Students will return to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for the fall 2026 semester with 455 fewer parking spaces than this time last year, but nearly 19,000 spots are still available on campus.
As parking at UT continues to undergo significant changes amid a push to have fewer cars on campus, more than 900 public parking spaces are still available.
The price of parking passes has increased to upwards of $450, with priority based on seniority. First-year students get final dibs on parking passes, which are tied to specific "zones" on campus.
UT is exploring a rideshare program for freshman students and adding more buses to its fleet. Along with the T buses, students can ride Knoxville Area Transit buses for free using their VolCard.
How much parking is available on the University of Tennessee campus?
For
the upcoming fall semester, UT has 18,735 parking spaces available for students and employees on campus. The university also leases spots at park-and-ride locations and off-campus lots, bringing UT's total to 21,091 spaces.
The net decrease of 455 spaces comes from the "eventual closing of the G10 garage and the addition of new parking on Stephenson Drive," UT spokeswoman Kerry Gardner told Knox News via email. The new Stephenson Drive lot, according to UT Facilities Services, will add more than 700 spots.
UT has 927 hourly visitor parking spaces available through ParkMobile. These spaces are scattered across campus in areas including Circle Park and the G-16 garage, as well as along Volunteer Boulevard and Phillip Fulmer Way.
How many parking passes have been sold at University of Tennessee?
Graduate students and seniors already can purchase passes. Juniors became eligible Aug. 7, followed by sophomores Aug. 10. Second-year freshmen and transfer students will get their opportunity Aug. 13, while first-year commuter students must wait until Aug. 15.
The number of permits sold won't be available until the semester starts Aug. 17, Gardner said.
UT sold 25,789 permits from July 2025 through July 31, 2026.
Keenan Thomas is the higher education reporter for Knox News. Email: keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Yes, University of Tennessee lost parking. But what's the real change? | Exclusive
