If you plan on bringing a car to campus, make sure you have a place to park and keep in mind that spaces in Ann Arbor are very limited. Determine ahead of time with your roommates who will have a car, how many parking spaces are guaranteed in your lease, and how you will pay for any additional parking fees. If you can't park at your house or apartment, there are several alternative options offered by the University and City of Ann Arbor.
U-M Parking and Transportation Services offers limited “storage” parking for students who don’t need to use their vehicle frequently, or who don’t qualify for student parking permits. Spaces are available to all students – including freshmen and sophomores – and are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Registered juniors, seniors, or graduate students that commute to campus can also purchase a permit for daily parking through PTS. Note that these permits are not intended for storage parking, and the student parking lots are located on the perimeter of campus where University bus service transports riders to and from their vehicles. Visit Logistics, Parking, and Transportation for a full description of student eligibility guidelines and permit options.
Ann Arbor’s Downtown Development Authority offers monthly parking permits at several structures in the downtown area – including those on Forest Avenue, Maynard, and Washington Street – for $140 to $145 per month. Several parking lots also offer permits, but prices for this option vary by location. Call (734) 997-1310 or more information about monthly parking permits through the City of Ann Arbor.
Many off-campus neighborhoods now participate in the Residential Parking Permit (RPP) program: in areas where commuters and non-residents often take up the legal street parking spaces, this program allows residents to find convenient parking near their home. If your neighborhood participates in the RPP program, you will need to purchase a $50/year permit for every vehicle that will be parked on the street during the specified enforcement period.
Parking Citations
If you park at a metered spot within the City of Ann Arbor, make sure you check the time limit in that area and put plenty of money in the meter – parking ticket fines can add up quickly. The fine for an expired meter citation is $10 if paid by the end of the next business day, $20 if paid within 14 days, $40 if paid after 14 days, and $60 if paid after 30 days. A car with four or more unpaid parking tickets may be towed. Parking tickets can be paid in one of five ways:
- Online via ParkingTicketPayment.com (note, this service charges an additional $3.50 convenience fee for each ticket)
- Over the phone by calling 1-866-890-4982
- At one of the 24-hour drop boxes just inside the E. Huron entrance of City Hall or on the corner of Fifth Ave. and Ann St.
- In person from 8 AM – 5 PM at the Customer Service Center inside City Hall
- By mail (check or money order only)
City of Ann Arbor Processing Center
P.O. Box 2066
Tarrytown, NY 10591