Frequently Asked Questions
Driving Change: UT's Big Plans forParking and Campus Growth
At the University of Tennessee, we’re revamping our campus to keep up with growth, spark innovation, and make sure everyone gets the full Volunteer experience. This includes everything from new buildings to parking strategies that support our academics and research.
We’re rolling out some new parking initiatives starting this spring, with most changes kicking in by Fall 2024. The plan? To make your life easier by cutting down on parking competition, making your commute more predictable, and improving transportation options. Our goal is to streamline how you get to and interact with campus, so it’s all smooth sailing.
What are core, intermediate, and remote parking zones?
Parking zones are a way to classify parking in and around campus and establish a priority for access to each zone. For Commuter parking, core parking is located in central areas on campus and is the most limited and in-demand zone. Intermediate parking is located on campus but is less centrally located than in core areas. Remote lots are located adjacent to campus or off campus and serviced by T buses. For Non-Commuter parking, core parking is located near or adjacent to housing areas, and remote parking is located adjacent to campus or off campus and serviced by T buses; there are no intermediate parking zones for non-commuter parking. Zones in the core of campus are more expensive than intermediate and remote lots.
When can I buy a permit?
Parking permits will be sold by academic classification with graduate students and upperclassmen having the first opportunities, followed by juniors, sophomores, and first-year students. Permit sales dates can be found on the Student page.
How will the order of priority be determined for student permit sales?
Students will be able to purchase parking permits in zone areas based on availability and a tiered system that prioritizes academic credit hours earned. Graduate students and seniors will be able to choose parking options first, followed by juniors, then sophomores, and then first-year students. Eligibility will be determined by the number of hours completed as of July 1 each year.
How will I get around campus and the community without a car?
There are a variety of alternative transportation options available to UT students. For more information, visit our Getting Around Town page.
What are some sustainable transportation options?
- Bicycles – UT is a Bronze-level Bike Friendly campus and biking can get you from one end of campus to the other in ten minutes. Bicycles are available for short-term and long-term rental from TRECS.
- KAT bus – public transit operated by Knoxville Area Transit and the City of Knoxville. KAT buses are free to ride for UT students, all you need is your VolCard!
- Electric scooters – e-scooters are available for rent via an app and are placed strategically throughout campus and downtown by an approved vendor.
- Carpooling with friends – Coordinate your schedules with friends to ride together onto campus. Reducing the number of Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) is a sustainable goal for Parking and Transportation.
I was selected to receive a first-year parking permit. How and when do I purchase my permit?
To purchase your permit, you will need to log in during the sales window for first-year students. This window opens on Tuesday, July 29 and closes on Monday, August 4. Any first-year non-commuter permit not claimed by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 4 will be offered to another student on the waitlist. For additional permit purchasing information, including how to login, please visit the Parking and Transportation website.
I was put on the first-year parking permit waitlist. What now? When will I hear?
You have been added to the waiting list for the opportunity to purchase a non-commuter permit if one becomes available. This does not guarantee that you will receive a permit. First-year students who were selected to receive a non-commuter parking permit have until 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 4 to claim their permit. Any first-year non-commuter permits not claimed by that deadline will be offered to students on the waiting list based on the randomized selection order. Additional communications and updates regarding your status will be sent over the summer, so please check your email regularly.
What if I was not selected for a first-year parking permit?
Fortunately, getting around Knoxville is easy. The T bus system provides convenient, fare-free transportation across campus. Students can explore Knoxville by riding the Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) system for free–all you need is your VolCard. UT is finalizing on-campus hourly and daily vehicle rentals for students and a partnership with Uber Student. We anticipate these to be in place for Fall 2025. There are plenty of ways to stay connected, and you can find more about getting around town on the Getting Around Town page. Parking for students is prioritized by seniority, so as you continue on Rocky Top, you will have increasing options for parking on campus.
What if I didn’t get a permit, and I’m not from Knoxville? How will I get home?
For Thanksgiving, winter, and spring breaks, UT organizes two shuttles:
- UT to West Tennessee –The UT to West Tennessee initiative, managed by the Center for Basic Needs, provides safe and affordable transportation to middle and west Tennessee during holiday breaks. The cost is $55 for each break–round-trip or one-way. The bus makes stops in Nashville, Jackson, and Memphis. 2025-26 dates are listed on the Division of Student Life website and also include the date that registration opens for those departures. Students need to be paid in full to confirm their reservation.
- McGee Tyson Airport Shuttle–The T buses depart campus at two different times the day after classes end and return at two different times on the day before classes begin. More information can be found on the Getting Around Town page on the Parking and Transportation website.
