Navigating Parking at the University of Maryland: A Comprehensive Guide

Parking at a large university like the University of Maryland (UMD) can be complex. This guide provides comprehensive information about parking regulations, options, and resources available to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Understanding the rules and utilizing available tools can ensure a smooth and citation-free parking experience.

Parking Options for Faculty and Staff

The University of Maryland offers flexible parking permit options tailored to individual working, living, and learning situations for faculty and staff. Lot signs beginning with a letter are considered faculty/staff lots.

Parking Options for Students

Students can register online or in the office for parking for the spring 2026 semester starting January 1, 2026. Once you have completed the registration process, your parking pass will continue to work if you are renewing your parking pass from a prior semester. However, if this is your first parking pass with us you will need to come to the TAPS office to pick it up. To avoid long lines during the first few weeks of class we urge students to come closer to the beginning of January when there are minimal lines.

On the day that you come to pick up your parking pass, the location in which you should park is the Shady Grove Garage. You will need to push the button for a ticket at the gate to gain access to the garage. Before you leave the campus, stop by the TAPS office in Building II, room 1312, and pick up your parking pass. The parking pass may then be used to exit the Shady Grove Garage at no cost. Once you have your parking pass, you will be able to access the Shady Grove Garage and Lot 1, which are the primary student parking locations on campus.It is important to note that the ground floor of the Traville Gateway Garage is always restricted to employee permit holders.

Signs that begin with numbers are considered student lots. Students with commuter permits who need to occasionally park overnight should consult our overnight parking map. Commuter students who live off campus and require regular overnight parking should purchase an overnight storage parking permit. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Student Parking Rates (2025 - 2026 Academic Year)

Annual: $252 (Effective 8/1/25 - 8/20/26)
Fall/Winter: $126 (Effective 8/1/25- 1/26/26)
Winter Only: $64 (Effective 12/1/25 - 1/26/26)
Spring/Summer: $126 (Effective 1/1/26 - 8/20/26)
Summer Only: $64 (Effective 6/1/26 - 8/20/26)

Student Payment Plan Options

Fall Payment Plan: Three (3) payments of $42.00. First payment due upon registration, remaining payments due monthly October 10th and November 10th.
Spring Payment Plan: Three (3) payments of $42.00.

Visitor Parking

For those meeting with us, designated visitor parking areas are available on UMD's campus. The nearest visitor parking to Caroline Hall is the Mowatt Lane Parking Garage. We recommend arriving a bit early to find parking and walk to our office.

The Mowatt Lane Parking Garage offers metered visitor parking on the first floor, as well as an adjacent surface lot. The garage is approximately a four-minute walk from Caroline Hall. Visitor parking is primarily available in one surface lot and four parking garages which have been equipped with pay by space digital pay stations. A limited number of other pay by space meters are located around campus. The campus map provides the location of these spaces. The hourly parking rate, hours of operation, and parking restrictions may vary by location. Please remember that listed rates and operating hours are subject to change. Visitor parking may not be available during special events. Read any posted signs before parking.

The Union Lane Parking Garage is located between the Adele H. Union Center for Campus Life and Cole Student Activity Building. Garage is at the bottom, accessible from Fieldhouse Drive. to midnight daily. Performing Arts Center and the Riggs Alumni Center. The Mowatt Lane Garage is located near Van Munching Hall, Robert H. of Business, and Prince Frederick Hall. floor of the Garage, and they are numbered. to midnight daily. the Garage, and they are numbered. daily. Center and across from the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex. amount of pay station visitor parking spaces. to midnight daily.

Parking at the School of Dentistry

The University of Maryland School of Dentistry is located at 650 West Baltimore Street. Patients may park in the Pearl Street Garage at 622 West Fayette Street, west of Greene Street or in the Baltimore Grand Garage at Paca and Fayette Streets. There is a parking fee of $9 for any visit over two hours with validation from treatment areas. Visits less than two hours will have a lower fee. For directions to the School of Dentistry by public transportation, visit Google Maps.

Understanding Parking Regulations

Parking regulations are critical for campus safety and for maintaining an orderly parking experience. The parking regulations outline parking requirements and policies for everyone who parks their vehicles on campus. Monday through Friday to answer questions you may have about our policies-we invite you to contact us.

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How to Avoid Citations

Park in your assigned lot or overflow lot inside the two white control lines. Parking over the line in a space may prevent others from parking in adjacent spaces.
Make sure your license plate is visible from the roadway, correctly bolted to your vehicle’s bumper(s). Vehicles without a license plate on the front should not back into parking spaces.
Park only one registered vehicle in your assigned lot or overflow area at a time.
Pay the pay station or meter if parked in visitor parking, and either move your vehicle before your time is up or add more time if you need to stay.

Interpreting Parking Signs

The following sign characteristics delineate the lot type and restrictions:

BLACK VS. on weekdays andweekends. Lot signs with red text have unique restrictions.
LETTER OR NUMBERS: Signs that begin with a letter are considered faculty/staff lots, regardless ofany sub-number that follows. Signs that begin with numbers are consideredstudent lots.
SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS: The text below the lot assignment number/letter indicates any special lot restrictions. the next day.
24-HOUR Restrictions: These lots are restricted at all times to permits or vehicles withCLPRs corresponding to these areas.
TEMPORARY POSTED SIGNAGE: In addition to our standard lot signage, temporary posted signagecan indicate that a lot is or will have additional restrictions for aspecial event or construction. Please notice these signs as you park your vehicle.
FREE PARKING: If you plan to park on campus regularly, we recommend you purchase a parking permit to guarantee space. on weekdays and on weekends.

Accessible Parking Information

ADA accessible parking is available via the north entrance of Stadium Drive Garage. Vehicles MUST have a disabled license plate or placard to enter an ADA accessible parking area. If you require accessible/handicap parking as a visitor, there are limited spaces in the Mowatt Lane Parking Garage.

Gameday Parking

Maryland Athletics is fully mobile for our season parking services. You will be able to manage your season parking passes from the convenience of your phone. Due to ongoing Purple Line construction, parking pass holders should access campus via entrances specific to their parking pass. Due to Purple Line construction on campus, traffic flow has been severely impacted. To help this gameday traffic flow and decrease confusion the color on your parking pass also corresponds to your campus entrance on gameday. This is the entrance(s) your pass will allow you to enter on gameday.

Maryland Football season ticket holders can purchase parking for $120 for the season. Season ticket holders can purchase one (1) permit for every four (4) season tickets. Season ticket holders who need accessible parking will be able to purchase a pass in Stadium Drive Garage South or North. Single Game Parking is sold through the Department of Transportation and be purchased here.

Parking on campus for buses and RVs on Football game days is no longer available. Cherry Hill Park is located just 10 minutes from campus. Cherry Hill Park is unaffiliated with the University of Maryland. Quickbus is Shuttle-UM's free service that transports you from your parking lot to Maryland Stadium. Buses on each loop are a mixture of ADA accessible and non-ADA accessible vehicles. However, we offer paratransit service to accommodate all guests.

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Sustainable Transportation

With the university’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2025, sustainable transportation is more important than ever. However, we understand that sometimes you just need to drive to campus.

Additional Resources

Interactive Campus Map: To help you navigate campus, we suggest using the interactive campus map of the University of Maryland. The campus map is updated daily to reflect any construction on campus that may impact the path of travel. The "Directions" feature allows you to select "Accessible Pathways," which will direct you to your location using only accessible routes.

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