Student News

Student parking options and information

students at William T. Young library
Pete Comparoni | UK Photo.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 22, 2022) — Are you new to the University of Kentucky’s campus? Whether you’re a first-year college student or a transfer student, UK Transportation Services would like to make your first few weeks of parking as seamless as possible.

Below are a few quick tips:

  • Parking permits are required and must be properly displayed when parking on campus. Permits are required except in paid visitor areas, at parking meters or after the posted control hours at campus parking lots and structures.
  • If you park at a meter or in a paid visitor lot, you must pay the meter whether you have a valid permit or not. Most meters on campus accept ParkMobile payments.
  • Parking availability and location varies by permit type, so please read signage at the entrances to lots and structures, and pay attention to any additional control signage, curb markings and other parking control devices.
  • The following permit holders: Periphery (K); Residential (R7 and R10); and Commuter (C10), are required to move their vehicles for home football games. For a detailed map of restricted football game parking areas and approved relocation areas, see this Football Game Day Map. Additional details are also available by visiting this page.
  • UK HealthCare parking garages are reserved for UK HealthCare patients and hospital visitors. Unauthorized parking in these structures will result in a significant fine.
  • This map provides a good overview of student parking areas by permit type.

Periphery (K) permits
The majority of students park in Periphery (K) lots. If you have a Periphery (K) parking permit, you may park in the Kroger Field Red and Blue Lots, the Commonwealth Drive Lot or the College Way Lots. You may also choose to park in the Wildcat Court (K) lots, but these lots do not have direct campus bus access and require a brief walk to a bus stop on College Way.

In the unlikely event that the Kroger Field Blue and Red Lots fill to capacity, permit holders should utilize other periphery lots, including the Commonwealth Drive and College Way lots. Parking control officers will be on hand early during the semester to direct students to alternate parking areas if the need exists.

Periphery lots are controlled for permits from 5 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Individuals with any valid UK permit can park in periphery lots from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. No permit is required in periphery lots beginning 3:30 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.

Residential (R) permits
Some students with confirmed on-campus housing assignments have Residential (R) permits. These permits offer proximate parking convenience and predictability and are assigned by residence hall location.

Since the permits are assigned by location and the number of permits is limited, individuals with a residential permit are required to park within their specific area.

Residential lots and structures are controlled for permits 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are not available to individuals with other permit types.

Commuter (C) permits
Some students who commute to campus and have 60 or more credit hours have commuter permits. These permits are limited in number so that permit holders will generally be able to find parking within their assigned lot or garage. Commuter permits do not allow for overnight parking on campus without prior written authorization from UK Transportation Services.

Commuter lots are enforced for permits from 5 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Individuals with any valid UK permit can park in a commuter lot from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. No permit is required in commuter surface lots from 7:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday, and after 3:30 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday.

Afternoon/evening and weekend parking
Parking availability on campus eases considerably during the afternoons and evenings. Individuals with any valid UK permit can generally park in most Employee Intermediate (E) parking areas after 3:30 p.m. and in most Employee Core areas after 5 p.m. There are some exceptions, so please pay attention to signage.

See our off-peak parking map for details. Additionally, students who only desire or require parking on campus after 3:30 p.m. during the weekdays are encouraged to consider purchasing an Off-Peak permit, which is available at a steeply discounted rate.

Parking permits are not required in most areas of campus after 3:30 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday. Exceptions include residential (R) and employee reserved parking areas.

Still have questions?
Contact UK Transportation Services by email at UKTransportation@lsv.uky.edu or by phone at 859-257-5757. Follow Transportation Services on Twitter @UKParking and sign up for e-news.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.