General Info
Vehicle Registration and Permit Parking
All vehicles operated by UT students or employees are required to be registered with Parking and Transit Services. Registration improves the security of campus, identifies the operator as affiliated with the university, and provides for more expedient notification in the event of any emergency. A registration tag is available at no cost, but does not provide campus parking privileges.
Only paid parking permits allow for parking in designated campus lots. Parking permit types and prices will vary. Please refer to our regulations for more information.
Ratio of Permit Sales to Parking Spaces
Parking demand varies greatly by day of week and time of day. In order to maximize the parking spaces on campus, commuter parking is 1.85 permits to 1 space. Non-Commuter parking is 1.20 permits to 1 space. Faculty/Staff parking is 1.20 permits to 1 space.
Transferable Permits
Permits may be used for another vehicle that you drive. Permits are not transferable from person to person. Staff and students who have purchased a transferable parking permit but forget to place it in the vehicle they are driving to campus may obtain a one-day courtesy permit at no charge. Read more about transferability of permits under regulations.
Lost or Stolen Permits
If your permit has been lost or stolen, first contact the UTPD to report the incident. Then come to Parking and Transit Services to obtain a replacement permit. The replacement cost is $15. If a lost or stolen permit is found on a campus vehicle, it will be towed and the violator will be charged.
Impounded vehicles may be claimed at Parking and Transit Services at 2121 Stephenson Drive, M-F, 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. On gamedays, towed vehicles may be claimed by calling 865-974-6031 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (or kickoff – whichever is earlier) to schedule a time to retrieve the vehicle.
The replacement cost for a lost or mutilated gate control card is $15.
RecSports Parking Area
Parking in the RPA is restricted to those utilizing RecSports facilities during regular operating hours.
- Commuters or staff with a current valid commuter or staff parking permit may park in the RPA lot to use the RecSports facility ONLY
- Only S20 permit holders may park in those spaces
- NO parking for academic/for credit class (Class at TRECs are fine)
- Parking is limited to three hours maximum from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. After 5:00 p.m. guests are not limited to three hours AND are required to have a current valid parking permit.
- Non-commuter permits are NOT valid at any time
- NO parking in the RPA or the SC (next to it) lots from 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Parking in the RPA lot is restricted for Special Events (i.e. Football)
- Signage will indicate when these events occur
NOTE: This lot is heavily monitored to allow for maximum usage for RecSports attendees
Game Day Parking
Commuter and staff lots around campus, especially those closest to Neyland Stadium, Thompson-Boling Arena, and surrounding areas are used for football and basketball parking. These lots may be accessed with a football or basketball permit only. Refer to our maps for more information on designated game day parking lots.
Parking and Transit Services has extensive information regarding alternatives to campus, parking for permit holders and suggestions for staff who are required to work on a gameday.
UT Gameday page from UT sports
Improperly parked vehicles or those found in a restricted area will be towed at the owner’s expense. Towed vehicles may be claimed by contacting Parking & Transit Services at 865-974-6031 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (or kickoff – whichever is earlier) to schedule a time to retrieve the vehicle.
Students
Before continuing to purchase a student permit, you will need the following:
- UT NetID and password
- Credit card or MyUTK
- License plate number
- License plate registration expiration date
- Make, model, year, and color of the vehicle(s) you will be driving to campus
Students are required to purchase their commuter or non-commuter (residential) parking permit online. Online permit sales are open year-round. Permits will be mailed from our vendor in Arkansas on the first business day following the date of the sale. Since they are stored at our vendor, they may not be picked up in our office.
For your convenience, every parking permit payment receipt will have a temporary permit attached. The temporary permit will allow you to immediately park in your designated area for ten days until your hang tag arrives. At the end of your transaction, choose the option to Download Receipt and Permit to print later or choose to Open Receipt and print it now.
Once a permit is sold online, the mailing process is automated. No changes are allowed until the permit is received, so please select your options carefully.
Please note that Freshmen and newly transferred students may not be populated in the Parking database. Your account will be created in the Parking database overnight, after you register for your first course. You should be able to purchase a permit online the next business day.
