Visitor Public Parking

Public parking is available at facilities and meters throughout the Twin Cities campus. See list of locations below (grey boxed areas) and view online color campus maps.

Payment Options

Cash and card payments are accepted at all University of Minnesota parking facilities and meters.  In parking facilities, credit cards are accepted at the exit, but all cash payments must be made at a paystation in the main lobby or centralized parking lot area BEFORE returning to your car and exiting the parking facility.

Do not present your credit card at an entrance machine unless posted signs state that event parking (pay on entry) is in effect.

Regular Rate

Public parking facilities and meters use the following rate structure when Event Parking is not in effect. 

• $3 per hour during times of high demand (9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Monday - Friday) 
• $1 per hour at all other times (off-peak)

Daily Maximum

The Daily Maximum (maximum amount charged in each 24-hour period after entry) varies by facility and ranges from $6 to $15. Facilities farther from the core of campus have lower Daily Maximums. The maximum length of stay at most meters is two hours. See the tables below for the Daily Maximum at each facility.

Early Bird Parking

Four locations offer an “Early Bird” discount on the Daily Maximum. Enter between midnight and 7 a.m. Monday - Friday and exit before midnight the same day for a Daily Maximum of $9 instead of $13. The four Early Bird Parking locations are: 

• East River Road Garage (East Bank)
• Oak Street Ramp (East Bank)
• 21st Avenue Ramp (West Bank)
• Gortner Avenue Ramp (St. Paul)

Consider the Daily Maximum when planning your trip to campus

Example: If you park at 9 a.m. on Monday and exit at noon, your charge at many facilities will be $9 (3 x $3 hours during a time of high demand). But if you park at a facility with a Daily Maximum of $6, your charge will be $6.

Disability Parking

Public disability parking is available throughout the Twin Cities campus. See the color campus maps here. All public parking facilities contain signed disability spaces. The rate for disability parking in facilities is the posted rate.

Disability parking at most campus meters and signed on-street locations is allowed for up to three hours and is free. Meters in the following locations have a one-hour limit: by Northrop Auditorium, behind Coffman Union, near 3M Arena at Mariucci, and by the McNamara Alumni Center. After the posted time limit, meter patrons must relocate their vehicle a minimum of 600 feet from the original parking space.

A state-issued disability permit or license plate is required to use these spaces. To obtain a state disability parking permit, contact your physician. You can also look at information on DMV.org. If you have other disability-related questions or concerns relating to the University of Minnesota, please contact the Disability Resource Center at 612-626-1333.

University Holidays

Public parking is free on most University Holidays* unless Event Parking is in effect. These include:

• Thanksgiving day 
• Christmas day
• New Years day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. day
• Memorial day
• Juneteenth
• Independence day 
• Labor day

*Holidays not on the above list will be subject to off-peak rates listed above.

Event Parking

PTS can replace the posted Regular Rate with an Event Rate as needed to accommodate campus events. Event rates go into effect about three hours before the scheduled start of an event. The Event Calendar is your guide to when facilities switch from regular to event rates. Read more about event parking here.