Rules and Regulations

For the protection of Vanderbilt University students, faculty, and staff, no parking is allowed at anytime, anywhere on campus, without a valid Vanderbilt University registration permit, except by visitors in paid spaces or spaces otherwise designated for visitors. University parking lots are identified by appropriate parking permit program or reserved-space designations. Vehicles may be parked only in areas that correspond to their respective virtual permits, subject to the exceptions delineated in the University Parking Services Regulations .

Vehicles with an annual parking permit may now park in any zone effective as of September 1, 2020. The Terrace Place, Wesley Place, West and Sony garages have been designated as daily parking facilities, and individuals with annual parking permits may not park in these facilities. Vehicles with an undergraduate student permit may park in any of the undergraduate student parking lots and garages (Kissam and Kensington garages are for reserved permit holders only). Please read the University Parking Regulations in their entirety for more information.

Barricades, roped-off areas, and signs indicating parking for special events take precedence over general parking assignments illustrated on the parking map. The university reserves the right to modify or add to the regulations at anytime. Therefore, designation signs and markings at the parking lots and garages also take precedence over the parking map. Parking regulations are strictly enforced. Violations are subject to fines and towing to drop Lot 73B or to South Side Towing.

Parking Services Permit Cancellation-Refund Policies

Faculty/Staff/PostDocs: Refunds for the current month's parking are not available. Payment remains the responsibility of the permit holder. However, faculty, staff and postdocs have the option of cancelling their permit for subsequent months. Upon permit cancellation, your account will be flagged for parking use for the remainder of the month. Permit cancellation requests should be sent to parking@vanderbilt.edu by the close of business on the last working day of the month to avoid being charged the following month ( during the month of December, requests must be in by noon, prior to or on the 19th of the month ). Following the receipt of your cancellation request, deductions for future months will be discontinued.

Students: Refunds will not be issued for annual or semester only permits.

University Parking Services Regulations

University parking regulations apply on the streets, roads, alleys, sidewalks, walkways, parking spaces, fire lanes, and parking lots and garages on all parts of the Vanderbilt University campus. Metro Nashville Parking regulations are also enforced.

Because parking on campus is limited, permit holders may only have one vehicle on campus at a time and occupy only one space. Permit holders who use different vehicles on given days must add those vehicles to their virtual permit.
Vehicle parking or standing is prohibited on campus in areas not specifically designated for parking. Parking areas on campus are marked. Any area not lined as a space or designated with a parking sign is a NO PARKING area. The absence of a "No Parking" sign or curb marking does not mean that parking is permissible.
The person to whom a vehicle is registered is held fully responsible for all violations involving the vehicle, even if another person is using the vehicle at the time of the violation. When a permit holder disposes of a vehicle through sale or trade-in, the permit holder should remove the vehicle from their parking account so that the individual will no longer be responsible for tickets the vehicle might receive.
Unregistered vehicles are prohibited in university parking lots and garages, except when operated by visitors and parked in pay spaces designated for visitors, or during special events for which visitor parking has been prearranged through the Office of Parking Services. Vehicle information must be updated when vehicles or license plates change. Vehicles that are not updated will be cited.
Students who fail to register vehicles that they operate on campus are subject to disciplinary action by the Conduct Council. There is no grace period. Students who operate unregistered vehicles on campus, who accumulate tickets, and who are subsequently identified, will be charged through student-account billing.
Outstanding citations on unregistered vehicles that are towed will be charged to the person claiming the vehicle and identified on the tow slip. Proof of identity, driver's license, and vehicle registration must be provided when retrieving a vehicle.
The speed limit for vehicles on campus is 10 miles per hour, unless otherwise marked. The speed limit for bicycles is 10 miles per hour as well.
Double parking or obstructing drives, walkways, doors, refuse containers, or other vehicles is prohibited.
Parking in a fire lane or within 15 feet of a fire hydrant is prohibited.
Vehicle should not be backed into parking spaces (i.e. nose in parking required). All license plates on the rear bumper must be visible to Parking Services staff using LPR readers to capture parking data.
Vehicles parked in authorized lots and garages must be parked within the parking stripes and headed into the space with the license plate clearly visible,
Parking or driving on curbs, lawns, landscaped areas, traffic islands, or walkways is prohibited.
Designated loading zones are for commercial and university service vehicles only. Any area not lined as a space, or designated with a parking sign is a NO PARKING area.
Tampering with, destruction of, or theft of parking meters, parking lot and garage signs, or markings used for the implementation of parking and traffic regulations may result in disciplinary action and/or criminal prosecution and the violator charged for replacement cost. Parking privileges may also be suspended.
The University has paid visitor parking spaces (pay by phone, pay stations, etc.), which are identified on the parking map. These spaces can be utilized by visitors to the university, as well as students, faculty and staff as long as they pay.
Pay Spaces are enforced 24/7 unless otherwise marked.
Penalties for violations include ticketing and fines, towing, revocation of parking privileges, disciplinary action, and/or criminal prosecution. Fines for citations by students are automatically billed to Student Accounts if not paid or appealed within 15 days.
Once a parking citation has been issued, removal of the citation by blowing away or falling off the vehicle or by the action of another person or persons does not absolve the vehicle's owner from responsibility for the violation. Officers do not have authorization to revoke a citation. Citations must be appealed within 15 days from the date of issuance through the appeal process. Follow instructions on the back of the citation.
Parallel parking in the direction of opposing traffic is a safety hazard and is not permitted.
Motorcycles, motorized bicycles, motor scooters and mopeds are required to display “U” permits. Parking is authorized in designated areas only. Motorcycle, motorized bicycle, motor scooter and moped parking areas can be found on the Motorcycle parking map as designated by the motorcycle symbols. For more detail information POLICY.
Golf Carts: Golf carts are prohibited, except for official University business use only.

Undergraduate Parking Policy

Undergraduate parking permits are available only to Sophomores, Juniors, & Seniors.

Sophomores: Parking on campus is a privilege and is primarily reserved for Upperclassmen (Juniors and Seniors). However, a limited number of vehicle parking spaces are available to Sophomores on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once these spaces are sold out, a waiting list is created in the event a space becomes available. If absolutely necessary, we do offer Special Reserved parking to Sophomores as an exception, but we encourage all students to wait until they become Juniors to bring vehicles on campus.

Juniors and Seniors: Juniors and Seniors are eligible to purchase parking permits and may park in the areas designated by their permit types.

All students must abide by the university's parking rules and regulations noted on this page.