Navigating Parking at the University of Washington: A Comprehensive Guide

The University of Washington (UW) campus in Seattle presents unique parking challenges. With a commitment to promoting alternative transportation methods, parking spaces are limited. This guide provides comprehensive information to help students, staff, faculty, and visitors navigate parking options effectively.

Planning Your Arrival

If driving to the UW Seattle campus, it's crucial to factor in ample time for parking and reaching your final destination. The university recommends allowing at least 30 minutes for this process. Due to parking constraints, especially during peak hours, consider alternative transportation such as buses or light rail for a potentially easier commute.

Visitor Parking

Visitors arriving by car may need to stop at a gatehouse to inquire about available parking options. Parking specialists are available to assist in locating a suitable parking lot based on availability, destination, and any special needs. Several parking lots offer self-serve parking through the PayByPhone app and/or self-serve pay machines. Be aware that event rates may affect parking cost and availability.

Payment Options

Several parking lots are self-service, allowing you to bypass the gatehouse and pay immediately. Pay by phone parking is available at all self-serve lots except E01, and some lots also have pay machines where you enter your license plate number. All pay machines take Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. At the E01 lot, you must pay with a credit card at the gate arm entry. Follow the directions on the PayByPhone app or the pay machine or gate arm at your lot. It is important to enter your license plate information accurately to avoid the risk of a citation. If you are required to display a parking permit, please put it on your dashboard and make sure it is visible from outside of the vehicle.

Central Plaza Garage (CPG)

Centrally located, the Central Plaza Garage (CPG) is closest to Meany Hall and the UW Visitors Center. Self-serve parking is available on levels C02, C03 and C04 only. Drivers may bypass the gatehouse, park on levels C02, C03 or C04 and then use the PayByPhone app to purchase a parking permit.

Read also: UCF Graduation Parking Info

Other Self-Serve Parking Locations

C10: A collection of very small lots near the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences (Bloedel, Anderson and Winkenwerder).
C12: A collection of very small lots near the Engineering buildings (Roberts, More, Wilson, Wilcox, Gates).
E07 and E97: Convenient to the Intramural Activities Center (IMA) and other athletic facilities.
E17, E19, E20 and E21: Next to Husky Stadium.
E01 and E18: Large lots near the recreation fields.
E14: By the golf driving range on Clark Road.
E03 and E04: On Clark Road in the northeastern corner of campus. The E01 lot has several entrances, with the easiest being from the north off Montlake Boulevard at Walla Walla Road.
N01: The parking lot at the Burke Museum.
N06: Off of Whitman Court near the Intellectual House (wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ).
N16, N18, N20 and N21: Part of the large Padelford parking garage off Pend Oreille Road. Visitor parking during the day is available on the N20 and N21 levels only.
N22: Sits alongside Stevens Way just north of the HUB and is available for disability parking only. A state-issued disability placard must be displayed when parking in a disability stall.
South Campus Garage: Located behind the UW Medical Center, the South Campus Garage may be entered by following Boat Street and bypassing the gatehouse. Self-serve parking is available on the top level, S01, only.
W10 and W41: The closest self-serve lots to the West campus dorms.
W27: A small garage on 15th Ave., just south of NE Pacific St.
W46: Part of the UW Tower garage on 12th Ave between 43rd and 45th streets.

Parking Permits

Parking permits are available to students and employees. Your permit will show what lot you are assigned to and an expiration time. Parking in a different lot or with an expired permit may result in a citation. Please adhere to all posted restrictions.

AVI (Automated Vehicle Identification)

AVI is a gate access method that uses a long-range identification reader to detect the customer’s permit credentials. The AVI card holder should be mounted on the inside of the lower left (driver’s side) of the windshield, approximately 2 inches inward from the edge of the windshield and 4 inches above the bottom of the windshield, portrait orientation. Ensure that the side of the AVI card has the logo facing outward. To avoid citation, please ensure the entire card is visible from outside the vehicle. AVI card holders are not re-mountable after the initial install. Any separation of the adhesive pad on the holder from the windshield will be permanent and a new holder will need to be installed. Please contact Transportation Services to obtain a new holder.