All set? Purchase a student permit
[Sorority (GS) and Fraternity (GF) permits are sold ONLINE after their housing contract is processed through Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life.]
A student must register a vehicle by the first day of class or within 72 hours of acquiring a vehicle later in the semester. A temporary permit is required during this 72-hour period. Student permit categories include Non-Commuter, Motorcycle Non-Commuter, Commuter, Motorcycle Commuter, Accessible, Evening, Fraternity, and Sorority.
Temporary parking for student areas may be purchased at rate of $5.00 per day when space is available.
2020-21 Full Year Student Parking Permit Rates (have NOT increased in 5 years)
Purchase online only
- Non-Commuter Permit (N/NW/NA): $294
- Commuter (C/CW/CA): $188
- Perimeter Commuter (PC/PCW/PCA) $94
- Evening (T/TW/TA): $40 (valid beginning at 3 p.m. in commuter lots and 5:00 p.m. in unreserved staff lots)
- Fraternity or Sorority (GF/GFW/GFA/GS/GSW/GSA): $269 NEW – Available for purchase ONLINE
2020-21 Spring ONLY Student Parking Permit Rates (have NOT increased in 5 years)
Purchase online only
- Non-Commuter Permit (N/NW/NA): $147
- Commuter (C/CW/CA): $94
- Perimeter Commuter (PC/PCW/PCA) $47
- Evening (T/TW/TA): $20 (valid beginning at 3 p.m. in commuter lots and 5:00 p.m. in unreserved staff lots)
- Fraternity or Sorority (GF/GFW/GFA/GS/GSW/GSA): $134.50 NEW – Available for purchase ONLINE
One Day Permit – Temporary parking for student areas may be purchased at rate of $5.00 per day when space is available
Specific expiration dates are indicated on each parking permit.
Students wishing to park on campus in the fall semester must purchase the permit for the full academic year; however, students who no longer need to park on campus after the fall semester may return their permit in person to the Parking and Transit Services office after the fall semester for a partial refund. Typically in the fall, a full refund is given one week after classes begin, two weeks with a withdrawal slip from school, and thereafter only a 1/2 refund is given.
A student who is graduating in December or no longer needs their permit can return his/her permit for a 50 percent refund. The permit should be turned in directly to the Parking and Transit Services office. The deadline for a refund is typically one week after the spring semester begins.
A student who needs a permit for only the spring semester may purchase one beginning in mid-December, prior to the spring semester. The price will be half of a fall/spring permit. Permits are sold for spring semester as long as they are available.
Summer permits have similar half-price refunds when they are returned between summer sessions. Permits may be returned directly to the Parking and Transit Services office. View our regulations for more information.
Late Night Commuter Parking
Student commuter permits are valid from 6:00 a.m. until 3:00 a.m. each weekday. Commuter permits are not valid from 3:00 a.m. until 6:00 a.m. Enforcement is 24/7.
Faculty/Staff
Faculty/staff permits are sold online once a year to staff with current permits. The purchase link is distributed via e-mail when it becomes available for a limited time period. All other faculty/staff permits are sold in person after New Employee Orientation or with a letter from their department verifying their new employment. Annual faculty/staff permits expire on July 31 as indicated on each parking permit.
Faculty/Staff permit categories include Unreserved Staff Area, Accessible, Gated Restricted Access, and Reserved Staff Area.
2020-21 Faculty/Staff Parking Fees:
Unreserved Staff Area
Based on base salary level:
Annually: see below
Monthly: see below
Tier 1: $29,999 and under annual compensation will pay $20 per month X 12 = $240.00
Tier 2: $30,000 to $59,999 will pay $30 per month x 12 = $360.00
Tier 3: $60,000 to $149,999 will pay $35 per month x 12 = $420.00
Tier 4: $150,000 and over annual compensation will pay $50 per month x 12 = $600.00
Gated Restricted Access
Annually: $678
Monthly: $56.50
Reserved Staff Area
Annually: $1,476
Monthly: $123
Temporary staff desiring to park on campus must purchase a permit for $5.00 per day or $30.00 per month and may choose the lesser rate. An authorization letter is required.
