Student Parking

  • Information on parking citations:
    Citation payment and fees

    Summer 2023 Options & Pricing



    Permits for Summer 2023 may be ordered online beginning April 1 at 8:00 a.m. Charges are applied to student accounts at the beginning of the Summer semester. Parking permit fees cover fixed-costs associated with lots, decks, and Blazer Express routes. If you will be returning for the Fall 2023 semester, please plan on ordering a permit when they open June 1 (see the Fall 2023-Spring 2024 tab for permit options – COMING SOON).

    Zone permits will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis with a limited quantity in each zone. Limiting the number of permits better ensures that a space will be available in the zone you select. It is important students choose the correct zone for their needs from the available options, as exchanges may not be possible. See the Maps and FAQ tab for resources to identify the best zone option. In the unlikely event that your zone reaches full capacity when attempting to park, notify the UAB Transportation office for assistance.

    Undergraduate and graduate students, including those in Dental, Medicine, and Optometry, will have a choice of the options below based on your classification and living arrangements. It is important that you choose the best zone available at the time of your order as exchanges may not be possible.

    Classification Permit Price Permit Description Permit Effective Permit Expires
    Housing $212 Summer Only / Zone A or Zone H May 1, 2023 August 15, 2023
    Commuter  (living off-campus) $212 Summer Only / Zone B May 1, 2023 August 15, 2023
    $165 Summer Only / Zone D, E, F, G May 1, 2023 August 15, 2023
    School of Medicine – Visiting Students - Application Form $32 Express Lot 2 (Zone D-1) TBD 30-days (extended, if pre-paid)

    Graduate and Dental, Medicine, Optometry Students

    Students enrolled in the Graduate School or Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, or Optometry are also eligible to add their name to a wait list online for two other parking locations (see chart below). UAB Transportation will verify classification and status prior to awarding these spaces. Eligible recipients will receive an email with instructions on completing the process. Award notifications are typically sent mid-to-late June. If you receive a wait list spot above 170, please return to the Parking Portal to order a commuter permit for the Fall (or Fall-Spring) beginning on June 1 at 8:00 a.m. Wait lists for these locations will remain open until all permits have been assigned.

    Classification Permit Price Permit Description Permit Effective Permit Expires
    Graduate $629 10th Ave. Deck (D10A) July 1, 2023 June 30, 2024
    Dental, Medical, and Optometry (3rd Year & Above)* $629 9th Ave Deck (D9A) July 1, 2023 June 30, 2024

  • Apply for Parking

    • Students must order a permit to access UAB parking areas.
    • Charges are applied to student accounts at the beginning of the semester for which the permit was ordered.
    • Permits are mailed to students. Be sure to provide the correct address and contact information.
    • Once received, please have the permit properly displayed to avoid unnecessary citations.
    • Student refunds are typically prorated using the same percentages as tuition and fees as noted on the UAB Academic Calendar.
    • If you need to add or change your vehicle after ordering your permit, please see the “Manage Vehicle” tab.
    • Select the “Order a Parking Permit” link below to get started.
    Purchase a Parking Permit

  • After-Hours & Weekend Access

    Students with a valid parking permit may obtain access to gated parking areas listed below between 5 p.m.-5 a.m., Monday through Friday and all day on Saturday and Sunday. To obtain access, please select one of the options listed below and contact the UAB Transportation Office. A $30 per semester fee will be added to your student account. Your student ID may be swiped at card reader to access your specified parking area. The specific parking options available include:

    • 5th Avenue Deck
    • 9th Avenue Deck
    • 10th Avenue Deck
    • 19th Street Deck
    • University Boulevard Deck
    • Student Parking Map
      Student parking map PDF showing the various zones available for student parking:

      View Map
      NOTE: Zone 7 will be renamed Zone H for the Fall 2022 semester.
    • Interactive Transportation Map
      Interactive Transportation Map

      UAB Interactive Student Transportation Map with adjustable layers. See different modes of transportation available, as well as routes, and more.

      View Map

    • Estimated Walking Distances

      The information below shows each zone and the estimated distance from the farthest parking space in that zone to the specified building, measured in miles. This information should be used as a helpful guide to choosing the best zone for each students’ needs. It is helpful to consider most parking spaces in the zones below are closer to each building than the estimated distance listed, since the information is for the farthest parking space in that zone.

          ZONE
      Building Bldg. Code A B C* D E** F*** G
      AEIVA AEIVA 0.41 0.40 1.01 0.66 0.69 0.29 0.60
      Alys Stephens Center ASC 0.46 0.27 0.99 0.67 0.70 0.26 0.64
      Bevill Biomedical Sciences BBRB 0.51 0.74 1.41 1.05 1.09 1.11 0.69
      Campbell Hall CH 0.57 0.17 0.78 0.44 0.48 0.49 0.73
      Chemistry CHEM 0.38 0.27 0.97 0.63 0.67 0.49 0.57
      Collat School of Business CSB 0.67 0.18 0.68 0.38 0.34 0.58 0.84
      Education-Engineering Complex EEC 0.60 0.33 0.85 0.74 0.57 0.47 0.79
      Heritage Hall HHB 0.42 0.22 0.87 0.53 0.56 0.56 0.61
      Henry Peters HPB 0.50 0.52 1.12 0.79 0.57 0.93 0.59
      Hill Student Center HSC 0.52 0.26 0.79 0.45 0.51 0.62 0.65
      Hoehn HOEN 0.47 0.51 1.06 0.72 0.77 0.40 0.63
      Humanities HB 0.48 0.22 0.89 0.55 0.59 0.38 0.66
      Kaul Human Genetics KAUL 0.69 0.81 1.34 1.00 1.04 1.19 0.86
      McCallum Basic Health Sciences MCLM 0.57 0.70 1.30 0.95 1.01 1.07 0.75
      Mervyn H. Sterne Library SL 0.42 0.19 0.91 0.57 0.61 0.41 0.60
      Ryals School of Public Health RPHB 0.36 0.44 1.10 0.76 0.80 0.81 0.45
      School of Dentistry SDB 0.65 0.79 1.24 0.92 0.96 1.18 0.86
      School of Health Professions SHPB 0.42 0.56 1.21 0.87 0.91 0.93 0.51
      School of Nursing NB 0.41 0.49 1.13 0.79 0.84 0.86 0.50
      Shelby Biomedical Research SHEL 0.54 0.65 1.31 0.97 1.00 1.02 0.72
      University Hall UH 0.29 0.38 1.04 0.70 0.76 0.44 0.48
      Volker Hall VH 0.38 0.42 1.02 0.68 0.73 0.79 0.48