Troubleshooting AVI Reader Issues

Depending on the facility you are trying to enter, there will be other options available that will grant you access, such as Husky Card magstripe readers and credit card readers. For the facilities that are AVI-only, the issue could be with the AVI tag position on the vehicle, at which point we recommend re-positioning the tag. If it is not the position of the tag, then it could be an issue with either your account or the AVI reader itself, at which point, please contact the Transportation Services office using the intercom or in person during office hours.

Parking at UW Bothell

Daily parking is available to all visitors and members of Bothell campus. Payment for parking is required 24/7 on Bothell Campus. Short-term and long-term parking permit options are available to students, staff, faculty, and guests who choose to commute to campus by single car, carpool, motorcycle, or have disability accommodation needs.

Disability Parking

Disability Parking is found in accessible locations on campus, available for use with payment for parking. A state-issued disability placard must be displayed when parking in a disability stall. N22 sits alongside Stevens Way just north of the HUB and is available for disability parking only.

Read also: Parking Solutions for Students

Parking Rates and Times

While parking rates vary by time and location, parking will usually cost you $4 an hour.

Free Parking

Parking is free on Sundays and holidays except where signage states otherwise. For free street parking, try venturing several blocks off campus to the North.

Alternative Transportation Options

The UW encourages the use of alternative transportation methods to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips.

Public Transportation

The U-District is served by numerous bus routes. The tripplanner.kingcounty.gov can point you in the right direction. Since March 2016, the Sound Transit UW Station has been open for service. When using Metro Transit, please use “UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON HUB” as the destination. There are a number of bus routes that stop at the Husky Union Building.

Biking

Seattle is a bike-friendly city, with a sizable part of the population commuting daily by bike. RideTheCity allows you to enter a start and end location, and provides you with travel routes that are either the most direct or most safe, based on your preferences. The UW is committed to students who ride bikes, offering almost 10,000 bike parking spaces around campus. Approximately 7,800 of these spaces are in the public bike racks placed nearby almost every building on campus. There are also bike lockers available for rental all over campus for $140 per year. Most residence halls also offer secure bike rooms for residents in HFS housing. The ASUW Bike Shop, bike.asuw.org offers cheap repair services for students.

Read also: Parking at UT

Car Sharing

If you don’t have a car, you can always borrow one. GIG Car is a rental vehicle service accessible via smartphone apps. Their vehicles are considering “free-floating.” Cars are parked in any legal stall for free after a rental, and the subsequent renter then retrieves the car from that location. GIG Car vehicles also have a free parking pass for street parking anywhere in the city. Zipcar vehicles are another option paid by the half-hour and must be picked up and dropped off in the same location.

Husky Union Building (HUB) Parking

All parking on campus for vehicles, buses, or motorcycles, including for HUB visitors and guests, must be arranged in advance with UW Transportation Services or at any one of the gatehouse upon entering campus. Bus parking requires advance approval by UW Transportation Services. Buses are required to park only in designated locations on campus. Load-In/Out parking spots are available in Lot N-22, just north of the HUB. The UW campus is very bicycle friendly and the HUB offers bike racks for cyclists to secure their bikes. The HUB loading dock is located on the east side of the HUB along Stevens Way NE. The dock can accommodate up to 2 semi-trucks (back-in parking) or 4 delivery trucks in separate bays.

Parking Products and Rates

The tables below show the 2025-26 rates for commonly used parking products on the Seattle campus. These rates reflect the 4% annual increase approved by the UW Board of Regents in March 2022. Rates are inclusive of taxes and fees and are effective as of July 1, 2025.

Navigating the U-District

Parking in the U-District can be difficult to navigate. Here are some options to make it more bearable, as well as several ways to avoid parking entirely.

Additional Parking Resources

Transportation Services: Contact the Transportation Services office for assistance with permits, AVI issues, and general parking inquiries.
PayByPhone App: Utilize the PayByPhone app for convenient self-serve parking payments.
Gatehouses: Stop at a gatehouse for assistance with finding a parking lot and information on parking options.
Online Resources: Consult the UW Transportation Services website for updated parking policies, maps, and alternative transportation information.

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