurrentSlot);
 
   const Field = ({ label, value }: { label: string; value?: string }) => (
     <View style={[styles.field, { backgroundColor: colors.card }]}>
@@ -81,7 +103,7 @@ export function MeterDetailScreen() {
         <Field label="Serial" value={z.TerminalSerNo} />
       </View>
       <View style={styles.row}>
-        <Field label="Rate" value={fmtRate(z.Rate)} />
+        <Field label="Rate" value={currentRateLabel(currentPolicy, z.Rate)} />
         <Field label="Max time" value={fmtMaxTime(z.MaxTime)} />
       </View>
       <View style={styles.row}>