Scratch-off Permits
Parking Services supports alternative forms of transportation but sometimes you have to bring a car. Our answer for the environmentally conscious Faculty and Staff member is a parking permit you can purchase at any time in our office and scratch off the date when you need it. Each permit is $5 and allows one day of parking in the G10 garage.
Emeritus Parking Permits
Any University of Tennessee Knoxville retiree is eligible for an Emeritus parking permit as long as the following criteria are met:
- Regular employees must have a minimum of fifteen (15) years of service with the University of Tennessee Knoxville to qualify.
- Employee must be officially retired from the University, not just retirement age, when terminating employment.
- Should the retiree return to work in a part-time, term or contract position for which they are compensated, the retiree will be required to purchase the appropriate permit.
- Retirees that regularly volunteer on campus will be required to display a regular staff parking permit. Individuals or departments may secure the permit at the rate established by the Traffic & Parking Authority (TPA).
Emeritus permits:
- Are issued every 3 years to qualified retirees and are valid in unreserved staff parking areas only.
- Are NOT valid in public pay garage, Circle Park, or other reserved spaces.
- Are valid for occasional parking only and should not be used to park daily on campus.
- Are not valid during special events or sporting events including football and basketball games.
- Are for the use of the retiree only and may not be loaned, sold or used by anyone other than the retiree. It is not transferable.
- Are not valid for overnight parking.
- Must be properly displayed to be valid.
- Will be issued at the rate established by the TPA during the annual budgeting cycle.
Visitors
Visitors must obtain a visitor permit from either of the Parking and Transit Services offices or the information kiosk in Circle Park for specified areas on campus. An all-day visitor permit is $5. When you receive the permit, it will indicate where you are to park.
Some visitor permits are sold directly to departments for their guests or for resale to their visitors (for camps and events).
Visitor parking is provided in Circle Park with a permit issued from the information kiosk at the entrance. Parking is limited to 45 minutes and is strictly enforced.
Volunteer Hall Garage (G15) visitor parking is available for $1.00 every half-hour. A fee of $10.60 will be charged for lost gate tickets.
The garage is open from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Overnight parking is not allowed. This schedule may change without notice due to special events or conferences.
Arrangements for conference parking may be made in advance through Parking and Transit Services by calling 865-974-6031. The conference parking rate is $5.00 per vehicle.
Revisions to Accessible Parking Permit Regulations
Effective July 1, 2016
Visitors needing accessible parking are now required to get a UT Daily Accessible Parking Permit.
Visitors need to provide the following in order to park at the University of Tennessee Knoxville:
- state-issued accessible placard/license plate
- state registration for the accessible placard
Daily Accessible permits are available at Circle Park and the Parking & Transit Services offices at 2121 Stephenson Dr (located off Neyland Dr & Joan Cronan Way)
The permit is valid in all marked campus accessible spaces and all campus unreserved spaces and has no fee
Please note: Circle Park unreserved spaces are still limited to 45 minutes
After 5:00 p.m. – The accessible parking plate/hangtag is sufficient
Sales & Service
Parking permits for sales and service representatives (“vendors”) are available directly from the Parking and Transit Services offices at a cost of $170.00 (annually) or $5.00 per day. Vendors must provide a letter from their company requesting access to park in campus lots in order to receive a permit. Vendors with this parking permit may park in all unreserved staff areas only while on university business. Sales and service permits are valid for occasional parking only and should not be used to park daily on campus.
Contractor Parking
Parking permits for contractors working on University of Tennessee construction or repair projects can be purchased upon approval after completing the Contractor Parking Request Form. Each request will be evaluated by the Parking and Transit Services office. Contractor permits are used to park daily in assigned campus lots at a cost of $30 per month.
Accessible Parking
2016 Revisions to Accessible Parking Permit Regulations
The revised policy will require vehicles operated by students, faculty, and staff who need accessible parking to purchase and display a dual registration, which includes:
- a valid state-issued accessible placard or license plate
- UT-issued Accessible permit (such as the Staff Accessible listed below)
A UT-issued accessible permit will be at the standard permit cost (depending on your designation staff, commuter, non-commuter, etc).
