Parking in Athens is always a fun topic or subject of woe, depending on who you ask. Whether it’s a discussion about someone attempting to parallel park Uptown or the constant moving of cars in residential neighborhoods, parking in Athens is frequently top of mind. For students, it is possible to get a space on campus if you live in a residence hall. However, it’s not guaranteed. On-campus parking permits for the 2023-2024 academic year opens on July 17 at 9 a.m. for students with 30 or more hours and on July 25 for those students with less than 30 hours. Commuter student passes go on sale on July 31 at 9 a.m. regardless of class level. It’s first come/first served through the Parking Portal and is guaranteed to sell out quickly. Set your alarm!
Where to find parking in Athens:
Assuming you don’t secure an on-campus parking spot or perhaps you are looking for off-campus parking, here are some options for you for parking in Athens.
Athens County Fairgrounds– located at 286 West Union Street. Pro’s of this location: cost. Roughly $200/per year. Con’s of this location: distance to campus and the lot is not paved (you are essentially parking in a field).
Athens Mold & Machine – located on Elliott Street near Mill Street. Call 740-593-6613. Parking is available by the calendar year, academic year, semester, month, week, and day for various prices. It ranges from $450/academic year to $20/day. Pro’s for this lot is that it’s paved, fenced in, and each person has a dedicated spot. Con’s for the lot could be distance depending on where the student lives.
Athens Depot Parking via Athens Station Apartments – located on West Union Street (123 W. Union St.), this is a great option for students living uptown and on West Green. Parking is available by the semester or year. Current rate is $206 per semester. Paved lots. Call 740-593-3153. Student will need to go in person to sign contract and pay.
HDL Parking/Laughlin Vending – located on West Union Street across from Heritage Hall (College of Medicine). Call 740-593-7778. Pro’s of this location – location, paved, well-lit lot. Spaces rent by the year, month, week, and day.
Hocking Street Parking – located just off Stimson Avenue behind the US Post Office. Call 740-592-4441 or email parking@hvb1.com. Rent is by the academic year (fall and spring semesters $450) or entire year (fall, spring, summer semesters $575). Pro’s include that it’s paved, well-lit, and has assigned spaces.
Bobcat Rentals Parking – various locations as available. Call 740-609-1115.
Krause Rentals – Various locations with prices ranging from $400 to $700 depending on location for the year. Call 740-589-5477.
Good Inc. – located on Stimson Avenue. Call 740-593-7889. $400 for the academic year, $425 for the calendar year.
Another thing to note is that parking in Athens is known to bring with it tickets and towing. Parking meters on campus are monitored 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Meters are paid via ParkMobile app for on campus parking spots or quarters. Dark Green and Purple parking lots are available for open parking from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday. It is possible to get a free parking permit from Transportation and Parking Services for parents/grandparents but that must be done during normal business hours.
For the city of Athens, most private parking lots have signs posted stating that cars are subject to towing if they are not permitted to park in the lot. Students often overlook these signs or just take their chance. Towing is expensive. On top of the tow fee, the towing company charges a per day rate for hosting your car in their impound lot. Consider this your warning.
Parking meters on the streets are required and monitored from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Parking meters are not enforced on Sundays or on any federal holiday. The Athens City Parking Garage meters are monitored 24 hours/day Monday through Saturday. There is no fee to park in the Parking Garage on Sundays. Most meters outside of the parking garage are a maximum of two hours. To park in Athens at a meter, you will need quarters or use the Park Smarter app.
Neighborhood street parking is also restricted. Sometimes a student will think they can just park their car in a nearby neighborhood for days or weeks at a time, only to find it gone (towed) when they return. The rule in Athens is that no parking may exceed 24 hours in any one location. If your car is parked for longer than 24 hours, it is subject to a ticket and/or towing. The city enforces this rule because many homes in Athens neighborhoods don’t have off-street parking and residents rely on street parking for their vehicles.
**prices stated are as of the publishing of this post and pulled from information from individual websites or offices. These prices may not reflect current rates or other conditions. Post is for informational purposes only.
