UGA Campus Parking Guide | Athens, GA

At the University of Georgia (UGA) campus and in the busy streets of Downtown Athens, GA, the quest for the perfect parking spot can often be an adventure in itself. While there are spots all over campus, trying to get one that is a good location for you makes it even more difficult.

UGA Student Parking Permit Registration

Timeline

UGA assigns parking in three rounds in July and into August.

Normally in April UGA will send an email announcing registration open date for next school year.
Beginning in July, when assignments are announced, hope that you are chosen.

Things to Know:

Make sure you are diligent with checking your UGA email. If you received a spot, you are required to accept it within a few days, otherwise, someone else will receive it.
If you are not selected, call parking services immediately. It is possible to be offered a spot, but it may not be the area you wanted.
Undergraduate residents usually have an easier time getting a permit compared to commuters.
UGA's priority system is what decides who gets a permit; not how early you register. All that matters is registering before the deadline when they draw; just be sure not to mark your calendar!
Reminder: you must pick whether you want a parking permit from fall-spring or fall-summer (adding parking for the summer is more expensive).
Students are able to select their five preferred areas to be placed on waitlist for.
UGA’s parking spots vary in price depending on what spot. For example: Park and Ride is $10 a month, while South Deck is $40 a month.

If you’re ready to enter the parking spot lottery, here’s how to apply.

Where to Park in Athens, GA as a UGA Student

Parking Decks

The main parking decks are Tate Deck, Hull St. Deck, South Campus Deck, North Deck, and East Campus Deck.

Most of UGA's lots require a permit, so you can't snag an empty spot and pay later. By 10 a.m., typically any spots or decks without permit requirements will be full. Tate Deck, which is on Lumpkin St., is close by the Tate Student Center, MLC, and Terry College of Business. The Tate Deck is charged hourly, and since it is a central location on campus, it gets full quickly. The rest of the decks have permit parking as well as an hourly charge. If you’re looking for a spot in the afternoon, you may have a better chance. A few of the decks will become free after a certain time, so check the UGA parking website for the specific times for each deck.

UGA has parking limitations for students with and without permits. These limitations are enforced at varying times, but are always displayed on signs next to each parking lot. As a general rule of thumb, parking is free after 5pm in any General Parking Lot, after 5pm at any parking deck (as long as you have a vehicle registered to your UGA parking account), and after 11pm at any residential lot (i.e. the lots next to dorms). UGA lists all the enforcement hours for North, South, East & West campuses on its website.

Around Athens

Metered Parking Spots: for those without permits, metered parking spots are available Downtown but often are pricey and hotly contested, particularly in high-traffic areas.
Pay-to-Park Decks: Washington Street Deck and College Ave Deck conveniently located near popular attractions like the Georgia Museum of Art. The Classic Center also has a parking deck that is ideally located on Broad Street. A little further away, the downtown Athens courthouse parking deck has affordable hourly prices.
Street Parking: If you have a little bit more time, try searching alongside Milledge Ave and the Greek houses.
Georgia Heights: offers 2 hour retail parking.

Park & Ride

Being a commuter from your Athens apartment, can make finding a parking spot the most difficult. Lots that are near to the dorms and dining halls normally go to residents. A good option to consider may be Park & Ride. Park in lot E23 and it is serviced by two bus routes. Park & Ride is $10/month, which is a great price compared to a permit. Be warned that often commuters account this process taking an hour to get to class, but it is often worth it overall.

Alternative Transportation

Walk to class: if possible, choosing an apartment near UGA can eliminate your parking issue entirely.
Take the Bus: search apartments with an Athens Transit bu s stop, UGA Bus system stop, or private shuttle to UGA campus. Make sure to download the UGA Mobile App and bring your ID!
Bulldog Bike Share: spend $1 to unlock and $0.25 per minute to ride for an eco-friendly way to get to class.