There is no additional cost to those permit holders, beyond the standard permit fee.
All vehicles displaying dual registration will be allowed to park in any accessible space as well as any unreserved, non-UT vehicle space.
To purchase an Accessible permit please bring the following documentation to 2121 Stephenson Dr (off Neyland Dr & Joan Cronan Way):
- Photo ID
- State registration for the Accessible Placard
- Valid accessible placard or accessible license plate DMV record
For the revised regulation for students, staff and faculty, click here.
For the revised regulation for visitors, click here.
There are over 500 Accessible parking spaces on the UT campus
Disabled person parking plates/tags must be issued to the individual driving or being transported.
Time restrictions apply in certain locations, such as Circle Park 45 minutes, Hodges Library 2 hours, etc.
Accessible parking plates/tags must be from the same state as the registration of the vehicle.
Providing a means to get you to your destination:
The T: Access and T:Link point-to-point service can pick up from all parking areas, although this may require loading at the sidewalk or at lot/garage perimeter.
Note: The T: Access and T:Link vehicles cannot go into covered parking facilities.
During the day – The T: Access
The T: Access is a demand response service available to transport students, staff and faculty around campus (inc. UT main campus, Ag Campus, & facilities in the Fort Sanders neighborhood). The service is provided for those with permanent disabilities and limited duration passes for those with temporary disabilities can be issued. Medical verification of the disability needs to be provided to the applicable office.
To get your Access ID card (which is needed to board the vehicle) please visit:
- Student cards are issued by Student Disability Services (SDS)
- Faculty or staff cards are issued by the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED)
Daytime Hours: Weekdays from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
At night – The T: Link
The same point-to-point demand responsive service and No Access ID is required at night.
- Request pickup through the UT mobile app’s transit icon or the TransLoc app. The blue circle will pop up to request On-Demand after 6:00 p.m.
- Call from any campus Blue Phone
- Call the Link directly at 865-974-4080
Nighttime Hours: 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m.
Bus Transportation Options
The T, operated by First Transit, has a number of on-campus services available to students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
All T buses are lift-equipped and fully accessible.
The four main bus routes (Hill, Neyland Express, Fort, and Late Nite) all have low-floor kneeling buses to ease the boarding of buses.
Visit Ride the T for details
For other on- and off-campus public transportation options, visit the KAT website.
Parking Lots Recommended for Using the T: Access or T: Link
These parking lots have been identified for the ease of T Access pick-up, visibility, and proximity to curb cuts, crosswalks, and accessible parking spaces:
- C-3 Curb on Lake Loudon
- S-23 Curb on Phillip Fulmer near Thompson-Boling Arena Ticket Office
- S-30 Curb at Gate 13 outside of Neyland Stadium
- Perkins Hall at lot entrance on Middle Drive
- S-9 (south end) Curb on south side corner of Phillip Fulmer and Peyton Manning Pass
- S-9 (north end) Campus Transfer Point outside of Neyland Stadium near Gate 21
- C-5 Curb on Lake Loudon
- C-6 Curb outside of Financial Aid Office entrance
- S-23 Corner of lot near accessible spaces next to former Student Health Clinic
- N-7 at Blue Phone outside of garage entrance
- S-7 Curb on 13th St.
- G-10 Curb at Tee Martin & Phillip Fulmer
- G-11 Curb on Terrace Ave (far side) outside garage entrance
- G-12 Curb at entrance on White Ave.
- G-13 Curb at entrance between garage and Jesse Harris
Accessible Parking on the Hill
There are a limited number of accessible spaces available on the Hill located near Austin Peay, Ayres, and Dabney/Buehler. Additional accessible parking is available in the parking area west of Perkins.
The 11th Street Garage has twenty-six accessible parking spaces available for students, faculty, and staff. A pedestrian bridge provides direct access from the garage to the hill.
Loading/Unloading on the Hill
Vehicles displaying a current Staff Area 7 permit may use the fifteen-minute loading/unloading spaces without other credentials, but are subject to strict enforcement of the designated spaces.