What if I missed the deadline to submit my application for a first-year parking permit?
The selection process has concluded, and you will not receive a parking permit this year. Fortunately, getting around Knoxville is easy. The T bus system provides convenient, fare-free transportation across campus. Students can explore Knoxville by riding the Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) system for free–all you need is your VolCard. Click here to learn more about alternative transportation on the Getting Around Town page.
What if I don't bring a car but need to travel for groceries or healthcare?
Students have access to 27 Vol Dining locations, 11 P.O.D. markets and a rotating selection of area food trucks on campus. For larger or more specialized grocery needs, Publix at University Commons is a quick ride on the T bus. We have also partnered with Knoxville Area Transit to provide free transportation around Knoxville to all UT students.
What if I need to unload items at my dorm?
There are designated loading spaces throughout campus that provide short-term access to residential buildings and academic housing. Additionally, several new locations around campus will offer hourly parking options for longer duration stays (beginning Aug 1, 2024).
Who can park in the Park and Ride lot?
The Park and Ride lot is an affordable parking option available to all commuting students, faculty, and staff. Park and Ride permits are not an option for on-campus residents who must utilize available non-commuter parking.
What are the hours and drop-off location of the Park and Ride shuttles?
T buses run from the Park and Ride location to Gate 21 Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Similar to events and gamedays on campus, there will be occasions when the location will close early due to evening events. Please look for informational signage when using the Park and Ride lot.
What if I park in the Park and Ride lot but remain on campus beyond 5 p.m.?
T buses run from Gate 21 to the Park and Ride lot continuously from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Students needing to remain on campus beyond 5 p.m. may park in any commuter lot after 4 p.m. and any unreserved staff space after 5 p.m. Additionally, students needing to leave their car at the Civic Coliseum after 5 p.m. may park in the overflow surface lot on Honor Our Troops Dr. After the T stops running at 6 p.m., students may ride KAT buses to Knoxville Station to return to their cars in the overflow lot.
Can I park in the Park and Ride lot overnight?
Overnight parking is not permitted in the Park and Ride lot.
I have a state-issued accessible placard or license plate, do I still need a permit to park on campus?
Yes. Vehicles parked in an accessible space must have valid university parking credentials. Mobility-impaired faculty, staff, and students with a valid state-issued placard must complete an application for a permit and submit a copy of their placard. Click here for more information.
Where can daytime/daily visitors park?
Starting Aug 1, 2024, there are many new options for hourly/visitor parking, including at the following locations:
- West Campus Parking Garage (G7 – top level)
- Neyland Parking Garage (G10 – portions of the top level off Fulmer and portions of the first level off Neyland)
- Vol Hall Parking Garage (G15 – levels 1 and 2)
- Circle Park
- On-street parking on Volunteer Blvd, Todd Helton Dr, Chamique Holdsclaw Dr, and Philip Fulmer Way
Where can overnight visitors park?
Overnight visitors can park in hourly parking spaces. These spaces are mobile-pay and operate 24/7.
What limitations will impact hourly parking?
Special events, including football, may limit the hourly paid options. Also, rates for game days will be different than normal hourly rates.
Who can use hourly/visitor parking?
Hourly parking is first-come, first-serve, and open to students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
Can I reserve hourly parking ahead of time?
Hourly parking is designed to meet on-demand needs, so spaces cannot be reserved ahead of time. However, colleges and departments may purchase validation codes that can be sent to visitors ahead of their arrival on campus to allow them to park in any unoccupied hourly space.
I didn’t get the staff lot that I wanted, can I buy an Orange Dot?
The Orange Dot permit was created several years ago to allow staff and faculty flexibility to move around campus and park in any unreserved staff parking space for business purposes. However, our core parking inventory continues to diminish while our campus population increases, making the program unsustainable in its original form. To ensure enough space for permitted vehicles, the number of Orange Dots issued will be drastically reduced beginning with the fall 2024 semester. Faculty and staff are encouraged to park once and walk, bike, or ride the T when traveling between buildings on campus.
Is there a way to see available parking where I have a permit?
UT has launched VolPark, new commuter solution app designed for Vols by Vols. Developed to incorporate elements and features proposed by student groups in UT’s Heath Integrated Business and Engineering Program, the VolPark app uses crowdsourced data to provide real-time parking lot occupancies and deliver guided navigation to the best available parking areas based on a user’s permit type. VolPark provides information for more than 150 parking areas on campus.
Click here to download the VolPark app.
Why is first-year parking being limited for Fall 2025?
Construction on campus will make parking options on campus tighter, at least in the short term. Parking is based on seniority and the university is moving first-year student parking to remote while we work to add additional parking.