       *ZONE C - Measured from Blazer Express Purple Route bus stops, distances are similar to Zone B.
      **Zone E - Measured from Blazer Express Blue Route bus stops, distances to many classrooms may be greatly reduced.
      ***ZONE F - Measured from Blazer Express South Green bus stops, distances to many classrooms may be greatly reduced.


    FAQ

    • When do parking permits go on sale?

      Permits may be purchased online beginning at 8:00 a.m. on April 1st for the next Summer, June 1st for the Fall term and December 1st for the next Spring term.

    • How do I add or change my vehicle and license plate information?

      Instructions:

      • Visit the parking portal
      • Login to the system with your Blazer ID and password
      • Select the “More” drop down menu from the top banner and select “Vehicles”
      • Follow the instructions for completing the process

    • Can I get a refund for my permit?

      Permit refunds may only be issued after the hangtag is received in the UAB Transportation office.  Any refunds are applied as of the day the permit is received.  Permit refunds amounts follow the tuition policy refundable percentage and dates, which can be found on the UAB Academic Calendar.

    • How does the new zone-based parking work?

      Zone-based parking introduces a system to reduce the time students have to spend searching for available spaces, while offering higher and lower cost parking options. Parking facilities are grouped by proximity to various areas of campus. To identify the best zone for your class schedule, a chart with estimated walking distances from the farthest space within each zone to major academic buildings may be found in the Estimated Walking Distances section above.

      Residential students (living in UAB Housing) may choose between one of the following two options:

      Zone A
      Zone H

      Commuter students (not living in UAB Housing) may choose between one of the following options:

      Zone B
      Zone C
      Zone D
      Zone E
      Zone F
      Zone G

      Students parking permits only allow the student to park in the zone designated within their respective permit.

    • What happens if there are no available spaces in my zone?
      Zone-based parking is designed to ensure you will be able to find a space within your respective zone. Be sure to check all the parking areas within your zone. While space may not be available in the most convenient part of a zone, spaces are likely available in other portions of the zone. If you arrive to your zone and no space is available in any of the parking areas, park in Zone C and report it to the Transportation Office at (205) 934-3513 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    • How can I save time looking for parking?

      Parking options closer to the academic core will fill up before those farther away. There are a number of actions students may take to reduce the time spent looking for a space:

      • Know all parking areas within your zone
      • Identify a preferred parking facility in your zone and a secondary area toward the perimeter of campus
      • Know which Blazer Express routes service your preferred and secondary choices
      • If you arrive at a lot/deck and it is full, immediately proceed to your secondary location
      • Keep a parking map in your vehicle
      • Save the addresses of the parking areas in your zone to a smartphone mapping app
      • Arrive on campus early – particularly early in the semester – allowing time to make it to class
      • Download the DoubleMap app to see bus routes and real-time information for your bus

    • Why did parking rates increase?

      UAB administration and Transportation leadership have listened to student feedback over several years, including insights captured by an external consulting firm that conducted a comprehensive parking and transportation study and provided recommendations to improve parking and transportation at UAB.

      Recommendations included:

      • Additional parking facilities
      • New parking technology
      • Increasing safety (i.e., deck lighting, camera coverage)
      • Enhancements to the Blazer Express bus system
      • Improvements to customer experiences

      To respond to continued campus growth and student needs, additional parking – in conjunction with improving access to alternative transportation options – are a must. The permit rate increases are one step in this process. General information is available about the parking and transportation study and detailed information about student rates may be found on the uab.edu/transportation website.

    • What if I have to park farther away and must walk late at night?

      In addition to the Blazer Express bus system, Safety Escort is an on-demand van service available 24-hours per day. Between 9:00 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. request a ride using the TapRide app. Rides may also be requested 24-hours per day by calling 205-934-8772. Please note, calls between 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. are forwarded to UAB Police Dispatch for assistance.

      UAB also offers students and employees an additional safety service, RAVE Guardian, to build a network of friends and family with whom you can communicate more easily in situations in which you may be alone or in unfamiliar areas.

      Other Helpful links:
      Blazer Express page
      Safety Escort
      TapRide App

  • Manage Vehicles


    Instructions:
    • Visit the parking portal
    • Login to the system with your Blazer ID and password
    • Select the “More” drop-down menu from the top banner and select “Vehicles”
    • Follow the instructions for completing the process

    Note:
    If you need to change the license plate number only, you will need to add the vehicle as a new vehicle and input all of the information with the new license plate number.

  • Student Carpool

    Carpools reduce traffic congestion, which contributes to higher ground-level ozone ratings. Better ratings mean more industry and business for our city, as well as federal funds to complete road construction projects.

    To apply for a carpool, submit a rideshare application.

    Learn more >