Closure of “Hill” roads
Circle Drive and Middle Way Drive/Estabrook, located on the Hill, will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic from time to time due to construction. Limited access may be available at the Cumberland entrance to Circle Drive for those with accessible parking plates/hang tags, as well as the T Access service and some delivery trucks.
A UTPD officer may be available to assist with special circumstances.
Parking Area Closure Requests
Departments, vendors, and other customers can request closure of parking areas by submitting a Parking Area Closure Request Form.
Street Closure Requests
Closure of campus roads and streets may be requested by filling out a Street Closure Request Form and submitting it via email to utoperations@utk.edu or fax to 865-974-3536.
Motorcycles
Student commuter and non-commuter motorcycle permits are sold online and in person year-round.
Faculty/staff motorcycle permits are sold in person at either Parking and Transit Services office or online once a year via e-mail.
Motorcycles are permitted only in designated M&R spaces.
Annual Motorcycle Non-Commuter (R): $78
Annual Motorcycle Commuter (M): $63
Departments
Transferrable “Orange Dot” permits
Formerly known as Red Dots, Orange Dots are for departmental use only. They are designed to help departments conduct departmental business and should only be used for short periods to access alternate locations. Orange Dots may not be used on a regular basis to alter allocated parking assignments.
Orange Dots may only be used for parking in unreserved staff areas and must be accompanied by a current parking permit. Circle Park is not an unreserved staff area.
To obtain an Orange Dot permit, departments must submit a letter of request and justification from the appropriate chief administrative officer of each major division.
Orange Dots expire annually on July 31.
Special Permit
Allows parking in another unreserved area on campus (distance of 1/2 mile or greater) for those persons whose duties require movement. To obtain a special permit, departments must submit a letter of request and justification from the appropriate chief administrative officer of each major division.
EV Special Permit may be obtained for those with Electric Vehicles to park in the charging stations which may not be in their assigned area.
Reserved Spaces
Departments must submit reserved space requests for approval in writing to the director of Parking and Transit Services. Reserved spaces purchased by individuals also require a written request for review and approval by the director of Parking and Transit Services. Individual reserved spaces are awarded based on space availability.
Department Visitors
University departments that invite visitors to campus should contact Parking and Transit Services to arrange for visitor parking. Requests for special guest parking should be submitted to Parking and Transit Services as far in advance as possible. Special event parking requests should be submitted at least seven (7) days in advance in order to coordinate the numerous parking requests received. Please fill out the Special Parking Request Form.
Loading/Unloading
Departmental Unloading Permits will be issued to units located on Circle Drive. Departments will check out permits to individuals in advance that need access to unloading areas. These permits provide access. Restricted times will be strictly enforced.
Alternative Vehicle
The Traffic and Parking Authority has directed Parking and Transit Services to administer a permit registration program for university-owned or leased alternative vehicles that are used on campus. These vehicles must be registered through a university department. Registration is free.
Alternate vehicles (like golf/utility carts) are not allowed to operate in an unsafe manner, park on sidewalks and block entrances to buildings, and must be registered.
Alternative Vehicles are defined as those which are purchased, leased, traded for, loaned, donated, and similar activities where an alternative vehicle is under the control of a student, staff, or faculty member and driven on campus owned streets.
Link to announcement regarding these changes
Departments must complete the Alternative Vehicle Registration Form.
An Alternative Vehicle Permit does not expire. The permit should be visible from the front of the vehicle, affixed to the upper part of the hood or frame on the driver’s side visually below the steering wheel.
Operators of alternative vehicles must meet the general requirements listed in the GS130 Alternative Vehicle Policy, and successfully complete the Alternative Vehicle Safety Training Program given by the UT Department of Environmental Health & Safety.
The process:
- Purchase or acquire vehicle (must be done through Facilities Services)
- Register the vehicle with Parking & Transit Office
- Obtain Alternative Vehicle Parking Permit (no cost)
- Operators of these vehicles must fulfill requirements, successfully complete an Alternative Vehicle Safety Training Program, which includes a signed statement of understanding and compliance.
Link to Alternative Vehicle Policy
Link to Training Calendar administered by Environmental Health & Safety